JUAN OSO/JOHN THE BEAR

CUENTO/SHORT STORY

(Recorded and transcribed the Quechua and Regional Spanish Versions, and translated to English)

chaymi unayqa gara quk warmi wakcha, mana ayluyuq, mana

Hace tiempo había una mujer huerfana, sin familia, sin

A long time ago there was an orphan woman without a family, without
imayuqsi. puriq takshabakuyta, qara rutubakuyta, qara

nada, Andaba lavando ropa, cortando maíz, arrancando

anything. She went around washing clothes, cutting corn, pulling corn,
tibibakuyta. chay puriyarmi tinkurura xuan usu qutiyuqwan

maíz. Asi andando se ha encontrado con uno de nombre Juan.

In her wandering , she run into someone whose name was John.

qatun gara, lawchin; yuraq usuwan. chaymi chay usuqa nunabaq

 Era alto, enorme: un oso blanco. Entonces este oso su

He was white bear, huge and towering.  This bear,  
qaranta, paqasba, utrurgur, tirsukurgur, abaq chay wayi

maiz de la gente, de noche, cortando, cargándose, se llevaba a

uprooted the people’s corn during the night and bore it to
yachanqanman, chay qatun qaqa, luma rurinman. chaymi chay

su casa en que vivia, esa roca grande, a ese cerro. Y asi a
an enormous rock, on a hill whrere he lived. And over there

warmitaqa, usuqa tirsun trawbiman, wasgawan liyargur,

esa mujer, el oso, en medio de su carga, envolviendo con soga,

the bear tied up woman and placed her in the middle of his bundle,
tirsukurgur, abakura. chaymi chay matraynintraw warmitaqa

cargándola, se

6

llevó. Entonces en esa cuerva a la mujer ha

lifting her up and spiriting her away. Then in that cave he
charara:ra mana katrargamular. chaymi chaytraw gaya:lar

tenido sin soltarle. Estando alli, apareció en ese lugar

wedded the woman and there he imprisoned her. While she was living there, she bore
tritru rikarura kanan usuba churinta. chaymi chay warmiqa

ahora un hijo del oso. Entonces esa mujer estaba

the bear a son. Then  that woman was
lagishgara. “kaytraw gaya:n waran— waranmi; wichqara:ya:

triste. ‘Aqui estoy todos los días; estoy cerrada en la

sorrowful. « Here I am every day, I am enclosed in the

lantutraw, yanawyaaqtraw. kanqa na:mi tritru ga: kay usuba

en la sombra en la oscuridad. Ahora aquí estoy empreñada

in the shadow, in the darkness. Now I am pregnant
churinta!’. chaymi usuqa imabitas aygabitas kuchuchiqchu

 de un hijo del oso”. Pero el oso no le hacía. sufrir de nada.

with the son of bear. But the bear did not make her suffer for anything
paqasba tra:chiq u:shata., aychata, lapan imaniraq ayganiraq

 De noche hacia llegar carneros, carne, toda clase de

At night he brought sheep, meat, all kinds
mikuybita. chaymi chay warmiqa patrayuq rikarurqa na

comida, Y así apareció embarazada la mujer, Ya se ha

of food. So the woman appeared with child. She had already

qishyaq tugura. chay qishyaq tuguyanqantrawmi wachaka:rura.

Y estando así en la enfermedad, ha parido

fallen ill. During her illness, she gave birth.
chay wachakurutbin wawanqa yarqamura; uchuk usula inana

Cuando dió a luz, un bebe salió; un pequeflo osito sin

When she gave birth, a baby emerged, a litle bear without
qutiyuq chaymi na masta masta qatunyarqa chay wawanqa

nombre. Entonces ya estaba creciendo poco a poco ese bebe,

name. The cub was growing litle by litle  
chay usuha churin. ese hijo del oso,

that son of the bear.
chay quwan gaq, qatun usuqa, mayta aywanampaqa chay

El que es su esposo, el oso grande, para ir a cualquier

Whenever the great bear, the father, left the cave,
punkuta wichqaq qatun garay uyru ruiniwan mana yarqagunampaq

sitio su puerta con una piedra redonda, que era grande, para.

