THINGS FALL APART [1958] - Rodriguez Alvarez

[Pages:146]notes

Achebe's Things

tr. de Fernando Santos

THINGS FALL APART [1958] by

Todo se derrumba de

Chinua Achebe

5

Chinua Achebbe

tr. de Fernando Santos

ANCHOR BOOKS Anchor Books Edition, New York, 1994

10 ALFAGUARA, MADRID, 1986]

15 Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things Fall Apart ; the center cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. --W. B. Yeats, "The Second Coming" 20

Girando y girando en ?rbita creciente El halc?n ya no oye al halconero;

Todo se derrumba; el centro ya no aguanta; El mundo .re sume en la mera anarqu?a. W. B. YEATS: ?El Segundo Advenimiento

25 PARTE I

CHAPTER ONE

[15] CAPITULO I

wily adj. 1 crafty, cunning, dodgy, foxy, guileful, knavish, slick, sly, tricksy, tricky, wily marked by skill in deception; "cunning men often pass for wise"; "deep political machinations"; "a foxy scheme"; "a slick evasive answer"; "sly as a fox"; "tricky Dik"; "a wily old attorney" astuto, taimado

harmattan: the dry, dusty wind that blows south from the Sahara in January

Okonkwo was well known throughout 30 Okonkwo era muy conocido en las nue-

the nine villages and even beyond. His ve aldeas e incluso m?s all?. Su fama se

fame rested on solid personal basaba en unos ?xitos personales conside-

achievements. As a young man of rables. Cuando era un muchacho de diecio-

eighteen he had brought honor to his cho a?os hab?a dado honra a su pueblo al

village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. 35 vencer a Amalinze El Gato. Amalinze era el

Amalinze was the great wrestler who for gran luchador invicto desde hac?a siete a?os,

seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia desde Umuofia hasta Mbaino. Lo llamaban

to Mbaino. He was called the Cat El Gato porque nunca daba con las espal-

because his back would never touch the das en tierra. Ese era el hombre al que de-

earth. It was this man that Okonkwo 40 rrib? Okonkwo en una pelea que los ancia-

threw in a fight which the old men agreed nos conven?an hab?a sido la m?s dura desde

was one of the fiercest since the founder que el fundador de su pueblo combati? sie-

of their town engaged a spirit of the wild te d?as y siete noches con un genio de la

for seven days and seven nights.

espesura.

45

The drums beat and the flutes sang

Los tambores bat?an, las flautas canta-

and the spectators held their breath. ban y los espectadores conten?an el aliento.

Amalinze was a wily craftsman, but Amalinze era un luchador muy astuto, pero

Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in Okonkwo era m?s escurridizo que el pez en

water. Every nerve and every muscle 50 el agua. En los brazos de ambos resaltaban

stood out on their arms, on their backs cada nervio y cada m?sculo, igual que en

and their thighs, and one almost heard las espaldas y los muslos, y casi se pod?a

them stretching to breaking point. In the o?r c?mo todo se tensaba hasta casi romper-

end Okonkwo threw the Cat.

se. Al final, Okonkwo derrib? al Gato.

55

That was many years ago, twenty

Aquello hab?a sido hac?a muchos a?os,

years or more, and during this time veinte a?os o m?s, y en todo aquel tiempo

Okonkwo's fame had grown like a bush- la fama de Okonkwo hab?a crecido como

fire in the harmattan. He was tall and un fuego de sabana durante el harmattan.

huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide 60 Era alto y muy fornido, y con sus cejas

nose gave him a very severe look. He tupidas y su nariz anch?sima ten?a un as-

breathed heavily, and it was said that, pecto muy grave. Respiraba muy hondo,

when he slept, his wives and children in y se dec?a que cuando dorm?a sus muje-

their houses could hear him breathe. res y sus hijos, en las casas de al lado,

When he walked, his heels hardly 65 pod?an o?r su [16] respiraci?n. Al andar

1

notes

Achebe's Things

tr. de Fernando Santos

gourd: the hard skin of around fruit, used as a drinking vessel

palm-wine an intoxicating drink made by fermenting the sap of the oil-palm

cowries a type of sea-shell, formerly used as money in West Africa

egwugwu: a masquerader who impersonates one of the ancestral spirits of the village

egwugwu a masked dancer who impersonates a spirit in Ibo rituals

harmattan: the dry, dusty wind that blows south from the Sahara in January

kite a large scavenging bird of the hawk kind

leisurely 1 lento, pausado; at a ~ pace sin prisas 2 relajado: let's take a leisurely stroll, demos un paseo sin prisas 3 adv. tranquilamente

touched the ground and he seemed to apenas si tocaba el suelo con los talones

walk on springs, as if he was going to y parec?a andar sobre muelles, como si

pounce on somebody. And he did pounce estuviera a punto de lanzarse sobre al-

on people quite often. He had a slight guien. Y es verdad que muchas veces se

stammer and whenever he was angry and 5 lanzaba sobre la gente. Era algo tartamu-

could not get his words out quickly do, y cuando se enfadaba y no pod?a de-

enough, he would use his fists. He had cir las cosas tan r?pido como quer?a, em-

no patience with unsuccessful men. He pleaba los pu?os. No soportaba a los fra-

had had no patience with his father.

casados. No soportaba a su padre.

10

Unoka, for that was his father's name,

Unoka, pues as? se llamaba su padre, ha-

had died ten years ago. In his day he was b?a muerto hac?a diez a?os. Toda su vida

lazy and improvident and was quite hab?a sido mal proveedor y perezoso, y era

incapable of thinking about tomorrow. totalmente incapaz de pensar en el ma?ana.

If any money came his way, and it seldom 15 Si ten?a alg?n dinero, cosa nada frecuente,

did, he immediately bought gourds of inmediatamente se compraba calabazas de

palm-wine, called round his neighbors vino de palma, llamaba a los vecinos y se

and made merry. He always said that divert?a. Siempre dec?a que cuando le ve?a

whenever he saw a dead man's mouth he la boca a un muerto comprend?a lo tonto

saw the folly of not eating what one had 20 que era no comer lo que se pod?a en vida.

in one's lifetime. Unoka was, of course, Unoka, naturalmente, ten?a deudas, y le de-

a debtor, and he owed every neighbor b?a algo de dinero a cada uno de los veci-

some money, from a few cowries to quite nos, desde unos cuantos caur?es hasta can-

substantial amounts.

tidades considerables.

25

He was tall but very thin and had a

Era alto, pero muy delgado y andaba

slight stoop. He wore a haggard and algo encorvado. Ten?a siempre un gesto

mournful look except when he was sombr?o y apesadumbrado, salvo cuando

drinking or playing on his flute. He was estaba bebiendo o tocando la flauta. To-

very good on his flute, and his happiest 30 caba muy bien la flauta, y cuando mejor

moments were the two or three moons after lo pasaba era durante las dos o tres lunas

the harvest when the village musicians siguientes a la cosecha, cuando los m?si-

brought down their instruments, hung cos de la aldea bajaban los instrumentos

above the fireplace. Unoka would play que ten?an colgados encima de la chime-

with them, his face beaming with 35 nea. Unoka tocaba con ellos, con la cara

blessedness and peace. Sometimes another radiante de felicidad y de paz. A veces otra

village would ask Unoka's band and their aldea ped?a a la banda de Unoka y a sus

dancing egwugwu to come and stay with bailarines egwugwu que fueran a pasar

them and teach them their tunes. They unos d?as con ellos y les ense?aran sus

would go to such hosts for as long as 40 melod?as. Se iban a pasar con esos anfi-

three or four markets, making music and triones hasta tres o cuatro mercados, y

feasting. Unoka loved the good hire and hac?an m?sica y fiestas. A Unoka le en-

the good fellowship, and he loved this cantaban la buena comida y la buena com-

season of the year, when the rains had pa??a, y le encantaba la estaci?n del a?o

stopped and the sun rose every morning 45 en que cesaban las lluvias y el sol sal?a

with dazzling beauty. And it was not too todas las ma?anas con una belleza des-

hot either, because the cold and dry lumbrante. Y tampoco hac?a calor, porque

harmattan wind was blowing down del norte llegaba el viento fr?o y seco del

Irom the north. Some years the harmattan harmattan. Algunos a?os el harmattan era

was very severe and a dense haze hung 50 muy fuerte y el aire se llenaba de una es-

on the atmosphere. Old men and children pesa niebla. Entonces los ancianos y los

would then sit round log fires, warming ni?os se sentaban en torno a las hogueras

their bodies. Unoka loved it all, and he [17] para calentarse. A Unoka le encantaba

loved the first kites that returned with todo, y le encantaban los primeros milanos

the dry season, and the children who sang 55 que volv?an con la estaci?n seca y los ni?os

songs of welcome to them. He would que les cantaban canciones de bienvenida.

remember his own childhood, how he Recordaba su propia infancia, c?mo muchas

had often wandered around looking for veces se echaba a andar a ver si ve?a un mi-

a kite sailing leisurely against the blue lano planeando calmadamente en el cielo

sky. As soon as he found one he would 60 azul. En cuanto ve?a uno se pon?a a can-

sing with his whole being, welcoming it tar con toda su alma para darle la bienve-

back from its long, long journey, and nida de su largu?simo viaje, y le pregun-

asking it if it had brought home any taba si a su regreso hab?a tra?do unas va-

lengths of cloth.

ras de pa?o.

65

2

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Achebe's Things

tr. de Fernando Santos

That was years ago, when he was

De aquello hac?a a?os, cuando era

young. Unoka, the grown-up, was a joven. El Unoka adulto era un fracasa-

failure. He was poor and his wife and do. Era pobre, y su mujer y sus hijos

children had barely enough to eat. apenas si ten?an para comer. La gente

People laughed at him because he was a 5 se re?a de ?l porque era perezoso, y ju-

loafer, and they swore never to lend him raba que nunca le volver?a a prestar di-

any more money because he never paid nero porque nunca lo devolv?a. Pero

back. But Unoka was such a man that he Unoka era uno de esos hombres que

always succeeded in borrowing more, siempre consegu?an m?s pr?stamos, e

and piling up his debts.

