Read Ebook: The Güegüence; A Comedy Ballet in the Nahuatl-Spanish Dialect of Nicaragua by Brinton Daniel G Daniel Garrison Editor

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 592 lines and 34043 words, and 12 pages

How far beyond the close of the last century we should place the composition of the G?eg?ence is a difficult question. Dr. Berendt, basing his opinion on what he could learn by local tradition, on the archaisms of the Spanish construction, and on other internal evidence, referred it in general terms to the first periods of the Spanish occupation. It is probable that we may assign the early portion of the eighteenth century as the latest date for its composition, and there is some evidence, which I shall refer to in the notes to the text, that a more remote period is not improbable. Of course, it does not contradict this that a few modern expressions have crept into the text. Nothing else could be expected.

No hint as to the author is anywhere found. There are, however, reasons which I consider weighty ones, to believe that it is the production either of a native Indian or a half-caste. Several of them are of a negative character, and I will give these first.

Furthermore, the "business" of the play is strictly within the range of the native thought and emotion. The admiration of the coarse cunning and impudent knavery of G?eg?ence is precisely what we see in the modern camp-fire tales of Michabo among the Algonkins, of Tezcatlipoca among the Aztecs, and of a score of other heroes. It is of a piece with the delight which our own ancestors derived from the trickeries of Reynard the Fox.

The absence of all reference to the emotions of love, and the naive coarseness indicated in the passages about women, point rather to a native than a European hand. They are in remarkable contrast to the Spanish school of comedy. The neglect of common rules of Spanish construction seems to arise from the ignorance of one imperfectly acquainted with the language, rather than of deliberate purpose. It must also be remembered that this piece was one acted altogether by the native Indians, and not by the Spanish population.

Nor are we without examples of persons of native lineage preparing comedies for their fellows. About 1625, Bartholome de Alva, a descendant of the native kings of Tezcuco, wrote three comedies, in Nahuatl, drawing his plots from Lope de Vega. It is quite as likely that another Alva rose from the Nahuas of Nicaragua, and prepared for their amusement the production I now present.

For these various reasons I class it among aboriginal productions.

He is, in fact, anything but a respectable person. His indifference to truth, his cynical impudence, his licentious jokes about and before his sons, and the unscrupulous tricks of which he boasts, are calculated to detract from the element of the comic in his portraiture, for those who have been accustomed to the higher productions of humor. But it would be an error to allow this sentiment to affect much our estimate of the influence of the play. As Lessing very well observes, the true value of comedy is to train us to see the ridiculous and the absurd, wherever it is, in flagitious as well as in merely inconsiderate actions, as thus the observer is prompted to morality as well as forethought.

As the drama was formerly represented, the G?eg?ence wore the most magnificent apparel of any of the actors. Chains of gold, strings of silver coins, and ornaments of steel draped his person. Indeed, all the participants vied with each other in extravagant costumes. Their garments were fantastically adorned with feathers and flowers, and set off with sashes and handkerchiefs of brilliant colors.

Among the ancient Nahuas, and probably to this day, there were various curious superstitions relating to mice. If they gnawed a hole in the dress of a wife, her husband took it as a sign that she had been unfaithful to him; and she entertained the same suspicion were his garments attacked. When food was attacked by mice, it indicated that the people of the house would be falsely accused of something.

The Governor and the Alguacil meet and enter into conversation. The Governor directs that the songs and dances which are for the diversion of the Royal Council should cease, and bewails its poverty.

He also directs that no one shall be allowed to enter his province without a permit from the patrol. The Alguacil complains that their poverty is so great that they have no fit clothing, and lays the blame on G?eg?ence. The Governor refers to G?eg?ence in severe terms, and orders that he be brought before him, by any means.

G?eg?ence, who with his two sons is within earshot, hears the Governor's orders, and pretends to think that it refers to a calf or a colt.

The Alguacil announces himself as a servant of the Governor. G?eg?ence professes to understand that it is a female servant who desires to see him. The Alguacil corrects him in this, and informs him that he is to fly to the Governor. G?eg?ence takes the word in its literal sense, and chaffs about an old man flying. The Alguacil suggests to him that he had better learn how to salute the Governor properly on entering his presence, and offers to teach him the customary salutation for a consideration. This proposal G?eg?ence accepts, but chooses to misunderstand the considerations suggested by the Alguacil, and replies in a series of quid-pro-quos and gibes. At last, he produces some money, which, however, he will not pay over until the Alguacil gives the promised instruction. The Alguacil recites the formal salutations, which G?eg?ence pretends to misunderstand, and repeats, instead, some phrases of similar sound, which are discourteous to the Governor. For this the Alguacil threatens to whip him, and on G?eg?ence continuing in his taunts, gives him two blows, and recommences his lesson.

At this juncture the Governor appears, answers G?eg?ence's salute, and asks him why he has entered the province without a permit. At first G?eg?ence answers by relating how he had traveled without a permit in other provinces. Finding this does not meet the case, he seeks to turn the inquiry by a dubious story how a girl once gave him a permit for something besides traveling. The Governor, not choosing to be put off with this, G?eg?ence proposes they shall be friends, and that the Governor shall have some of the immense riches and beautiful clothing which G?eg?ence possesses. The Governor expresses some doubt as to this wealth, and proposes to examine, apart, G?eg?ence's oldest son, Don Forcico.

