cuentos de barro - DSpace Universidad Don Bosco

Por la esquina entró una cipota y fue a
pegarse al mostrador, empinándose sin
lograr dominarlo.
—Ración
almidón...
de canela y ración de
Cantaba al hablar. La ña Grabiela, que
era un poco sorda, no la oyó.
Andaba dando vueltecitas de uno a
otro lado. Espantó al gato, metiéndole
un tastazo en la nalga.
—Ración
almidón...
de canela y ración de
La viejecita entró en el dormitorio,
apartando la cortina. Iba
tambaleándose. La niña, siempre
pegadita al mostrador, catarrosa y
desmechada, continuaba esperando. A
lo lejos, en el patio, alguien se bañaba a
guacaladas.
De la trastienda llegaba un quejarse
congojoso. La cipota no hablaba
ya más: escuchaba, con la boca
entreabierta, el quejarse monótono,
como mecido de hamaca. Poco a poco
iba menguando, menguando... hasta
callar. Cuando calló, la niña salió tímida
al andén y aguardó.
Llegó la Toya, con la esencia de azar. La
niña la detuvo.
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A young girl entered into the shop,
hung onto the counter as if she were
glued to it. She stood on tiptoe unable
to keep her balance.
“A portion of cinnamon and a portion
of starch...” She sang as she spoke.
Gabriela did not hear her because she
was a little deaf.
She paced back and forth, scaring the
cat away with a swat on his behind.
“A portion of cinnamon and a portion
of starch...”
The old lady went back into her
bedroom, brushing the curtain aside.
She walked staggering. The unkempt
little girl, still glued to the counter, snotnosed
and messy hair, continued to
wait. In the distant courtyard, splashes
were heard as someone bathed in a
traditional fashion, scooping water
from the trough and pouring it over
their head.
A painful groan came from the
backroom. The girl stopped her
singing; she was now just listening with
her mouth agape to the monotonous
moan like the creaking of a hammock.
It was fading out little by little... until
it was gone. When it stopped, the girl
walked to the sidewalk and timidly
waited there.
Toya finally arrived with the essence of
orange blossom. The girl stopped her.