No More Learning

/ -- -- | / -- -- |, etc.

_Amphibrachic_ verse would be formed by a regular recurrence of three
syllables of which the middle one would be stressed, -- / --. This
construction is sometimes followed in lines of twelve syllables (p.
164, I, 1. 2), and also in lines of six syllables (p. 167, VII, 1. -4).

_Anapestic_ verse consists of a regular recurrence of two unstressed
syllables preceding a stressed syllable, -- -- /. This is sometimes
found in ten-syllable lines (p. 164, I, 1. i).


B. SPANISH VERSE ENDINGS

An accented word is called _aguda_ when it has the accent on the last
syllable, e. g. _verdad, luz, yo_; _llana_ (or grave) when it has the
accent on the penult, e. g. _trabajo, fruto_; _esdrujula_ when it has
the accent on the antepenult, e. g. _limpido, pajaro, portico_.

A verse is called _agudo, llano_ (or grave), or _esdrujulo_ according
to whether its final word is _aguda, llana_ (or grave), or
_esdrujula_.

In a _verso agudo_ the last syllable counts for two syllables.
Therefore, _Ni tu ni yo jamas_, p. 177, XXXIII, l. 2, is a
heptasyllable.

In a _verso llano_ (grave) the number of syllables does not change.
Therefore, _Detras del abanico_, p. 180, XL, l. 27, is a
heptasyllable.

In a _verso esdrujulo_, the intermediate syllable between the accented
syllable and the final syllable does not count, either in enumerating
the syllables in the verse or for the rhyme (assonance). Therefore,
_Umbrales de su portico_, p. 180, XL, l. 32, is a heptasyllable.


C. THE DISTRIBUTION OF RHYTHMIC ACCENTS

In verses of different length there are different rules with regard to
the distribution of accents, but the following general rules should be
observed.

Every verse must be accented upon the syllable nominally preceding the
final syllable.

NOTE: It should be borne in mind that the actual final syllable in a
versa _agudo_ counts as two syllables, and that the next to the last
actual syllable in a verso _esdrujulo_ does not count.

Besides the necessary accent on the next to the last syllable, all
verses of seven syllables or more must have other necessary accents,
which are determined by the number of syllables in the line.

The syllable directly preceding the one that has the rhythmical accent
should never be accented, for it obstructs the proper accentuation of
the constituent syllable. A syllable so accented is called
_obstruccionista_.


D. THE NUMBER OF SYLLABLES IN SPANISH VERSE

Spanish verse may consist of any number of syllables from two up to
sixteen. All must have an accent on the next to the last syllable.

_Dissyllabic Verse_: A dissyllabic verse may be composed of a single
word (either _aguda_, _llana_, or _esdrujula_).

Ex. _? Duerme! _ p. 173, XXVII, l. 13.

There can be no supernumerary accents.

_Trisyllabic Verse_: A verse of three syllables can have no
supernumerary accent, for the accent would be _obstruccionista_.

Ex. _Suspira. _

_Tetrasyllable Verse_: A verse of four syllables must have an accent
on the third syllable. There may or may not be a supernumerary accent
on the first.

Ex. _De ese brio. _

_Pentasyllabic Verse_: A verse of five syllables must have an accent
on the fourth. It may or may not have a supernumerary accent on the
first or second syllable.

Ex. _Rumor sonoro_, p. I 70, XV, l. 3.

_Adonic verse_ is a pentasyllable with necessary accents on the first
and fourth syllables.

Ex. _Cefiro blando_. Villegas.

_Hexasyllabic Verse_: A verse of six syllables must have an accent on
the fifth. There may or may not be supernumerary accents, but never on
the fourth syllable.

5
Ex. _Y^entre^aquella sombra
2 5
Veiase^a^intervalos
3 5
Dibujarse rigida
2 5
La forma del cuerpo_, p. 188, LXXIII, ll. 13-16.

_Heptasyllabic Verse_: A verse of seven syllables must have an accent
on the sixth, and at least one other necessary accent, which may be on
any syllable except the fifth.

2 6
Ex. _Su mano^entre mis manos,
2 6
Sus ojos en mis ojos_, p. 179, XL, ll. 1-2.

_Octosyllabic Verse_: A verse of eight syllables must have an accent
on the seventh, and at least one other accent, which may fall on any
syllable except the sixth.


1 4 7
Ex. _Hojas del arbol caidas
2 5 7
Juguetes al viento son. _ Espronceda.

_Hendecasyllabic verse_: There are two classes of hendecasyllables.

_First Class_: Verses of eleven syllables which have the sixth
syllable and the tenth syllable stressed are hendecasyllables of the
first class.

Ex. _Los invisibles 'atomos del 'aire_, p. 168, X, l. 1.