He does so; and Don Forcico corroborates, in the most emphatic terms, the statements of his father: "the day and the night are too short to name all his possessions."

The Governor remains, however, uncertain about the truth, and requests a similar private talk with G?eg?ence's younger son, Don Ambrosio. The latter tells a very different story, asserting that all his father's boasts were lies, and that he is, in fact, a poor, old, thieving ragamuffin. G?eg?ence, who overhears him, rails at him as a disgrace to the family; and Don Forcico assures the Governor, in very clear terms, that Don Ambrosio has none of G?eg?ence's blood in his veins.

To settle the question, G?eg?ence proposes to show the Governor the contents of his tent-shop, and has the two boys bring it forward and raise the sides. He then offers the Governor several impossible things, as a star, which is seen through the tent, and an old syringe, which he suggests might be profitably applied to the Royal Council. As the Governor replies roughly, Ge?g?ence at once changes the subject to a laudation of the remarkable skill of Don Forcico in many vocations. The Governor is interested and proposes to inquire of Don Forcico himself as to the truth of this. The latter repeats the boasts, and on the Governor inquiring as to whether he knows some diverting dances, with his father and his brother, he dances a ballet.

The Governor wishes to see another ballet, which the three perform, also; and this is followed by two others, in which the Governor and Alguacil also take part.

The mules, that is, the masqueraders who represent them, are then brought up, and as G?eg?ence examines first one and then another, they give him opportunity for a series of extremely broad jokes and vulgar allusions.

Finally, the loads are placed on the mules, the boys mount them and move off, while G?eg?ence, having offered his wine to the Governor, the Secretary, the Registrar and the Alguacil, who each in turn tell him to be off, leaves the stage shouting to his sons that they will all have a rouse that will cost them nothing.

FOOTNOTES:

The chief asked Gonzalez if, at the end of the world, the earth would be overturned, or would the sky fall? How large are the stars, why they move, and what keeps them in their courses? When, and how do the sun and moon change their brightness? Why is the night dark and the winter cold, since light and warmth are so much better?

This verse is from a song by Dr. Gollena, a highly appreciated poet of Guatemala, who has written, but I believe never published, some poems in the Nicaraguan dialect.

THE G?EG?ENCE.

A COMEDY BALLET IN THE NAHUATL-SPANISH DIALECT OF NICARAGUA.

BAILE DEL G?EG?ENCE

MACHO-RATON.

PERSONAS.

EL GOBERNADOR TASTUANES. EL ALGUACIL MAYOR. EL G?EG?ENCE. DON FORCICO. DON AMBROSIO. DO?A SUCHI-MALINCHE. EL ESCRIBANO REAL. EL REGIDOR DE CANA.

THE BALLET OF THE G?EG?ENCE;

OR,

THE MACHO-RATON.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

THE GOVERNOR TASTUANES. THE CHIEF ALGUACIL. THE G?EG?ENCE. DON FORCICO, HIS ELDER SON. DON AMBROSIO, HIS YOUNGER SON. THE LADY SUCHI-MALINCHE. THE ROYAL SECRETARY. THE REGISTRAR.

BAILE DEL G?EG?ENCE.

Se da principio bailando, y habla el

Matateco Dio mispiales, Se?or Gobernador Tastuanes.

Matateco Dio miscuales quilis no pilse Capitan Alguacil Mayor ya tiguala neme?

Mascamayagua Sor. Gob^r Tastuanes.

Dan vuelta bailando y habla el

Matateco Dio mispiales, Se?or Gobernador Tastuanes.

Matateco Dio miscuales quilis no pilce Capitan Alguacil Mayor: no pilces simocague campamento Se?ores principales, sones, mudanzas, velancicos necana y paltechua linar mo Cabildo Real. En primer lugar tecetales seno mesa de oro, seno carpeta de bordado, seno tintero de oro, seno pluma de oro, seno salvadera de oro, y no mas hemo papel blanco y paltechua sentar mo Cabildo Real.

Dan vuelta bailando y habla el

Matateco Dio mispiales, Se?or Gobernador Tastuanes.

Matateco Dio miscuales quilis no pilces Capitan Alguacil Mayor.

THE COMEDY-BALLET OF G?EG?ENCE.

Ya lichua linar mo Cabildo Real. En primer lugar tecetales seno mesa de oro, seno carpeta de bordado, seno tintero de oro, seno pluma de oro, seno salvadera de oro, no mas hemo papel blanco y paltechua sentar mo Cabildo Real.

No pilces Cap^n Alg^l M^ simocag?e campamento Sres. principales sones, mudanzas, velancicos necana y paltechua seno la ronda quinquimagua licencia galagua no provincia real.

Mascamayagua Sor. Gob^ Tastuanes. Matateco Dio mispiales Srs. principales sones, mudanzas, velancicos necana y paltechua seno la ronda del Se?or Gobernador Tastuanes.

Aqui se toca la ronda, dan vuelta bailando y habla el

Sor. Gob^ Tastuanes, ya nemo niqui nistipampa, ya nemo niqui samo la ronda, son rastros y pedazos de cinchones rompidos de corage, sombrero de Castor rompido de corage, no mas hemo mantera de revoso, no mas hemo capotin colorado ? sones panegua sesule G?eg?ence, Sor. Gob^ Tastuanes.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet