Iara

poem by Ruth Salles

Based on a narrative from the book Antologia Ilustrada do Folclore Brasileiro – selection and introduction by Alceu Maynard Araújo and Vasco José Taborda.

– Jaguarari, O son of the tuxaua,
beautiful as a sunny day in Grande Rio…
Jaguarari of the sure arrow,
that cuts the career
of the peccary,
that stops the jump
from maracaiá,
don't go with your igara to the Tucunã bridge!
Don't go fishing at night! It's Anhangá time!
The moaning wind already brings its voice.
Do not go! the iara comes
floating in the waters of the stream,
beautiful as the moon.
And she sings like birds don't
and, singing, calls and calls
the handsome son of manaus
and takes him to the bottom of the waters.
Don't go, Jaguarari! Do not go!
Don't go to the river to fish peacock bass!
There will be juruparis poisoning the air,
and Acauã will sing at our door.
But if you go and hear that charming song, run away!
Flee, tapuia, hurry with your igara!
Well, it's the iara! It's the iara!

Vocabulary

Tuxaua: chief.
Caititu or collared peccary: wild pig similar to peccary.
Maracaiá, or maracajá: ocelot or wildcat.
Igara: small canoe, made of tree bark.
Anhangá: spirit of evil.
Igarapé: narrow channel between two islands or between an island and mainland.
Manaus: Arawak indigenous tribe, who inhabited the banks of the Rio Negro.
Peacock bass: one of the tastiest river fish in the Amazon.
Jurupari: a demon of the Tupi.
Acauã: bird of the falcon type, whose song is considered a bad omen.
Tapuia: gentle Indian, sometimes mestizo.
Iara, or Mother of Water: a species of mermaid of rivers and lakes.

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