Hendecasyllables of the first class may have supernumerary accents on
other syllables, provided they do not fall upon the fifth or ninth.

Ex. _Los sus'pires son 'aire, y van al 'aire.
Las 'lagrimas son 'agua, y van al 'mar. _ p. 178, XXXVIII, ll.
1-2.

_Second Class_: Hendecasyllables of the second class are
eleven-syllable verses with the accent on the fourth, eighth, and
tenth syllables. There may be accents on other syllables, provided
that they be not _obstruccionistas_.

Ex. _Olas gi'gantes qu^e^os rom'peis bra'mando,_ p. 183, LII, l. 1.

If it is difficult to classify a hendecasyllable because it has
accents on the fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth syllables, one must
decide on the prominence of the accents from pauses, or from emphasis.
The hendecasyllable,

_La vida es 'corta, 'si; muy 'largo el 'arte,_

would belong to the first class on account of the emphasis of _si_,
while the verse,

_La vida es 'corta, 'corta; 'largo el 'arte,_

would belong to the second class on account of the pause after the
fourth and the emphasis on the eighth. The accent on the sixth is,
then, not constituent, but supernumerary.

All meters thus far have

Obligatory (constituent) accents.

Facultative (supernumerary) accents.

A necessary termination in a combination of an unaccented plus an
accented plus an unaccented syllable (-- / --). The dissyllable is the
only exception.

The facultative accent is opposed to the regular recurrence in each
line of dissyllabic and trisyllabic elements, which elements caused
the rhythm of Latin verse.

Spanish rhythm is a rhythm of series, of strophes, not a rhythm of
regularly recurring accents within a verse.

Verses of ten or twelve syllables, however, lend themselves more
readily to rhythm from regularly recurring stress.

_Decasyllabic Verse_: A verse of ten syllables may be formed by the
triple repetition of the trisyllable -- -- /. One extra unaccented
syllable is admissible when the verse is _llano_; and two when the
verse is _esdrujulo_.

Scheme:

-- -- / -- -- / -- -- , _agudo_.
-- -- / -- -- , -- -- , -- _llano_.
-- -- / -- -- / -- -- / -- -- _esdrujulo_.

_Dodecasyllable Verse_: A verse of twelve syllables, with
the stress on the second, fifth, eighth, and eleventh syllables,
makes a dodecasyllable of amphibrachs. This dodecasyllable
has a short metrical pause after the sixth syllable, and a longer
one after the twelfth.

Scheme:

-- / -- -- / -- || -- / -- -- / _agudo_.
-- / -- -- / -- || -- / -- -- / -- _llano_.
-- / -- -- / -- / -- -- / -- -- _esdrujulo_.

Verses of different length do not readily intermingle. There are some
measures, however, which are used much together.

Verses of eleven syllables are used with those of seven or of five
syllables.

Verses of eight syllables are used with those of four syllables.

Verses of ten syllables are used with those of twelve (p. 164, I); and
also with those of six (p. 167, VII). These meters lend themselves to
regularly recurring stress more readily than any others.




III. CAESURAL PAUSES


The caesura is an important, though not essential, element in Spanish
verse. In verses of eleven or twelve syllables, however, the caesura
is usually employed to give a break in a determined place. The caesura
requires a strong accent on the syllable preceding it, and does not
prevent synalepha.

Ex. _Si al resonar confus|o^a tus espaldas_, p. 171, XVI, l. 7.

Ex. _Sabe que, ocul|to^entre las verdes hojas_, p. 171, XVI, l. 5.

The disposition of the caesural pauses determines the harmony of the
versification, and usually varies with the accents so as to avoid
monotony in the verse.



IV. RHYME


N. B. For purposes of Rhyme, words may be divided into two classes:

_First_, words ending in a vowel.

Second, words ending in a consonant.

Rhymes are called feminine, if the rhyme words end in a vowel.

Rhymes are called masculine, if the rhyme words end in a consonant.

NOTE: Final s and final n, especially in the plural of nouns and in
verbs, do not count. Therefore, _penas_ and _arenas_ would form a
feminine rhyme.

There are two kinds of rhyme: Consonance and Assonance.


A. CONSONANCE

_Consonantal rhyme_ is one in which all the letters, vowels and
consonants, are the same from the accented syllable to the end of the
word, e. g. _bruma--espuma_; _flor--amor_.

In consonantal rhyme both consonants and vowels should agree exactly
(_sonante--errante_); b and v can, however, rhyme together, since they
represent the same sound, e. g. _estaba--esclava_; _haba--clava_.

The following are a few general rules for consonantal rhyme.

A word should not rhyme with itself. Sometimes, however, a simple word
rhymes with a derivative (_menor--pormenor_) or two derivatives with
each other (_menosprecio--desprecio_).

