The Alchemist
The old woman led the boy to a room at the back of her house; it was separated from
her living room by a curtain of colored beads. The room's furnishings consisted of a
table, an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and two chairs.
The woman sat down, and told him to be seated as well. Then she took both of his
hands in hers, and began quietly to pray.
It sounded like a Gypsy prayer. The boy had already had experience on the road with
Gypsies; they also traveled, but they had no flocks of sheep. People said that Gypsies
spent their lives tricking others. It was also said that they had a pact with the devil,
and that they kidnapped children and, taking them away to their mysterious camps,
made them their slaves. As a child, the boy had always been frightened to death that
he would be captured by Gypsies, and this childhood fear returned when the old woman took his hands in hers.
But she has the Sacred Heart of Jesus there, he thought, trying to reassure himself. He
didn't want his hand to begin trembling, showing the old woman that he was fearful.
He recited an Our Father silently.
"Very interesting," said the woman, never taking her eyes from the boy's hands, and
then she fell silent.
The boy was becoming nervous. His hands began to tremble, and the woman sensed
it. He quickly pulled his hands away.
"I didn't come here to have you read my palm," he said, already regretting having
come. He thought for a moment that it would be better to pay her fee and leave
without learning a thing, that he was giving too much importance to his recurrent
dream.
El A lquimista
La anciana llevó al muchacho a una habitación en la parte trasera de su casa; se separó de
su sala , por una cortina de cuentas de colores .Los Muebles de la habitación consistían en una
mesa, una imagen del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, y dos sillas.
La mujer se sentó y le dijo que se sentara también. Luego tomó entre sus
las manos las del muchacho, y comenzaron a rezar en voz baja.
Sonaba como una oración gitana. El muchacho ya había tenido experiencia en el camino con los gitanos; también viajó, pero no tenían rebaños de ovejas. La gente decía que los gitanos pasaron sus vidas en engañar a los demás. También se dijo que tenían un pacto con el diablo, y que secuestraron a los niños y, se los llevaban s a sus campamentos misteriosas, y los hicieron sus esclavos. Como un niño, el niño siempre había tenido miedo a la muerte que iba a ser capturado por los gitanos, y este miedo de niñez se devuelve cuando la anciana tomó sus manos entre las suyas.
Pero ella tiene el Sagrado Corazón de Jesús allí, pensó, tratando de tranquilizarse. No quería que su mano empezara a temblar, mostrandole a la anciana que estaba temeroso. Recitó un Padre Nuestro en silencio.
"Muy interesante", dijo la mujer, sin apartar los ojos de las manos del niño, y luego se quedó en silencio.
El niño se estaba volviendo nervioso. Sus manos comenzaron a temblar, y la mujer lo sintio. Rápidamente sacó sus manos.
"No he venido aquí para que usted lee mi palma", dijo, . Pensó por un momento que sería mejor pagar sus honorarios y dejar sin aprender una cosa, que estaba dando demasiada importancia a su recurrente
sueño.
martes, 27 de octubre de 2015
The Alchemist
Whenever he could, he sought out a new road to travel. He had never been to that
ruined church before, in spite of having traveled through those parts many times. The
world was huge and inexhaustible; he had only to allow his sheep to set the route for a
while, and he would discover other interesting things. The problem is that they don't
even realize that they're walking a new road every day. They don't see that the fields
are new and the seasons change. All they think about is food and water.
It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting, he thought,
as he looked again at the position of the sun, and hurried his pace. He had suddenly
remembered that, in Tarifa, there was an old woman who interpreted dreams.
El Alquimista
Siempre que podía, buscaba un nuevo camino por recorrer. Nunca había estado en esas
ruinas de la iglesia antes , a pesar de haber viajado a través de esas partes muchas veces. El
mundo era enorme e inagotable; sólo había de permitir a sus ovejas para establecer la ruta durante un tiempo, y él descubriría otras cosas interesantes. El problema es que no lo hacen,
se dan cuenta de que están caminando por una carretera nueva todos los días. No ven que los campos
son nuevas y las estaciones cambian. Todo en lo que ellos piensan es en los alimentos y el agua.