10 iba acumulando las deudas.

kola the nut of a West African tree, slightly narcotic in effect, used in Ibo social rituals, particularly, as here, in greeting a guest

One day a neighbor called Okoye

Un d?a un vecino llamado Okoye fue

came in to see him. He was reclining on a verlo. Unoka estaba reclinado en un le-

a mud bed in his hut playing on the flute. cho de tierra en su choza, tocando la flau-

He immediately rose and shook hands 15 ta. Inmediatamente se levant? y le dio la

with Okoye, who then unrolled the mano a Okoye, quien entonces desenro-

goatskin which he carried under his arm, ll? la piel de cabra que llevaba el brazo y

and sat down. Unoka went into an inner se sent?. Unoka fue a la habitaci?n de

room and soon returned with a small dentro y volvi? en seguida con un disco

wooden disc containing a kola nut, some 20 peque?o de madera que conten?a una nuez

alligator pepper and a lump of white de cola, unos granos de cubeba y un pe-

chalk.

dazo de tiza blanca.

"I have kola," he announced when he

-- Tengo cola --anunci? al

sat down, and passed the disc over to his 25 s e n t a r s e , y l e p a s ? e l d i s c o a s u

guest.

hu?sped.

"Thank you. He who brings kola

-- Gracias. Quien trae nuez de cola

brings life. But I think you ought to trae la vida. Pero creo que deber?as par-

break it," replied Okoye, passing back 30 tirla t? --replic? Okoye devolvi?ndole el

the disc.

disco.

kola the nut of a West African tree, slightly narcotic in effect, used in Ibo social rituals, particularly, as here, in greeting a guest

"No, it is for you, I think," and they

-- No, es para ti, creo --y as? siguie-

argued like this for a few moments before ron discutiendo un rato hasta que Unoka

Unoka accepted the honor of breaking the 35 acept? el honor de partir la nuez de cola.

kola. Okoye, meanwhile, took the lump Entre tanto, Okoye tom? el pedazo de tiza,

of chalk, drew some lines on the floor, dibuj? unas l?neas en el suelo y despu?s

and then painted his big toe.

se pint? el dedo gordo del pie.

yams a large root-crop which is a staple diet in West Africa

ekwe, udu, ogeue drums and gongs, used in Ibo music ekwe: a musical instrument; a type of drum made from

wood udu: a musical instrument; a type of drum made from

pottery ogene: a musical instrument; a kind of gong

A s h e b r o k e t h e k o l a , U n o k a 40 Mientras Unoka romp?a la nuez de cola

prayed to their ancestors for life and rez? a sus antepasados para pedirles lar-

health, and for protection against their ga vida y salud y protecci?n contra sus

enemies. When they had eaten they enemigos. Despu?s de com?rsela habla-

talked about many things: about the ron de muchas cosas: de c?mo las lluvias

heavy rains which were drowning the 45 largas estaban inundando `18] las planta-

yams, about the next ancestral feast ciones de ?ame, de la pr?xima fiesta de

and about the impending war with the los antepasados y de la guerra inminente

village of Mbaino. Unoka was never con la aldea de Mbaino. Unoka nunca es-

happy when it came to wars. He was taba contento cuando se aproximaba una

in fact a coward and could not bear 50 guerra. De hecho, era un cobarde y no

the sight of blood. And so he changed pod?a soportar la vista de la sangre. De

the subject and talked about music, manera que cambi? de tema y empez? a

and his face beamed. He could hear hablar de m?sica, con el rostro radiante.

in his mind's ear the blood-stirring Pod?a o?r mentalmente los ritmos emocio-

and intricate rhythms of the ekwe and 55 nantes e intrincados del ekwe y del udu y

the udu and the ogene, and he could del ogene, y pod?a o?r c?mo su propia

hear his own flute weaving in and out flauta iba entrando y saliendo en ellos y

of them, decorating them with a los adornaba con una melod?a llena de

colorful and plaintive tune. The total color y quejumbrosa. El efecto final era

effect was gay and brisk, but if one 60 alegre y airoso, pero si se fijaba uno en la

picked out the flute as it went up and flauta a medida que iba subiendo y bajan-

down and then broke up into short do, y despu?s se quebraba en per?odos

snatches, one saw that there was cortos, se advert?a que all? hab?a penas y

sorrow and grief there.

pesares.