The tenses of verbs which end in -aba, -ando, -ais, -eis; the present
and past participles of regular verbs; adverbs with the termination
-mente; verbal nouns ending in -miento, -cion, and other similar
endings,--should not rhyme together.

Words similar in sound and form but distinct in meaning may rhyme.

_son_ ('sound')--_son_ ('are')

If an unaccented weak vowel (i, u) precedes or follows a strong vowel
in the same syllable of a word, it is absorbed by the strong vowel,
and does not count in the rhyme. Therefore, _vuelo_ and _cielo_ rhyme;
also _muestra_ and _diestra_.


B. ASSONANCE

When the vowels from the accented syllable to the end of the word are
the same, but the consonants are different, the rhyme is called
assonance. Therefore, _inflaman_ and _pasa_ assonate in a-a; _negros_
and _creo_ in e-o.

In words accented on the last syllable (_agudas_), the assonance is
that of the last syllable only, e. g. _perdon--espiro_; _azul--tu_.

In words accented on the antepenult (_esdrujulas_) or on a preceding
syllable, only the accented syllable and the final syllable count for
purposes of assonance. Therefore, _fabula_ and _lagrimas_ assonate in
a-a; _tremulo_ and _vertigo_ assonate in e-o.

Words accented on the last syllable (_agudas_) cannot assonate with
words accented on the penult (_llanas_), or with those accented on the
antepenult (_esdrujulas_) or upon any preceding syllable.

In words _llanas_ or _esdrujulas_ the assonance is of two vowels only.
In diphthongs the accented vowel only is considered if the diphthong
occur in an accented syllable. Therefore, _verte_ and _duermes_
assonate in e-e; _baile_ and _parte_ assonate in a-e.

Words _llanas_ may assonate with words accented on the antepenult
(_esdrujulas_). Therefore, _portico_ and _olmos_ assonate in o-o.

For purposes of assonance little use is made of words accented on a
syllable preceding the antepenult.

In a final accented or unaccented syllable u and i are absorbed, for
purposes of assonance, by a preceding or following a, o, or e.
Therefore, _sabia_ and _gratia_ assonate in a-a; _igual_ and _mar_
assonate in a, _pleita_ and _pliega_ assonate in e-a.

If in assonance a weak vowel is united in a diphthong with a strong
vowel, the assonance is called _compound assonance_, e. g.
_guarda--fatua_.

Assonance between two single vowels is called _simple assonance_, e. g.
_sangre--trae_.

This distinction is of little value, however, for verses in simple and
compound assonance alternate constantly.

In the case of two strong vowels forming a diphthong after an accented
syllable, the following rules apply.

a in a final unaccented syllable predominates over a preceding or
succeeding o in the same syllable. Therefore, _Astarloa_ and _Danao_
assonate in a-a.

a in a final unaccented syllable predominates over a preceding or
following e in the same syllable. Therefore, _corporea_ and _rosea_
assonate in o-a.

o in a final unaccented syllable predominates over a preceding e in
the same syllable. Therefore, _oleo_ and _erroneo_ assonate in o-o;
but o in a final unaccented syllable is dominated by a following e in
the same syllable, and the e counts in the assonance. Therefore,
_heroe_ and _veces_ assonate in e-e.

When two weak vowels (i, u) are united in a diphthong, the second
predominates. Thus _triunfo_ and _chulo_ assonate in u-o; _cuido_ and
_bendito_ assonate in i-o.
There are twenty possible assonances in Spanish: a, o, e, i, u, a-a,
a-e, a-o, e-a, e-e, e-o, o-a, o-e, o-o, i-a, i-e, i-o, u-a, u-e, u-o.

Words that have in the final unaccented syllable i or u, not in
diphthongs, are considered for purposes of assonance as if ending in e
or o respectively. Therefore, _facil_ and _nave_ assonate in a-e;
_espiritu_ and _liquido_, in i-o.

If ai occurs in a syllable after an a in the accented syllable, the i
rather than the a of the diphthong counts in the assonance. Therefore,
_cantares_ and _trocabais_ assonate in a-e. If the accented vowel is
not a, the a of ai counts in the assonance. Therefore, _Vicenta_ and
_quisierais_ assonate in e-a.

Consonantal rhyme should not be introduced in compositions written in
assonance. This rule is not always observed (see pp. 183-184, LIII).

The assonance of alternate lines (the even numbers) is the rule in
modern Spanish. If the composition is short the same assonance may be
kept throughout.

Blank Verse. --Verses which lack both consonantal rhyme and assonance
occur in Spanish, and are called _versos sueltos_ (or _libres_).
Compositions in blank verse are, however, extremely difficult to write
in Spanish, and are therefore comparatively rare.


