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Good-Bye, Lassie

Translator: Eduardo Freire Canosa
(University of Toronto Alumnus)

I grant the translations herein to the public domain
Manuel Curros Enríquez

(1896)



Translator's Notes

"Un Adiós a Mariquiña" (Good-Bye, Lassie), was a farewell written in 1896 by Enríquez for Mariquiña Puga the nine-year-old daughter of his defence lawyer and close friend Luciano Puga who was emigrating to Cuba.

"Un Adiós a Mariquiña" uses one affectionate diminutive, "pombiña": Dim. of "pomba" (dove, pigeon) translated "small...pigeon" (3.1) to convey the childhood of Mariquiña and "little pigeon" (6.3) to convey affection. Other options: cute dove, darling dove, lovely pigeon.

Explanation of some words, terms or expressions

Mariquiña (1.2). As a generic noun it means "lassie." As a personal name it is the pet form of "Mary" (e.g. Molly). My use of the first definition for the poem's title is intended to broaden the farewell dedication to every small girl who emigrated with her family.



Musical Adaptation

"Un Adiós a Mariquiña" was put to music by the distinguished Galician composer José Castro González.

Listen-to-this icon Joaquín Deus (vintage recording)
Listen-to-this icon Antonio Campó (vintage recording)
Listen-to-this icon Javier and Xurxo Romaní (vintage recording)
Listen-to-this icon Juan Pardo from the 1973 single Adios A Mariquiña
Listen-to-this icon Ana Häsler (min. 14:30-18:50) and the Galicia Philharmonic at the Amadeo Roldán Theatre in Havana (Cuba)
Listen-to-this icon Mezzosoprano María José Ladra and Margarita Viso at the piano
Sociedades de Emigrantes do Concello de Vedra

Small carrier pigeon of white feather...

Como ti vas pra lonxe i eu vou pra vello,
un adiós, Mariquiña, mandarche quero,
que a morte e o diaño xa andan rondando
as tellas do meu tellado.

Cando deixes as costas da nosa terra
nin luz nin poesía quedarán nelas;
cando te vaias vaise contigo anxe da miña garda,
cando te vaias vaise contigo anxe da miña garda.

Pombiña mensaxeira de branca pruma,
fálalles ós emigrados da patria súa,
dílles mimosa que deles apartada Galicia chora,
dílles mimosa que deles apartada Galicia chora.

Dílles que pra seus lares tornen axiña
que sin eles non queren pintar as viñas,
regar os regos, madurar as castañas
nos castiñeiros.

Dílles que non hai terra millor que a nosa,
máis ridentes paisaxes, máis frescas sombras,
máis puros ceos nin lúa máis lucente
no firmamento.

Dílles que as suas obrigas aquí ós esperan
e si onde elas non morren que se condenan.
i agora vóa, pombiña, ¡e que te guíe
nosa Señora!

Since you are going far away and I'm growing old
A farewell, Molly, I want to send you
For already death and the devil are circling round
The tiles of my roof.

When you leave the shores of our land
Neither light nor poetry will remain upon them,
When you go with you goes my guardian angel,
When you go with you goes my guardian angel.

Small carrier pigeon of white feather:
Talk to the emigrated ones about their homeland,
Tell them tenderly that Galicia weeps riven from them,
Tell them tenderly that Galicia weeps riven from them.

Tell them to hurry back to their homes
For without them the vineyards refuse to ripen,
The rills to irrigate, the burrs to split open
On the chestnut trees.

Tell them that there is no better land than ours,
More delightful landscapes, more refreshing shadows,
Purer skies or moon more resplendent
In the heaven.

Tell them that their duties await them here
And that they'll be damned if they die estranged from them.
And now, little pigeon, fly away and may Our Lady
Guide you!
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