Tal vez estamos todos de esa manera, el muchacho reflexionó. Incluso yo , yo no he pensado en otras
mujeres desde que conocí a la hija del mercader. Mirando hacia el sol, calculó que iba a llegar a Tarifa antes del mediodía. Allí, se podría intercambiar su libro para uno más grueso
, llenar su botella de vino, afeitarse, y tener un corte de pelo; tenía que prepararse para
cumplir con la chica, y él no quería pensar en la posibilidad de que algún otro
pastor, con un rebaño de ovejas grande, había llegado allí antes que él y le preguntó por su
mano.
Es la posibilidad de tener un sueño hecho realidad que hace la vida interesante, pensó, mientras miraba de nuevo a la posición del sol, y apresuró el paso. Había recordado de pronto que, en Tarifa, había una vieja mujer que interpretaba los sueños.
Whenever he could, he sought out a new road to travel. He had never been to that
ruined church before, in spite of having traveled through those parts many times. The
world was huge and inexhaustible; he had only to allow his sheep to set the route for a
while, and he would discover other interesting things. The problem is that they don't
even realize that they're walking a new road every day. They don't see that the fields
are new and the seasons change. All they think about is food and water.
Maybe we're all that way, the boy mused. Even me--I haven't thought of other
women since I met the merchant's daughter. Looking at the sun, he calculated that he
would reach Tarifa before midday. There, he could exchange his book for a thicker
one, fill his wine bottle, shave, and have a haircut; he had to prepare himself for his
meeting with the girl, and he didn't want to think about the possibility that some other
shepherd, with a larger flock of sheep, had arrived there before him and asked for her
hand.
women since I met the merchant's daughter. Looking at the sun, he calculated that he
would reach Tarifa before midday. There, he could exchange his book for a thicker
one, fill his wine bottle, shave, and have a haircut; he had to prepare himself for his
meeting with the girl, and he didn't want to think about the possibility that some other
shepherd, with a larger flock of sheep, had arrived there before him and asked for her
hand.
It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting, he thought,
as he looked again at the position of the sun, and hurried his pace. He had suddenly
remembered that, in Tarifa, there was an old woman who interpreted dreams.
El Alquimista
Siempre que podía, buscaba un nuevo camino por recorrer. Nunca había estado en esas
ruinas de la iglesia antes , a pesar de haber viajado a través de esas partes muchas veces. El
mundo era enorme e inagotable; sólo había de permitir a sus ovejas para establecer la ruta durante un tiempo, y él descubriría otras cosas interesantes. El problema es que no lo hacen,
se dan cuenta de que están caminando por una carretera nueva todos los días. No ven que los campos
son nuevas y las estaciones cambian. Todo en lo que ellos piensan es en los alimentos y el agua.
Tal vez estamos todos de esa manera, el muchacho reflexionó. Incluso yo , yo no he pensado en otras
mujeres desde que conocí a la hija del mercader. Mirando hacia el sol, calculó que iba a llegar a Tarifa antes del mediodía. Allí, se podría intercambiar su libro para uno más grueso
, llenar su botella de vino, afeitarse, y tener un corte de pelo; tenía que prepararse para
cumplir con la chica, y él no quería pensar en la posibilidad de que algún otro
pastor, con un rebaño de ovejas grande, había llegado allí antes que él y le preguntó por su
mano.
Es la posibilidad de tener un sueño hecho realidad que hace la vida interesante, pensó, mientras miraba de nuevo a la posición del sol, y apresuró el paso. Había recordado de pronto que, en Tarifa, había una vieja mujer que interpretaba los sueños.
sábado, 3 de octubre de 2015
The Alchemist
"But I'd like to see the castles in the towns where they live," the boy explained.
"Well, I'd like to see their land, and see how they live," said his son.
"The people who come here have a lot of money to spend, so they can afford to
travel," his father said. "Amongst us, the only ones who travel are the shepherds."
"Well, then I'll be a shepherd!"
His father said no more. The next day, he gave his son a pouch that held three ancient
Spanish gold coins.
"I found these one day in the fields. I wanted them to be a part of your inheritance.
But use them to buy your flock. Take to the fields, and someday you'll learn that our
countryside is the best, and our women the most beautiful."
tire of the Andalusian fields, he could sell his sheep and go to sea. By the time he had
had enough of the sea, he would already have known other cities, other women, and
other chances to be happy. I couldn't have found God in the seminary, he thought, as
he looked at the sunrise.
"But I'd like to see the castles in the towns where they live," the boy explained.
"Well, I'd like to see their land, and see how they live," said his son.
"The people who come here have a lot of money to spend, so they can afford to
travel," his father said. "Amongst us, the only ones who travel are the shepherds."
"Well, then I'll be a shepherd!"
His father said no more. The next day, he gave his son a pouch that held three ancient
Spanish gold coins.
"I found these one day in the fields. I wanted them to be a part of your inheritance.
But use them to buy your flock. Take to the fields, and someday you'll learn that our
countryside is the best, and our women the most beautiful."
And he gave the boy his blessing. The boy could see in his father's gaze a desire to be
able, himself, to travel the world--a desire that was still alive, despite his father's
having had to bury it, over dozens of years, under the burden of struggling for water
to drink, food to eat, and the same place to sleep every night of his life.
*
The horizon was tinged with red, and suddenly the sun appeared. The boy thought
back to that conversation with his father, and felt happy; he had already seen many
castles and met many women (but none the equal of the one who awaited him several
days hence). He owned a jacket, a book that he could trade for another, and a flock of
sheep. But, most important, he was able every day to live out his dream. If he were toable, himself, to travel the world--a desire that was still alive, despite his father's
having had to bury it, over dozens of years, under the burden of struggling for water
to drink, food to eat, and the same place to sleep every night of his life.
*
The horizon was tinged with red, and suddenly the sun appeared. The boy thought
back to that conversation with his father, and felt happy; he had already seen many
castles and met many women (but none the equal of the one who awaited him several
days hence). He owned a jacket, a book that he could trade for another, and a flock of
tire of the Andalusian fields, he could sell his sheep and go to sea. By the time he had
had enough of the sea, he would already have known other cities, other women, and
other chances to be happy. I couldn't have found God in the seminary, he thought, as
he looked at the sunrise.
TRADUCCION
El Alquimista
"Pero me gustaría ver a los castillos en las ciudades en las que viven", explicó el muchacho.
"Bueno, me gustaría ver a su tierra, y ver cómo viven", dijo su hijo.
"Las personas que vienen aquí tienen mucho dinero para gastar, por lo que pueden darse el lujo de viajar", dijo su padre. "Entre nosotros, los únicos que viajan son los pastores."
"Bueno, entonces voy a ser un pastor!"
Su padre no dijo nada más. Al día siguiente, le dio a su hijo una bolsa que contenía tres antiguas monedas de oro españolas.
"Encontré estos un día en los campos. Yo quería que fueran parte de su herencia.
Pero los uso para comprar su rebaño. Lleve a los campos, y algún día ustedes aprenderán que nuestro
campo es el mejor, y nuestras mujeres las más bellas. "
Y le dio al muchacho su bendición. El niño pudo ver en la mirada de su padre el deseo de querer, en sí mismo, de viajar por el mundo - un deseo que todavía estaba vivo, a pesar de que su padre había tenido que enterrarlo, a lo largo de decenas de años, bajo el peso de la lucha por el agua para beber, alimentos para comer, y el mismo lugar para dormir todas las noches de su vida.
El horizonte estaba teñido de rojo, y de repente apareció el sol. El pensamiento del muchacho de nuevo a esa conversación con su padre, y se sentía feliz; él ya había visto a muchos castillos y se reunieron muchas mujeres (pero nunca una igual a la que esperaba de varios días de ahí). Era dueño de una chaqueta, un libro que podía cambiar por otra, y una bandada de ovejas. Pero, más importante, fue capaz de todos los días para vivir su sueño. Si tuviera neumáticos de los campos andaluces, que podría vender sus ovejas y hacerse en el mar. En el momento en que había tenido suficiente en el mar, que lo haría ya han conocido otras ciudades, otras mujeres, y otras posibilidades de ser felices. No podría haber encontrado a Dios en el seminario, pensó, mientras miró a la salida del sol.
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