STROPHES

The strophe is frequently of arbitrary length, yet when the poet has
once fixed the measure of his strophe he is supposed to preserve the
same measure throughout. The following are some of the strophic
arrangements in Spanish.

_Pareados_ are pairs of contiguous verses of the same number of
syllables, which rhyme[1] together in pairs.

[Footnote 1: By _rhyme_ hereafter shall be understood _consonantal_
rhyme, unless otherwise indicated. ]

_Tercetos_ are a series of strophes, in the first of which the first
verse rhymes with the third, and, from the second strophe on, the
first and third verse of each successive strophe rhyme with the middle
verse of the preceding strophe. This form of verse is known in Italian
as _terza rima_. The composition ends with a _serventesio_ (see
below), of which the first and third verses rhyme with the middle
verse of the preceding strophe. The rhyme-scheme, then, would be a b
a, b c b, c d c, etc. , d e d e.

_Cuartetas_, properly so called, are strophes of four eight-syllable
verses, of which the second verse rhymes (or is in assonance) with the
fourth. _Cuarteta_ is likewise a general name given to strophes of
four verses.

_Serventesios_ are strophes of four hendecasyllables, of which the
first rhymes or assonates with the third, and the second with the
fourth.

_Redondillas_ are strophes of four eight-syllable (or sometimes
six-syllable) verses which rhyme as follows: a b b a.

_Cuartetos_ are strophes of four hendecasyllables with the
rhyme-scheme a b b a. It is not customary to put a final word that is
_aguda_ in the uneven verses of compositions written in
hendecasyllables, or in verses that rhyme with them. Sometimes the
four verses are esdrujulos.

_Romances_, which are the most used of all forms, need not be written
in _cuartetas_. It is sufficient that the even verses be in assonance
and the uneven verses free. Romances, properly so called, are composed
of octosyllabic verses.

_Romancillos_ are romances composed of verses with less than eight
syllables.

_Romances heroicos_ are romances composed of hendecasyllabic verses,
all of which are _llanos_.

_Quintillas_ are combinations of five verses that have but two rhymes,
of which one occurs three times and the other twice. These verses may
rhyme at the will of the poet, provided that three verses having the
same rhyme do not follow each other successively. Of the possible
arrangements the following occur most frequently: a a b b a, a b b a
a, a b a b a, a b a b b.

_Sextinas_ are usually composed of six hendecasyllabic verses in which
a _serventesio_ is followed by a _pareado_.

The first, third, and fifth verses, however, may rhyme together, and
the second, fourth, and sixth.

There are also _sextinas_ which have the third and sixth verses with a
consonantal rhyme in words that are _agudas_, while the first and
second, and the fourth and fifth, form _pareados_.

In compositions written in _sextinas_ the succeeding strophes have the
same arrangement as the first.

Octavas:

_Octavas de Arte mayor_ are composed of eight dodecasyllables divided
into two equal hemistichs, with the accents on the second, fifth,
seventh, and eleventh syllables. The first verse rhymes with the
fourth, fifth, and eighth; the second with the third; and the sixth
with the seventh. Sometimes the second rhymes with the fourth, the
fifth with the eighth, the first with the third, the sixth with the
seventh.

_Octavas reales_ are strophes of eight hendecasyllabic verses
(_llanos_), of which the first six rhyme alternately and the last two
form a _pareado_.

When _octavas_ of this form have eight-syllable verses or less, they
are called _octavillas_.

_Octavas_ and _Octavillas Italianas_:

There are four variants, but all must have the fourth and eighth
verses _agudos_.

_First variant_: There is no _verso libre_, and the rhyme-scheme is a
b b c a d d c.

_Second variant_: The first and fifth verses are _libres_ and the
others rhyme 1 b b c 5 d d c. This form is the most used of all.

_Third variant_: All the verses are _libres_ except the fourth and
eighth.

_Fourth variant_: The rhymes have some other arrangement than those
mentioned in the three preceding cases.

_Decimas_ are strophes of ten octosyllabic verses with the
rhyme-scheme a b b a a c c d d c.

Thus far all the compositions treated have been strophes, of which all
the lines have the same number of syllables.

The most common strophes having an unequal number of syllables in the
component verses are as follows:

_Endechas reales_ are _cuartetas_ in which three heptasyllables are
followed by a hendecasyllable. The even verses are usually in
assonance, although the verses may have the rhyme-scheme a b a b.

The _Lira_ is a strophe of five verses, of which the first, third, and
fourth are heptasyllables, and the second and fifth are
hendecasyllables. The rhyme-scheme is a b a b b.