65

3

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Achebe's Things

tr. de Fernando Santos

ogene: a musical instrument; a kind of gong

yams a large root-crop which is a staple diet in West Africa

Okoye was also a musician. He

Tambi?n Okoye era m?sico. Toca-

played on the ogene. But he was not a ba el ogene. Pero no era un fracasado

failure like Unoka. He had a large barn como Unoka. Ten?a un granero grande

full of yams and he had three wives. And lleno de ?ames y ten?a tres esposas. Y

now he was going to take the Idemili 5 ahora iba a tomar el t?tulo de Idemili,

title, the third highest in the land. It was el tercero en importancia de la regi?n.

a very expensive ceremony and he was Era una ceremonia muy cara y estaba

gathering all his resources together. That acopiando todos sus recursos. De he-

was in fact the reason why he had come cho, ?se era el motivo por el que ha-

to see Unoka. He cleared his throat and 10 b?a ido a ver a Unoka. Carraspe? y em-

began:

pez?:

kola the nut of a West African tree, slightly narcotic in effect, used in Ibo social rituals, particularly, as here, in greeting a guest

"Thank you for the kola. You may

-- Gracias por la nuez de cola. No s?

have heard of the title I intend to take si te has enterado del t?tulo que me pro-

shortly."

15 pongo tomar en breve.

palm-oil oil pressed from palm-nuts, used in West African cooking

skirt 1 (un pueblo) pasar 2 (un bosque, un r?o, etc) bordear 3 (un problema) eludir 1 avoid, hedge, fudge, evade, put off, circumvent, parry, elude, skirt, dodge, duck, sidestep avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues); "He dodged the issue"; "she skirted the problem"; "They tend to evade their responsibilities"; "he evaded the questions skillfully" 2 surround, skirt, border extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle; "The forest surrounds my property" 3 skirt pass around or about; move along the border; "The boat skirted the coast" 4 skirt form the edge of

cowries a type of sea-shell, formerly used as money in West Africa

Having spoken plainly so far, Okoye

Aunque hab?a hablado claramente has-

said the next half a dozen sentences in ta entonces, Okoye dijo la siguiente me-

proverbs. Among the Ibo the art of dia docena de frases en proverbios. Entre

conversation is regarded very highly, and 20 los ibos se tiene en mucha consideraci?n

proverbs are the palm-oil with which el arte de la conversaci?n, y los prover-

words are eaten. Okoye was a great bios son el aceite de palma con el que se

talker and he spoke for a long time, aderezan las palabras. Okoye era un gran

skirting round the subject and then conversador y habl? largo rato, girando

hitting it finally. In short, he was asking 25 en torno al tema, y por fin dio de lleno en

Unoka to return the two hundred cowries ?l. En resumen, quer?a pedirle a Unoka

he had borrowed from him more than two que le devolviera los doscientos caur?es

years before. As soon as Unoka que le hab?a pedido prestados hac?a m?s

understood what his friend was driving de dos a?os. En cuanto Unoka compren-

at, he burst out laughing. He laughed 30 di? a lo que iba su amigo, rompi? en car-

loud and long and his voice rang out cajadas. Se ri? mucho y en voz muy alta,

clear as the ogene, and tears stood in his y la voz le resonaba clara como el ogene

eyes. His visitor was amazed, and sat y se le saltaron las l?grimas. Su visitante,

speechless. At the end, Unoka was able sorprendido, se qued? mudo. Al final

to give an answer between fresh 35 Unoka logr? dar una respuesta, entre nue-

outbursts of mirth.

vas carcajadas.

cowries a type of sea-shell, formerly used as money in West Africa

"Look at that wall," he said, pointing

-- Mira esa pared --dijo se?alando a

at the far wall of his hut, which was la pared de [19] enfrente de la caba?a, que

rubbed with red earth so that it shone. 40 estaba frotada de tierra roja para que bri-

"Look at those lines of chalk," and llase--. Mira esas rayas de tiza --y Okoye

Okoye saw groups of short perpendicular vio varias series de rayas perpendicula-

lines drawn in chalk. There were five res cortas dibujadas con tiza. Hab?a cinco

groups, and the smallest group had ten series, y la m?s peque?a ten?a diez l?neas.

lines. Unoka had a sense of the dramatic 45 Unoka ten?a sentido de lo dram?tico e hizo

and so he allowed a pause, in which he una pausa, durante la cual tom? un pelliz-

took a pinch of snuff and sneezed noisily, co de rape y aspir? ruidosamente, y des-

and then he continued: "Each group there pu?s continu?--: Cada serie representa

represents a debt to someone, and each una deuda con alguien, y cada raya repre-

stroke is one hundred cowries. You see, 50 senta cien caur?es. Mira, a ?se le debo mil

I owe that man a thousand cowries. But caur?es. Pero no ha venido a despertarme

he has not come to wake me up in the por la ma?ana para reclamarlos. Te paga-

morning for it. I shall pay you, but not r?, pero no hoy. Nuestros ancianos dicen

today. Our elders say that the sun will que el sol calentar? a quienes est?n de pie

shine on those who stand before it shines 55 antes que a quienes se arrodillan ante

on those who kneel under them. I shall ellos. Primero pagar? mis mayores deu-

pay my big debts first." And he took das --y tom? otro pellizco de rape, como

another pinch of snuff, as if that was si eso equivaliera a pagar primero sus

paying the big debts first. Okoye rolled mayores deudas. Okoye volvi? a enrollar

his goatskin and departed.

60 su piel de cabra y se fue.

When Unoka died he had taken no

Cuando muri? Unoka no hab?a toma-

title at all and he was heavily in debt. do ning?n t?tulo y ten?a muchas deudas.