he would shield the entrance with a huge stone , so that
mani pis yaygunampaq. Chaytni usuba churinqa. ruritraw

no salgan y no entre nadie. Entonces el hijo del oso aden—

no one could leave and no could enter. Then the son of the bear

mamanwan gayarqa na masta masta qatunya:yar garqa, na paysi tro con su mama estaba, y ya estaba creciendo más y y más, ya

and his mother were left inside. The son of the bear was growing more and more

mashabakuyta munaq, lantulatraw gayar. na pasay ushaka:rura,

también quería solearse, estando solo en la sombra. Por comple-

and longed to get outside to sunbathe because he was so long in the darkness.  utika:rura alalaqtraw. chay utika:rurqa nira, chawraqa

to se cansó, se aburrió en el frío. Aburriéndose dijo. Enton-

He was fully exhausted,  and he became bored in the cold. And he said it in his boredom. Then,
mamansi waqaq paqas qunaq niq: “papa:nigi aywarqa na:mi

ces la madre llorando noche y dia dijo: “Tú papa, al salir,

 the mother who wept night and day, said: “Whenever your father leaves,
rumiwan wichqara:manchi1k. mana yarquna:ta anunanchu, kaylatraw

con una piedra nos encierra. No quiere que sa1ga. Cómo aquí

he imprisones us with a stone. He does not let us go out. I will die
gashaq wanursi chawraqa kat±awchi ilarishaq; manachi pibis

estaré, Muerta entonces de aqui desapereceré ; nadie me

here as I have lived, disappearing. Nobody
rigamanqachul, nir. verá”  dijo

will ever see me,” she said.
waqatbinqa na chawraqa wawanqa gara trunka kima watayuq.

Cuando estaba llorando su hijo, entonces, ya tenía trece

As she cried, her son grew to thirteen years
chay trunka kima watayuq, gayarqa puklyanqantraw, chawraqa, na

años. Y así a los trece años, en lo que estaba jugando, ya en-

old. At thirteen years old, while playing, he found then he was
chay rumitaqa kuyuchira. chay kuyurachirqa. kanqalanta

tónces a esa piedra lo movió. Moviéndo1o, al1í mismo

was able to move the stone. He moved the stone and
trararura. chaymi chay papa:nintaqa taytaqa wilarachu

lo volvió. Entonces no le avisó a su papa quo es su señor,

put it back. He said nothing to his father who was his master.
chaymi taytanqa yabay wichqargur aywakura karuta. « kananqa

 Por eso su papá otra vez encerrando se ha ido lejos. “Ahora

That is why his father again closed it, going far away. « Now
kima kilataran kutirnushaq, kananqa mikuy ashiqmi aywaya :

 a los tres meses volveré. Ahora a buscar comida estoy yendo

I will return in three months. Now I am going to search for food

karuta. manam imas aygas faltaba:kushunkishu. kaytraw mikurnii

lejos. No les faltará  nada. Allí, comiendo y bebiendo

far away. You will not lack anything. You will be here, eating and drinking”

 
upyarmi gaba:kunki”, nir. chay aywakutbinmi chawraqa chay

estarán”, dijo. Cuando se ha ido, entonces, el hijo—oso que

he said. When he had left, the son—a bear that

 
trunka kima watayuq usu churinqa yarqaramura rumita chay

 tiene trece años ha salido botando la piedra que

is only thirteen years old – went out, throwing the stone that had
wichqanqanta. chinargur mamantas qurqaramura. nira: “kananqa

cerraba. Después a su mama la sacó. Y le dijo: “Ahora

sealed the cave. After he took his mother away from the cave, he said: “Now
akuchu, aywakushun karuta. tayta tra:ramurqa mikarama:shunmi.

vamos, iremos lejos. Mi papá llegando nos matará.

let’s go, we will go far away. When he comes back, my father will kill us,
‘amam yarqaba:kamunkichu; amam kitrankichu’ nima:ran nuqatas,

 No saldrán; no abrirás a mí me ha dicho.