_Seguidillas_ are strophes composed of seven verses, three of which
are heptasyllables and four pentasyllables. The first, third, and
sixth verses are _libres_, the second and fourth have the same
assonance, and the fifth and seventh another distinct assonance.

_Silvas_ are series of strophes composed of hendecasyllables and
heptasyllables of unequal number and unevenly distributed with a free
arrangement of rhymes. Every verse should rhyme with another, yet
sometimes a verse is left unrhymed in long compositions.

The _Sonnet_ is taken from the Italian and has the same general forms.
It is written in hendecasyllables, and is always divided into four
parts--two quatrains and two tercets.

_Versos sueltos_ (blank verse) are verses which do not assonate with
the other contiguous verses, or with the nearest words in which the
sense demands a pause.

There are many other and very artificial forms that exist, but their
treatment would be irrelevant here. During the nineteenth century the
caprice of the poet invented many new forms of which the arrangement
is evident at a glance.

In closing, it should be said that this study of Spanish prosody,
which is primarily intended as an aid to the reading of Becquer's
poetry contained in this volume, is necessarily too brief to be
exhaustive, and many things are purposely omitted, as, for example,
certain unusual forms of verse such as the nine-syllable verse or that
of more than twelve syllables. Wherever it has been found convenient,
references have been made to Becquer's poems to illustrate points of
versification.




LEGENDS, TALES, AND POEMS
BY BECQUER



DESDE MI CELDA


(_Cartas Literarias_)


CARTA SEXTA

Queridos amigos: Hara cosa de dos a tres anos, tal vez leerian[1]
ustedes en los periodicos de Zaragoza[2] la relacion de un crimen que
tuvo lugar en uno de los pueblecillos de estos contornos. Tratabase
del asesinato de una pobre vieja a quien sus convecinos acusaban de
bruja. Ultimamente, y por una coincidencia extrana, he tenido ocasion
de conocer los detalles y la historia circunstanciada de un hecho que
se comprende apenas en mitad de un siglo tan despreocupado como el
nuestro. [3]

[Footnote 1: leerian ustedes = 'you may have read. ']

[Footnote 2: Zaragoza = 'Saragossa. ' A Spanish city of some 99,000
inhabitants, capital of the province of the same name, situated on
the Ebro river at its junction with the Huerva. It is famous for its
two cathedrals, _El Pilar_ and La Seo, and for its obstinate and
heroic resistance at the time of the siege by the French in 1808. ]

[Footnote 3: The belief in witchcraft is still prevalent in some
quarters, and as late as 1863 a man was drowned at Hedingham, in
Essex, Eng. , for being a wizard, his accusers and persecutors being
village tradesmen. See Brewer, _Dictionary of Miracles_, Phila. ,
Lippincott & Co. , 1884, p. 345. ]

Ya estaba para acabar el dia. El cielo, que desde el amanecer se
mantuvo cubierto y nebuloso, comenzaba a obscurecerse a medida que el
sol, que antes transparentaba su luz a traves de las nieblas, iba
debilitandose, cuando, con la esperanza de ver su famoso castillo como
termino y remate de mi artistica expedicion, deje a Litago[1] para
encaminarme a Trasmoz,[2] pueblo del que me separaba una distancia de
tres cuartos de hora por el camino mas corto. Como de costumbre, y
exponiendome, a trueque de examinar a mi gusto los parajes mas asperos
y accidentados, a las fatigas y la incomodidad de perder el camino por
entre aquellas zarzas y penascales, tome el mas dificil, el mas dudoso
y mas largo, y lo perdi en efecto, a pesar de las minuciosas
instrucciones de que me pertreche a la salida del lugar.

[Footnote 1: Litago. A small village of some 600 inhabitants,
situated in the province of Saragossa on the northern slope of the
Moncayo (see p. 8, note 1) to the west of the river Huecha, not far
from Alcala de Moncayo. ]

[Footnote 2: Trasmoz. A small village of some 300 inhabitants,
situated in the province of Saragossa near the Moncayo and not far
from the river Huecha. It contains an ancient castle. See p. 13,
note 1. ]

Ya enzarzado en lo mas espeso y fragoso del monte, llevando del
diestro la caballeria por entre sendas casi impracticables, ora por
las cumbres para descubrir la salida del laberinto, ora por las
honduras con la idea de cortar terreno, anduve vagando al azar un buen
espacio de tarde hasta que por ultimo, en el fondo de una cortadura
tropece con un pastor, el cual abrevaba su ganado en el riachuelo que,
despues de deslizarse sobre un cauce de piedras de mil colores, salta
y se retuerce alli con un ruido particular que se oye a gran
distancia, en medio del profundo silencio de la naturaleza que en
aquel punto y a aquella hora parece muda o dormida.

