Rafaelín

[zancañeru]

Rafaelín yera delos del barriu del Ribayu, sacábanos dos años, trabayaba nel monte cuidando las cabras o diba a la madera. Jezo la primera comunión con nós; paezía un rapaz per grande, pero yera un buenón, siempre difindía a los nenos na escuela.

Rafaelin was from the Ribayu neighbourhood, he was two years older than us; he used to work in the mountains, looking after the goats or in the forest industry. He did his First Communion with us; he was a big boy, but was always in a good mood. He always defended other children at school.

Rafaelín nun lleía bien castellán, dábay vergoña jacer la Primera Comunión. Tiníamos que lleer un trozu de catecismu en publicu, y dempués el Obispu dábanos la comunión. Asina que los otros guajes del pueblu dizímosy que non tuviera miéu, que nós dixéramosy daqué jacer.

Rafaelin didn't read very well castillian, he was a bit ashamed of doing his First Communion. We were supposed to read a small piece from the Catecism in public, then the Bishop would give us the communion. Thus, the other children from the village told him not to be afraid, that we would tell him what to do.

Jacer la Primera Comunión, esi si que jora un gran día. La iglesia llena xente, el cura llamando a los nenos que subieran a la palestra, que'l Obispu yos daba la Primera Comunión. El cura llamólu, 'Rafael Díaz Díaz' ##. Rafaelín llega enonde'l Obispu, santíguase, arrodiéllase, dany la bendición, abre la boca para recibir la hostia y cuando'l Obispu introdúz la hostia na so boca, Rafaelín pegóy un ñascu que casiy arranca la dea del Obispu

The First Communion, that was a great day. The church was full of people, the priest was calling the children to come to the platform, where the Bishop would give us the First Communion. The priest called him 'Rafael Diaz Diaz'##. Rafaelin went to where the Bishop was, kneeled down, has the blessing and opened his mouth to receive the host. When the Bishop introduced the host into Rafaelin's mouth, he beat his finger and nearly teared it off.

Nós salimos escopetaos, corrimos pel cementeriu, vestios de marineros hasta'l campanariu. Pegando berríos como tochos, riímos hasta que nos pusimos malos.

We run away as fast as we could, run through the cementery dressed as seamen till we reached the belfry. We were loughing as loud as we could, until our stomachs were aching.


## I have changed the surnames. Cambiéy los apellíios