116. The Old Man Pretending To Be A Child (El Viejo Se Hace Niño)
There was a very old man who was very afraid of death; he was so afraid [of death] that he always wandered around [e.g. turning things over] in his head thinking when death would come for [to] him. And with so much thinking on this same subject that he spent the days in a daze, and that [he] was not [living] life at all.
One day when he was taking in the sun while sitting at the door to his house, a group of laughing children passed in front of him, pushing one another and jumping [up and down playfully]. And as he watched them passed by, the old man, who thought of nothing else but death, had an idea: as it is known that death prefers the olds, if he would disguise himself as a child [so that] when Death comes searching for him, he would pass him by.
So this he did. He went inside his house and after a while, when he came out, he came out with a bowl hair cut and dressed in a child’s clothes which looked good on him due to how emaciated he was; and just like that, he went after [followed] the group of children, mingling and jumping and cartwheeling with them. He was happy because Death would no longer search for him.
Some time passed by and one day when the little old man was frolicking with the other children, the hairless [e.g. balding] Death arrived with his scythe, began to look at the group of youngsters and did not take his eyes off the poor old man. After a while he beckoned him [to come], but the old man pretended that he did not see this and continued to run around, getting more and more restless [while doing so]. At last, Death approached the old little man, put one hand on his shoulder and said to him:
[Note: in Spanish, “Pelón” means bald, or a bald man or bald woman; “Pelona” means Death; so perhaps this is a play of words that Death is bald? This is the first time that I have read anywhere that Death is bald.]
Come here, kiddo.
What do you want, ma’am? – said the old little man in a little child’s voice as he spoke.
Who had cut your hair for you? – asked Death passing her hand over his head.
My mother, ma’am – replied the man.
Death [then] asked again:
And these clothes that you are wearing, who sewed them for you?
Also my mother, ma’am.
Good, good – said Death -, then you have to come with me.
And how [why] is that? – asked the little man disguised as a child, with a faint voice.
Since you asked me [then] I’ll tell you – replied Death -. You know that I always take old people with me, right? The fact is that I have taken so many [old people] that they now don’t want me to take any more; and so I said to myself: “well, in light of that, it would be good for me to take a little angel to heaven this time.” And because of that I have chosen you.
And just like that she took him [away] with her.
—– VOCABULARY —–
Cabriolar – (to perform cartwheels) to cartwheel; (to spring with the back arched) to buck, to gambol
Cavilar – to ponder, to think deeply
Consumido – emaciated, thin and drawn
Corretear – (to play and run) to run around, to run about; (to dawdle) to loiter, to hang about
Corro – (group of people) ring, circle; (game) ring-around-the-rosy; (economy) pit, ring
Crío – (youngster) kid, child, baby, boy, girl
Empujar – (to propel) to push, to shove; (to pressure, used with “a”) to push into, to force to
Guadaña – scythe
Hacerse – (to feign) to pretend, to act; (to turn into) to become; (to create for oneself) to make oneself; (to cook for oneself) to make oneself
Hilo de voz – faint voice
Inquieto – (unsettled) restless; (concerned) anxious
Pasar de largo – (to go past) to go straight past, to go past, to pass by
Pelo – hair, fur
Pelón – (hairless) bald; (shaven) close-cropped; (bald person) bald man, woman
Pelona – Death;
Quedar bien – (to create a favorable impression) to make a good impression, to make oneself look good; (to be flattering) to look good; (to match, used with “con”) to look good with, to go well with
Rapaz – (literary) (old-fashioned) (young person) (Spain) kid, lad, lass
Reír – (to make a happy sound) to laugh; (to gratify) (Spain) to indulge
Retozar – (to frisk) to frolic, to gambol, to romp; (to fool around with) to make out
Seña – (gesture) sign, signal
Sin más – just like that; without further ado
Sobresaltado – startled, frightened
Tazón – (container) bowl, large cup