Pregunte al pastor el camino del pueblo, el cual segun mis cuentas no
debia distar mucho del sitio en que nos encontrabamos, pues aunque sin
senda fija, yo habia procurado adelantar siempre en la direccion que
me habian indicado. Satisfizo el buen hombre mi pregunta lo mejor que
pudo, y ya me disponia a proseguir mi azarosa jornada, subiendo con
pies y manos y tirando de la caballeria como Dios me daba a entender,
por entre unos pedruscos erizados de matorrales y puntas, cuando el
pastor que me veia subir desde lejos, me dio una gran voz
advirtiendome que no tomara la _senda de la tia Casca_, si queria
llegar sano y salvo a la cumbre. La verdad era que el camino, que
equivocadamente habia tornado, se hacia cada vez mas aspero y dificil
y que por una parte la sombra que ya arrojaban las altisimas rocas,
que parecian suspendidas sobre mi cabeza, y por otro el ruido
vertiginoso del agua que corria profunda a mis pies, y de la que
comenzaba a elevarse una niebla inquieta y azul, que se extendia por
la cortadura borrando los objetos y los colores, parecian contribuir a
turbar la vista y conmover el animo con una sensacion de penoso
malestar que vulgarmente podria llamarse preludio de miedo. Volvi pies
atras, baje de nuevo hasta donde se encontraba el pastor, y mientras
seguiamos juntos por una trocha que se dirigia al pueblo, adonde
tambien iba a pasar la noche mi improvisado guia, no pude menos de
preguntarle con alguna insistencia, por que, aparte de las
dificultades que ofrecia el ascenso, era tan peligroso subir a la
cumbre por la senda que llamo de la tia Casca.

--Porque antes de terminar la senda, me dijo con el tono mas natural
del mundo, tendriais que costear el precipicio a que cayo la maldita
bruja que le da su nombre, y en el cual se cuenta que anda penando el
alma que, despues de dejar el cuerpo, ni Dios ni el diablo han querido
para suya.

--? Hola! exclame entonces como sorprendido, aunque, a decir verdad, ya
me esperaba una contestacion de esta o parecida clase. Y ? en que
diantres se entretiene el alma de esa pobre vieja por estos
andurriales?

--En acosar y perseguir a los infelices pastores que se arriesgan por
esa parte de monte, ya haciendo ruido entre las matas, como si fuese
un lobo, ya dando quejidos lastimeros como de criatura, o
acurrucandose en las quiebras de las rocas que estan en el fondo del
precipicio, desde donde llama con su mano amarilla y seca a los que
van por el borde, les clava la mirada de sus ojos de buho, y cuando el
vertigo comienza a desvanecer su cabeza, da un gran salto, se les
agarra a los pies y pugna hasta despenarlos en la sima. . . . ? Ah,
maldita bruja! exclamo despues de un momento el pastor tendiendo el
puno crispado hacia las rocas como amenazandola; ? ah! maldita bruja,
muchas hiciste en vida, y ni aun muerta hemos logrado que nos dejes en
paz; pero, no haya cuidado, que a ti y tu endiablada raza de
hechiceras os hemos de aplastar una a una como a viboras.

--Por lo que veo, insisti, despues que hubo concluido su extravagante
imprecacion, esta usted muy al corriente de las fechorias de esa
mujer. Por ventura, ? alcanzo usted a conocerla? Porque no me parece de
tanta edad como para haber vivido en el tiempo en que las brujas
andaban todavia por el mundo.

Al oir estas palabras el pastor, que caminaba delante de mi para
mostrarme la senda, se detuvo un poco, y fijando en los mios sus
asombrados ojos, como para conocer si me burlaba, exclamo con un
acento de buena fe pasmosa:--? Que no le parezco a usted de edad
bastante para haberla conocido! Pues ? y si yo le dijera que no hace
aun tres anos cabales que con estos mismos ojos que se ha de comer la
tierra, la vi caer por lo alto de ese derrumbadero, dejando en cada
uno de los penascos y de las zarzas un jiron de vestido o de carne,
hasta que llego al fondo donde se quedo aplastada como un sapo que se
coge debajo del pie?

--Entonces, respondi asombrado a mi vez de la credulidad de aquel
pobre hombre, dare credito a lo que usted dice, sin objetar palabra;
aunque a mi se me habia figurado, anadi recalcando estas ultimas
frases para ver el efecto que le hacian, que todo eso de las brujas y
los hechizos no eran sino antiguas y absurdas patranas de las aldeas.

--Eso dicen los senores de la ciudad, porque a ellos no les molestan;
y fundados en que todo es puro cuento, echaron a presidio a algunos
infelices que nos hicieron un bien de caridad a la gente del
Somontano,[1] despenando a esa mala mujer.