A n y w o n d e r t h e n t h a t h i s s o n ?Es de extra?ar, pues, que su hijo

O k o n k w o w a s a s h a m e d o f h i m ? 65 Okonkwo se avergonzara de ?l? Por suer-

4

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tr. de Fernando Santos

Fortunately, among these people a te, entre esta gente a cada hombre se lo

man was judged according to his juzgaba conforme a su propio valor y no

worth and not according to the worth al valor de su padre. Era evidente que

of his father. Okonkwo was clearly cut Okonkwo estaba destinado a grandes co-

o u t f o r g r e a t t h i n g s . H e w a s s t i l l 5 sas. Todav?a era joven, pero ya se hab?a

young but he had won fame as the hecho famoso como el mejor luchador de

greatest wrestler in the nine villages. las nueve aldeas. Era un agricultor rico

He was a wealthy farmer and had two y ten?a dos graneros llenos de ?ames y

b a r n s f u l l o f y a m s , a n d h a d j u s t acababa de casarse con su tercera mujer.

married his third wife. To crown it all 10 Y, por a?adidura, hab?a tomado dos t?tu-

he had taken two titles and had shown los y hab?a mostrado un valor incre?ble

incredible prowess in two inter-tribal en dos guerras intertribrales. De forma

wars. And so although Okonkwo was que, aunque Okonkwo todav?a era joven,

still young, he was already one of the ya era uno de los hombres m?s impor-

greatest men of his time. Age was 15 tantes de su ?poca. Su pueblo respetaba

r e s p e c t e d a m o n g h i s p e o p l e , b u t la edad, pero reverenciaba el ?xito. Como

achievement was revered. As the dec?an los ancianos, si un ni?o se lavaba

elders said, if a child washed his las manos pod?a comer con los reyes. Evi-

hands he could eat with kings. dentemente, Okonkwo se hab?a lavado

O k o n k w o h a d c l e a r l y w a s h e d h i s 20 las manos, de forma que com?a con los

hands and so he ate with kings and reyes y con los ancianos. Y as? fue como

elders. And that was how he came to le correspondi? cuidar del muchacho

look after the doomed lad who was condenado que sacrificaron sus vecinos

sacrificed to the village of Umuofia al pueblo de Umuofia para evitar la gue-

by their neighbors to avoid war and 25 rra y el derramamiento de sangre. El

bloodshed. The ill-fated lad was malhadado muchacho se llamaba

called Ikemefuna.

Ikemefuna.

30

35

CHAPTER Two

40

[20] CAPITULO II

ogene: a musical instrument; a kind of gong

Okonkwo had just blown out the

Okonkwo acababa de apagar la l?m-

palm-oil lamp and stretched himself on para de aceite de palma y de estirarse en

his bamboo bed when he heard the ogene la cama de bamb? cuando oy? el ogene

of the town crier piercing the still night 45 del pregonero que penetraba el aire de la

air. Gome, gome, gome, gome, boomed noche. Gome, gome, gome, gome, trona-

the hollow metal. Then the crier gave his ba el metal hueco. Despu?s el pregonero

message, and at the end of it beat his dijo su mensaje y, al final, volvi? a gol-

instrument again. And this was the pear su instrumento. Y el mensaje era ?ste.

message. Every man of Umuofia was 50 Se ped?a a todos los hombres de Umuofia

asked to gather at the market place que ma?ana por la ma?ana se reunieran

tomorrow morning. Okonkwo wondered en la plaza del mercado. Okonkwo se pre-

what was amiss, for he knew certainly gunt? qu? pasar?a, pues desde luego esta-

that something was amiss. He had ba seguro de que algo andaba mal. Hab?a

discerned a clear overtone of tragedy in 55 percibido un claro tono de tragedia en la

the crier's voice, and even now he could voz del pregonero, e incluso ahora lo se-

still hear it as it grew dimmer and gu?a oyendo mientras se iba apagando len-

dimmer in the distance.

tamente en la distancia.

T h e n i g h t w a s v e r y q u i e t . I t w a s 60 La noche era muy tranquila. Siempre always quiet except on moonlight eran tranquilas, salvo cuando hab?a luna. n i g h t s . D a r k n e s s h e l d a v a g u e La oscuridad significaba un vago terror terror for these people, even the para aquella gente, incluso para los m?s b r a v e s t a m o n g t h e m . C h i l d r e n valientes. A los ni?os se les advert?a que w e r e w a r n e d n o t t o w h i s t l e a t 65 no silbaran de noche, por miedo a los

5

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Achebe's Things

tr. de Fernando Santos

n i g h t f o r f e a r o f e v i l s p i r i t s . malos esp?ritus. Los animales peligrosos

