Eva Martinez, Conejos, Colorado

There was once a little ant who one day decided to make bread so she could take some to her comadre, the godmother of her little one.  

Once she finished her baking, she wrapped the bread in a cloth and placed it upon her head and set out on her journey. 

It was rather far to where her comadre lived and because the little ant walked so slowly, as she traveled, a snowstorm caught her on the road, which caused her to break one of her little legs. When this happened, she sat down on the side of the trail and, feeling sorry for her luck, began to cry. 

Just about that time, a cricket was also traveling along the trail. He stopped to ask her why was she crying so much. She explained that she had made bread to take it to her comadre, but that she had been caught in the snowstorm and had broken her leg and could neither travel forward nor back.  

Then the cricket said to her:

-“I have no power to help. It might be better for you to complain to the sun.”

The little ant then gazed upwards and pleaded to the sun, “Sun, melt this snow, as it broke my leg.” 

Looking down upon the little ant, the sun responded, “The cloud is stronger and unfortunately it is blocking my rays. 

The little ant, turned to the cloud and pleaded, “Cloud who is blocking the sun, please move, for the sun to melt the snow, that has broken my leg.” 

“The wind is more powerful,” responded the cloud, “and it will break me apart.”

The little ant turned to the wind “Wind, please break apart the cloud that is blocking the sun, so the sun can melt the snow that has broken my leg.” 

The wind whispered its response, “The wall is much stronger and can block me.”

The little ant turned to the wall and pleaded, “Wall, please move so the wind can break apart the cloud who is blocking the sun, so that sun can melt the snow that has broken my leg.” 

Responding, the wall spoke and said, “The mouse is even stronger, as it weakens me by making holes in my body.” 

The little ant turned to the mouse and pleaded, “Mouse, please continue to create holes in that wall, so it cannot block wind, so the wind can break apart the cloud who is blocking the sun, so the sun can melt the snow that has broken my leg.” 

“Oh little ant,” said the mouse, “I wish I could help, but the cat will eat me.”

The little ant turned to the cat and pleaded, “Cat, please don’t eat mouse as it needs to create holes in that wall, so that wall cannot block wind, so that wind can break apart the cloud who is blocking the sun, so the sun can melt the snow that has broken my leg.” 

“Little ant,” said the cat, “if I help you, the dog that is stronger, will kill me.”

The little ant turned to the dog and pleaded, “Dog, please eat the cat, so the cat will not eat the mouse, as it needs to create holes in the wall so that wall cannot block wind, so the wind can break apart the cloud who is blocking the sun, so the sun can melt the snow that has broken my leg.” 

“The stick is stronger than I am and will kill me if I try to eat the cat,” said the dog.

The little ant turned to the stick and pleaded, “Stick, please don’t kill the dog. It needs to eat the cat, so it will not eat mouse, as it needs to create holes in that wall, so the wall cannot block wind, so the wind can break apart the cloud who is blocking the sun, so the sun can melt the snow that has broken my leg.” 

“Oh, little ant,” said the stick, “the fire is much stronger than I am and will burn me if I kill the dog.”

The little ant turned to the fire and pleaded, “Fire, please don’t burn the stick that could kill the dog. It needs to eat the cat, so the cat will not eat mouse, as it needs to create holes in that wall, so the wall cannot block wind, so wind can break apart the cloud who is blocking the sun, so the sun can melt the snow that has broken my leg.”

Fire responded, “Water is stronger than I am and will consume me and carry the ash away and without the ash the wall will fall, along with the firewood, and all the animals will drown and be taken by the water.”

In the end, the little ant, who wanted only to take a loaf of bread to her comadre, in spite of her pleas, was left without justice.  

La  Hormiguita

Se puso una hormiguita a hacer pan pa llevarle a su comadre. Echó una jícara de pan, la cubrió con un mantel y se fué con ella en la cabeza. Era bastante lejos en donde su comadre vivía y como la hormiguita camina tan despacio, la cogió una nevada en el camino y le quebró una patita. Empezó ella a llorar y a lamentarse de su suerte. Iba pasando un grillo y le preguntó cuál era su desgracia, por qué lloraba tanto, y le contó que iba para casa de su comadre a llevarle pan y la nieve le había quiebrado una patita y ya no podía volver pa atrás. Entonces le dijo el grillo:

—Yo no tengo poder en esto. Anda a la justicia y quéjate al sol. Entonces le dijo al sol:

—Sol, redite-nieve, nieve quiebró mi patitita.

—Más fuerte es la nube —le dijo el sol—, pues me tapa. 

—Nube, tapa-sol, sol, redite-nieve, nieve quiebró mi patitita.

 —Más fuerte es el aire —respondió la nube—, pues me desbarata.

–Aire, desbarata-nube, nube, tapa-sol, sol, redite-nieve, etc., nieve quiebró mi patita.

—Más fuerte es la pared —le dijo el aire—; me ataja.

—Pared, ataja-aire, aire, desbarata-nube, etc., nieve me quiebró mi patita.

—Más fuerte es el ratón —le dijo la pared—; me agujera.

—Ratón, agujera-pared, pared, ataja-aire, etc., nieve mequiebró mi patita.

—Más fuerte es el gato —le dijo el ratón—; me come.

—Gato, come-ratón, ratón, agujera-pared, etc., nieve me quiebró mi patita.

—Más fuerte es el perro; me mata.

—Perro, mata-gato, gato, come-ratón, etc., nieve me quiebro mi patita.

—Más fuerte es el palo; me mata.

—Palo, mata-perro, perro, mata-gato, etc., nieve me quiebro mi patita.

—Más fuerte es la lumbre —le dice el palo—; me quema.

—Lumbre, quema-palo, palo, mata-perro, perro, mata-gato, gato, come-ratón, ratón, agujera-pared, pared, ataja-aire, aire, desbarata-nube, nube, tapa-sol, sol, redite-nieve, nieve quiebro mi patita.

—Más fuerte es el agua; me apaga, y con la agua se va la ceniza, se va la pared, se van los leños, se hogan los animales y todo se lleva la agua.

De modo que la pobre hormiguita no jalló justicia ninguna.