[Footnote 1: la gente del Somontano = 'the people of the Slope,'
those living near the foot of the Moncayo mountain. ]

--? Conque no cayo casualmente ella, sino que la hicieron rodar, que
quieras que no? ? A ver a ver! Cuenteme usted como paso eso, porque
debe ser curioso, anadi, mostrando toda la credulidad y el asombro
suficiente, para que el buen hombre no maliciase que solo queria
distraerme un rato, oyendo sus sandeces; pues es de advertir que hasta
que no me refirio los pormenores del suceso, no hice memoria de que,
en efecto, yo habia leido en los periodicos de provincia una cosa
semejante. El pastor, convencido por las muestras de interes con que
me disponia a escuchar su relate, de que yo no era uno de esos senores
_de la ciudad_, dispuesto a tratar de majaderias su historia, levanto
la mano en direccion a uno de los picachos de la cumbre, y comenzo
asi, senalandome una de las rocas que se destacaba obscura e imponente
sobre el fondo gris del cielo, que el sol, al ponerse tras las nubes,
tenia de algunos cambiantes rojizos.

--? Ve usted aquel cabezo alto, alto, que parece cortado a pico, y por
entre cuyas penas crecen las aliagas y los zarzales? Me parece que
sucedio ayer. Yo estaba algunos doscientos pasos camino atras de donde
nos encontramos en este momento: proximamente seria[1] la misma hora,
cuando crei escuchar unos alaridos distantes, y llantos e
imprecaciones que se entremezclaban con voces varoniles y colericas
que ya se oian por un lado, ya por otro, como de pastores que
persiguen un lobo por entre los zarzales. El sol, segun digo, estaba
al ponerse, y por detras de la altura se descubria un jiron del cielo,
rojo y encendido como la grana, sobre el que vi aparecer alta, seca y
haraposa, semejante a un esqueleto que se escapa de su fosa, envuelto
aun en los jirones del sudario, una vieja horrible, en la que conoci a
la tia Casca. La tia Casca era famosa en todos estos contornos, y me
basto distinguir sus grenas blancuzcas que se enredaban alrededor de
su frente como culebras, sus formas extravagantes, su cuerpo encorvado
y sus brazos disformes, que se destacaban angulosos y obscuros sobre
el fondo de fuego del horizonte, para reconocer en ella a la bruja de
Trasmoz. Al llegar esta al borde del precipicio, se detuvo un instante
sin saber que partido tomar. Las voces de los que parecian perseguirla
sonaban cada vez mas cerca, y de cuando en cuando la veia hacer una
contorsion, encogerse o dar un brinco para evitar los cantazos que le
arrojaban. Sin duda no traia el bote de sus endiablados untos, porque,
a traerlo, seguro que habria atravesado al vuelo la cortadura, dejando
a sus perseguidores burlados y jadeantes como lebreles que pierden la
pista. ? Dios no lo quiso asi, permitiendo que de una vez pagara todas
sus maldades! . . . Llegaron los mozos que venian en su seguimiento, y la
cumbre se corono de gentes, estos con piedras en las manos, aquellos
con garrotes, los de mas alla con cuchillos. Entonces comenzo una cosa
horrible. La vieja, ? maldita hipocritona! viendose sin huida, se
arrojo al suelo, se arrastro por la tierra besando los pies de los
unos, abrazandose a las rodillas de los otros, implorando en su ayuda
a la Virgen y a los Santos, cuyos nombres sonaban en su condenada boca
como una blasfemia. Pero los mozos, asi hacian caso de sus lamentos
como yo de la lluvia cuando estoy bajo techado. --Yo soy una pobre
vieja que no he hecho dano a nadie: no tengo hijos ni parientes que me
vengan a amparar; ? perdonadme, tened compasion de mi! aullaba la
bruja; y uno de los mozos, que con la una mano la habia asido de las
grenas, mientras tenia en la otra la navaja que procuraba abrir con
los dientes, la contestaba rugiendo de colera: ? Ah, bruja de Lucifer,
ya es tarde para lamentaciones, ya te conocemos todos! --? Tu hiciste
un mal a mi mulo, que desde entonces no quiso probar bocado, y murio
de hambre dejandome en la miseria! decia uno. --? Tu has hecho mal de
ojo a mi hijo, y lo sacas de la cuna y lo azotas por las noches!
anadia el otro; y cada cual exclamaba por su lado: ? Tu has echado una
suerte a mi hermana! ? Tu has ligado a mi novia! ? Tu has emponzonado la
hierba! ? Tu has embrujado al pueblo entero! [2]

[Footnote 1: seria = ' it must have been,']

[Footnote 2: Accusations commonly made against those deemed guilty
of witchcraft. ]

Yo permanecia inmovil en el mismo punto en que me habia sorprendido
aquel clamoreo infernal, y no acertaba a mover pie ni mano, pendiente
del resultado de aquella lucha.