D a n g e r o u s a n i m a l s b e c a m e e v e n se hac?an todav?a m?s siniestros e impre-

more sinister and uncanny in the decibles en la oscuridad. De noche nunca

dark. A snake was never called by se mencionaba a la serpiente por su nom-

its name at night, because it would 5 bre, porque lo oir?a. Se hablaba de una

hear. It was called a string. And so cuerda. De manera que aquella noche con-

o n t h i s p a r t i c u l a r n i g h t a s t h e creta, a medida que la voz del pregonero

c r i e r ' s v o i c e w a s g r a d u a l l y se iba quedando gradualmente absorbida

s w a l l o w e d u p i n t h e d i s t a n c e , por la distancia, volvi? a reinar en el mun-

s i l e n c e r e t u r n e d t o t h e w o r l d , a 10 do el silencio, un silencio vibrante inten-

vibrant silence made more intense sificado por el chirrido universal de un

by the universal trill of a million mill?n de millones de insectos de la sel-

million forest insects.

va.

ogene: a musical instrument; a kind of gong

kwenu: a shout of approval and greeting kwenu: hail! (a shout of greeting or approval)

On a moonlight night it would be 15 Las noches de luna todo era diferente.

d i f f e r e n t . T h e h a p p y v o i c e s o f Entonces se o?an las voces alegres de los

children playing in open fields would ni?os que jugaban en los campos abier-

then be heard. And perhaps those not tos. Y quiz? las de quienes no eran tan

so young would be playing in pairs j?venes, que jugaban en parejas en luga-

in less open places, and old men and 20 res menos abiertos, y los ancianos y las

women would remember their youth. ancianas recordaban su juventud. Como

As the Ibo say: "When the moon is dicen los ibos: ?Cuando brilla la luna a

shining the cripple becomes hungry los cojos les entran ganas de salir a dar

for a walk."

un paseo.?

25

But this particular night was dark

Pero esta noche concreta era oscura y

and silent. And in all the nine villages silenciosa. Y en los nueve pueblos de

of Umuofia a town crier with his Umuofia un pregonero con su ogene pe-

ogene asked every man to be present d?a que todos los hombres se presentaran

tomorrow morning. Okonkwo on his 30 ma?ana por la ma?ana. Okonkwo, en su

bamboo bed tried to figure out the cama de bamb?, trat? de imaginar cu?l

nature of the emergency - war with a ser?a la urgencia: ?La guerra con un clan

neighboring clan? That seemed the vecino? Esa parec?a la suposici?n m?s

most likely reason, and he was not razonable, y a ?l no le daba miedo la gue-

afraid of war. He was a man of action, 35 rra. El era un hombre de acci?n, un gue-

a man of war. Unlike his father he rrero. Al contrario que a su padre, a ?l no

could stand the look of blood. In le asustaba la vista de la sangre. En la ?l-

Umuofia's latest war he was the first tima guerra de Umuofia ?l hab?a sido el

to bring home a human head. That primero en traer a casa una cabeza huma-

was his fifth head and he was not an 40 na. Era su quinta cabeza, y todav?a no era

old man yet. On great occasions such un viejo. En las grandes ocasiones, como

as the funeral of a village celebrity los funerales de un personaje de la aldea,

he drank his palm-wine from his first beb?a su vino de palma en su primera ca-

human head.

beza humana.

45

In the morning the market place was

A la ma?ana siguiente, la plaza del

full. There must have been about ten mercado estaba llena. Deb?a haber all?

thousand men there, all talking in low unos diez mil hombres, todos ellos ha-

voices. At last Ogbuefi Ezeugo stood up blando en voz baja. Por fin se levant?,

in the midst of them and bellowed four 50 en medio de ellos, Ogbuef Ezeugo y gri-

times, "Umuofia kwenu," and on each t? cuatro veces: ?Umuofia kwenu?, y a

occasion he faced a different direction cada ocasi?n lo hizo en una direcci?n di-

and seemed to push the air with a ferente y pareci? que golpeaba al aire con

clenched fist. And ten thousand men el pu?o cerrado. Y diez mil hombres res-

answered "Yaa!" each time. Then there 55 pondieron: ??Yaa!?, a cada vez. Despu?s

was perfect silence. Ogbuefi Ezeugo se produjo un silencio total. Ogbuef

was a powerful orator and was always Ezeugo era un gran orador y siempre se

chosen to speak on such occasions. He lo escog?a para hablar en ocasiones as?.

moved his hand over his white head and Se pas? la mano por la cabeza blanca y

s t r o k e d h i s w h i t e b e a r d . H e t h e n 60 se acarici? la blanca barba. Despu?s se

adjusted his cloth, which was passed ajust? la t?nica, que le pasaba bajo el

under his right arm-pit and tied above sobaco derecho y se ataba al hombro iz-

his left shoulder.

quierdo.