La voz de la tia Casca, aguda y estridente, dominaba el tumulto de
todas las otras voces que se reunian para acusarla, dandole en el
rostro con sus delitos, y siempre gimiendo, siempre sollozando, seguia
poniendo a Dios y a los santos Patronos del lugar por testigos de su
inocencia.

Por ultimo, viendo perdida toda esperanza, pidio como ultima merced
que la dejasen un instante implorar del cielo, antes de morir, el
perdon de sus culpas, y de rodillas al borde de la cortadura como
estaba, la vieja inclino la cabeza, junto las manos y comenzo a
murmurar entre dientes que se yo que imprecaciones ininteligibles:
palabras que yo no podia oir por la distancia que me separaba de ella,
pero que ni los mismos que estaban a su lado lograron entender; Unos
aseguran que hablaba en latin, otros que en una lengua salvaje y
desconocida, no faltando quien pudo comprender que en efecto rezaba,
aunque diciendo las oraciones al reves, como es costumbre de estas
malas mujeres.

En este punto se detuvo el pastor un momento, tendio a su alrededor
una mirada, y prosiguio asi:

--? Siente usted este profundo silencio que reina en todo el monte, que
no suena un guijarro, que no se mueve una hoja, que el aire esta
inmovil y pesa sobre los hombros y parece que aplasta? ? Ve usted esos
jirones de niebla obscura que se deslizan poco a poco a lo largo de la
inmensa pendiente del Moncayo,[1] como si sus cavidades no bastaran a
contenerlos? ? Los ve usted como se adelantan mudos y con lentitud,
como una legion aerea que se mueve por un impulse invisible? El mismo
silencio de muerte habia entonces, el mismo aspecto extrano y temeroso
ofrecia la niebla de la tarde, arremolinada en las lejanas cumbres,
todo el tiempo que duro aquella suspension angustiosa. Yo lo confieso
con toda franqueza: llegue a tener miedo. ? Quien sabia si la bruja
aprovechaba aquellos instantes para hacer uno de esos terribles
conjuros que sacan a los muertos de sus sepulturas, estremecen el
fondo de los abismos y traen a la superficie de la tierra, obedientes
a sus imprecaciones, hasta a los mas rebeldes espiritus infernales? La
vieja rezaba; rezaba sin parar; los mozos permanecian en tanto
inmoviles cual si estuviesen encadenados por un sortilegio, y las
nieblas obscuras seguian avanzando y envolviendo las penas, en
derredor de las cuales fingian mil figuras extranas como de monstruos
deformes, cocodrilos rojos y negros, bultos colosales de mujeres
envueltas en panos blancos, y listas largas de vapor que, heridas por
la ultima luz del crepusculo, semejaban inmensas serpientes de
colores.

[Footnote 1: El Moncayo. A mountain of some 7600 feet in height
situated near the boundaries of the provinces of Soria and
Saragossa, to the west of the town of Borja and to the south of
Tarazona. The panorama presented to the view from its summit is most
extensive. To the south can be seen vaguely the Sierra de
Guadarrama, to the southeast the mountains of Teruel, to the east
the plain of the Ebro, to the north and northeast the Pyrenees and
to the west the summits of the Cantabrian range. The rivers Queiles,
Huecha, and others of less importance have their source in the
Moncayo. It is the ancient Mons _Caunus_, celebrated in history for
the defeat of the Celtiberians in the time of the consul Tiberius
Sempronius Gracchus (governor of Hither Spain from 181 to 178
B. C. ). ]

Fija la mirada en aquel fantastico ejercito de nubes que parecian
correr al asalto de la pena sobre cuyo pico iba a morir la bruja, yo
estaba esperando por instantes cuando se abrian sus senos para abortar
a la diabolica multitud de espiritus malignos, comenzando una lucha
horrible al borde del derrumbadero, entre los que estaban alli para
hacer justicia en la bruja y los demonios que, en pago de sus muchos
servicios, vinieran a ayudarla en aquel amargo trance.

--Y por fin, exclame interrumpiendo el animado cuento de mi
interlocutor, e impaciente ya por conocer el desenlace, ? en que acabo
todo ello? ? Mataron a la vieja? Porque yo creo que por muchos conjures
que recitara la bruja y muchas senales que usted viese en las nubes, y
en cuanto le rodeaba, los espiritus malignos se mantendrian[1]
quietecitos cada cual en su agujero; sin mezclarse para nada en las
cosas de la tierra. ? No fue asi?

[Footnote 1: se mantendrian = 'must have remained,' 'probably
remained.