"Umuofia kwenu," he bellowed a 65 ?Umuofia kwenu?, tron? por quinta

6

notes

Achebe's Things

tr. de Fernando Santos

fifth time, and the crowd yelled in vez, y la multitud grit? en respuesta. Y

answer. And then suddenly like one despu?s, de repente, como si estuviera

possessed he shot out his left hand and pose?do, lanz? de golpe la mano izquier-

pointed in the direction of Mbaino, and da [22] en direcci?n a Mbaino, y dijo en-

said through gleaming white teeth firmly 5 tre sus dientes blanqu?simos y apretados:

clenched: "Those sons of wild animals

-- Esos hijos de animales feroces han

have dared to murder a daughter of osado asesinar a una hija de Umuofia --

Umuofia." He threw his head down and baj? la cabeza de golpe y rechin? los

gnashed his teeth, and allowed a murmur dientes, y permiti? que entre la multitud

of suppressed anger to sweep the crowd. 10 se extendiera un murmullo de ira conte-

When he began again, the anger on his nida. Cuando volvi? a empezar ya no te-

face was gone, and in its place a sort of n?a el gesto airado, y en su lugar se cer-

smile hovered, more terrible and more n?a una especie de sonrisa, m?s terrible

sinister than the anger. And in a clear y m?s siniestra que la ira. Y con voz cla-

unemotional voice he told Umuofia how 15 ra y pausada cont? a Umuofia c?mo la

their daughter had gone to market at hija de todos ellos hab?a ido al mercado

Mbaino and had been killed. That de Mbaino y hab?a muerto. Aquella mu-

woman, said Ezeugo, was the wife of jer, dijo Ezeugo, era la esposa de Ogbuefi

Ogbuefi Udo, and he pointed to a man Udo, y se?al? a un hombre que estaba

who sat near him with a bowed head. The 20 sentado a su lado con la cabeza baja.

crowd then shouted with ainger and thirst Entonces la multitud grit? airada y se-

for blood.

dienta de sangre.

Many others spoke, and at the end it

Hablaron muchos m?s, y al final se de-

was decided to follow the normal course 25 cidi? adoptar el rumbo normal de acci?n.

of action. An ultimatum was immediately Inmediatamente se envi? a Mbaino un ul-

dispatched to Mbaino asking them to tim?tum en el que se le ped?a escoger en-

choose between war - on the one hand, tre, por una parte, la guerra y, por otra, el

and on the other the offer of a young man ofrecimiento de un muchacho y de una

and a virgin as compensation.

30 virgen en compensaci?n.

medicine: a word used to apply to any magic or juju: sometimes it is a shrine or a sacred object and sometimes it is the spell or ritual associated with that particular shrine or form of worship

agadi-nwayi: old woman

Oracle a sacred shrine whose priest makes inspired pronouncements of divine warning or advice to the tribe

Umuofia was feared by all its

Todos sus vecinos tem?an a Umuofia.

neighbors. It was powerful in war and Era muy fuerte en la guerra y en la magia,

i n m a g i c , a n d i t s p r i e s t s a n d y sus sacerdotes y chamanes eran temi-

medicine men were feared in all the 35 dos en todos los alrededores. Su medici-

surrounding country. Its most potent na de guerra, m?s potente, era tan antigua

war-medicine was as old as the clan como el propio clan. Nadie sab?a de cu?n-

itself. Nobody knew how old. But on do databa. Pero hab?a algo en lo que to-

o n e p o i n t t h e r e w a s g e n e r a l dos estaban de acuerdo: el principio acti-

agreement--the active principle in 40 vo de aquella medicina hab?a sido una

that medicine had been an old woman anciana a la que le faltaba una pierna. De

with one leg. In fact, the medicine hecho, la medicina misma se llamaba

itself was called agadi-nwayi, or old agadi-nwayi, o sea, la anciana. Ten?a su

woman. It had its shrine in the centre santuario en el centro de Umuofia, en

of Umuofia, in a cleared spot. And if 45 un claro. Y si hab?a alguien tan temera-

anybody was so foolhardy as to pass rio como para pasar al lado del santua-

by the shrine after dusk he was sure rio despu?s del atardecer, siempre ve?a

t o s e e t h e o l d w o m a n h o p p i n g a la anciana que andaba por all? a la pata

about.

coja.

50

And so the neighboring clans who

De manera que los clanes vecinos, que

naturally knew of these things feared naturalmente estaban al tanto de todo ello,

Umuofia, and would not go to war tem?an a Umuofia y no iban a la guerra

a g a i n s t i t w i t h o u t f i r s t t r y i n g a contra ella sin intentar primero un arre-

peaceful settlement. And in fairness to 55 glo pac?fico. Y para ser justos con

Umuofia it should be recorded that it Umuofia debe hacerse constar que nunca

never went to war unless its case was iba a la guerra salvo que su derecho [23]

clear and just and was accepted as estuviera bien claro y, como tal, lo acep-

such by its Oracle - the Oracle of the tara su Or?culo: el Or?culo de los Cerros

Hills and the Caves. And there were 60 y de las Cuevas. Y, efectivamente, hab?a

indeed occasions when the Oracle had habido ocasiones en las que el Or?culo

forbidden Umuofia to wage a war. If hab?a prohibido a Umuofia hacer la gue-

the clan had disobeyed the Oracle they rra. Si el clan hubiera desobedecido al

w o u l d s u r e l y h a v e b e e n b e a t e n , Or?culo, no cabe duda de que habr?a sali-

because their dreaded agadi-nwayi 65 do derrotado, porque su temible agadi-

7

notes

Achebe's Things

tr. de Fernando Santos

would never fight what the Ibo call a nwayi nunca combatir?a en lo que los ibos

fight of blame.

llaman un combate culpable.

ndichie: elders ndichie: elders of the tribe

But the war that now threatened

Pero la guerra que amenazaba ahora

was a just war. Even the enemy clan 5 era una guerra justa. Incluso el clan ene-

knew that. And so when Okonkwo of migo lo sab?a. De forma que cuando

Umuofia arrived at Mbaino as the Okonkwo de Umuofia lleg? a Mbaino

proud and imperious emissary of war, como mensajero orgulloso e imperioso de

he was treated with great honor and la guerra se le trat? con gran honor y res-

respect, and two days later he returned 10 peto, y dos d?as despu?s volvi? a casa con

home with a lad of fifteen and a young un muchacho de quince a?os y una virgen

virgin. The lad's name was Ikemefuna, i, )\ en El muchacho se llamaba lkemefuna,

w h o s e s a d s t o r y i s s t i l l t o l d i n y su triste historia todav?a se sigue con-

Umuofia unto this day.

tando en Umuofia hoy d?a.

15

The elders, or ndichie, met to

Los ancianos, o ndichie, se reunieron

hear a report of Okonkwo's mission. para escuchar el informe de Okonkwo so-

A t t h e e n d t h e y d e c i d e d , a s bre su misi?n. Al final decidieron, como

everybody knew they would, that the todo el mundo sab?a que har?an, que la mu-

g i r l s h o u l d g o t o O g b u e f i U d o t o 20 chacha se destinara a Ogbuefi Udo en sus-

replace his murdered wife. As for the tituci?n de su esposa asesinada. En cuan-

boy, he belonged to the clan as a to al muchacho, pertenec?a al clan como

whole, and there was no hurry to un todo, y no hab?a prisa por decidir su

d e c i d e h i s f a t e . O k o n k w o w a s , destino. Por eso se le pidi? a Okonkwo

t h e r e f o r e , a s k e d o n b e h a l f o f t h e 25 que, en nombre del clan, se hiciera cargo

clan to look after him in the interim. de ?l entre tanto. Y por eso, durante tres

And so for three years Ikemefuna a?os, Ikemefuna vivi? en la casa de

lived in Okonkwo's household.

Okonkwo.

Agbala: woman; also used of a man who has taken no title

agbala: a woman; used contemptuously of a man of no significance, with no title

Qkonkwo ruled his household with 30 Okonkwo llevaba a su familia con

a heavy hand. His wives, especially mano dura. Sus mujeres, especialmente

the youngest, lived in perpetual fear las m?s j?venes, viv?an en un temor cons-

of his fiery temper, and so did his tante de sus estallidos, igual que sus hi-

little children. Perhaps down in his jos peque?os. Es posible que en el fondo

heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. 35 Okonkwo no fuera cruel. Pero toda su

But his whole life was dominated by vida estaba dominada por el temor, el

f e a r, t h e f e a r o f f a i l u r e a n d o f temor al fracaso y a la debilidad. Era algo

weakness. It was deeper and more m?s profundo y m?s ?ntimo que el temor

intimate than the fear of evil and a los dioses malignos y caprichosos y a

capricious gods and of magic, the fear 40 la magia, que el temor a la selva [24] y a

of the forest, and of the forces of las fuerzas de la naturaleza, mal?volas,

nature, malevolent, red in tooth and de dientes y garras rojos. Los temores de

claw. Okonkwo's fear was greater than Okonkwo eran peores que todo eso. No

these. It was not external but lay deep eran externos, sino que yac?an en lo m?s

within himself. It was the fear of 45 hondo de su ser. Era el temor a s? mismo,

himself, lest he should be found to a que lo considerasen parecido a su pa-

resemble his father. Even as a little dre. Incluso cuando era ni?o hab?a de-

boy he had resented his father 's testado el fracaso y la debilidad de su

failure and weakness, and even now padre, e incluso ahora segu?a recordan-

h e s t i l l r e m e m b e r e d h o w h e h a d 50 do lo que hab?a sufrido cuando un amigo

suffered when a playmate had told him de juegos le hab?a dicho que su padre era

that his father was agbala. That was un agbala. Entonces fue cuando se ente-

how Okonkwo first came to know that r? Okonkwo de que agbala no era s?lo

agbala was not only another name for otra forma de decir mujer, sino que tam-

a woman, it could also mean a man 55 bi?n pod?a designar a un hombre que no

who had taken no title. And so hab?a tomado ning?n t?tulo. Y por eso

Okonkwo was ruled by one passion - Okonkwo estaba dominado por una sola

to hate everything that his father pasi?n: la de odiar todo lo que le hab?a

Unoka had loved. One of those things gustado a su padre Unoka. Una de las

w a s g e n t l e n e s s a n d a n o t h e r w a s 60 cosas que hab?a que odiar era la amabili-

idleness.

dad, y otra era el ocio.

During the planting season

Durante la temporada de la siembra

Okonkwo worked daily on his farms Okonkwo trabajaba todos los d?as en sus

from cock-crow until the chickens went 65 campos desde el canto del gallo hasta que

8

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