Since he has told us never to leave, never to open the gate.
chawraqa mikama:namchibaq, mana imas nuqanchinwan ganampaqa,

Entonces para que no nos coma, para que no haga nada con no-

Because we do not want to be devoured, because we do not want him to do anything to
aywakushun chawraqa”
sotros, nos iremos entonces

us, we will go.

 
aywakurga:ra qagunta qibikurgur, wawanta qibikurgur.

Se ha ida cargando su ropa, cargando su hijo.

So the woman left, carrying her clothes, carrying her son
aywakurga:ra quk margaman. chaymi chay margatrawqa ashira

Se han ido a un pueblo. Entonces en ese pueblo buscaron

They went to a town. Then in that town they searched
uryata qagumpaq mikunampaq. chay uryata ashiyatbinmi

trabajo para vestirse, para comer. Cuando está buscando

for work so they could clothe themselves, so they could eat. When they were searching,
tinkura kurawan. chay kuraqa nira: “nuqaqa munaya:mi

se encontraron con el cura. Ese cura dijo: “Yo quiero

they ran into with the priest. This priest said: “ I want

yanumaqnita, chubamaqni:ta, takshamaqni:ta. qam chawraqa uryay

una cocinera, ima asadora, una lavandera, Tú, entonces, trabaja

a cook, a baker, a laundrywoman. Therefore you will work
nuqaba wayitraw, nuqa paga:shay alitam; quiqita qushaygi

en la casa de mi. To pagaré bien; te daré plata.

In my house. I will pay you well, I will give you money,
wawantigita charashaygi. wawayta trarashun chay qatun wayiman

Te tendré con tu hijo. Y a tu hijo pondremos en esa casa

I will give you and your son a place to stay. And we will raise your son in that big

musyaqgunampaq nuna yubay rimayta, nuna shimita
grande para que aprenda hablar como la gente  la gente, la lengua de la gente

house, so that he can learn how to talk like the people, in the people’s own tongue,
yatrakunampaq. qammi nataq yanukunki takshakunki”, nira

para que sepa. Tú ya entonces cocinas y lavas”, dijo

the will learn it. You will then cook and wash,” he said  
mamanta. xuan usuba.
a la mama de Juan Oso.

to the mother of John the Bear. chaymi mana qutiyuq gatbin, chay kuraqa qutinta trurara

Entonces como no tenía nombre, ese cura su nombre puso

Then, since he did not have a name, the priest gave him a name
kapiyatraw pushakurgur. nira: “kanampita ganki xwan uso nuqa

en la capilla llevándolo. Dijo: “Desde hoy eres Juan Oso. Yo

when he took him to the church. He said: “ From now on you will be John the Bear. I
ushachaq chay ushargachirqa, qamqa mamanitigi uryanki.

bautizo; así estando bautizado, tú trabajar con tu mama.

baptize you; and while he was baptizing him, he ordered him: you will be working with your mother.

quyabaylam aywanki qatun yatrakuna wayiman”,
Sólo en las mañanas vas a esa casa grande donde se aprende

Only in the morning will you go to the big house to learn. chaymi chay wayi yatrachiqtrawqa yanasangunata
Y entonces en esa escuela, cuando sus amigos

And while John the Bear was in school, when his friends
turyatbinqa quk tinkaylatraw wanuchiq. chay quk tinkaylatraw

fastidiaban en un solo dedazo mataba. Por eso, de un solo

bothered him, he killed them with a single finger.  For this, forala wanuchitbinmi chawraqa kuraqa rabyarur qurqurura tingote cuando mataba, entonces el cura so amargó y lo sacó

a finger’s hit, the priest got upset and expelled him
chay yatrachiq wayibitaqa. “mana qamwan alichu gachwan.

de esa casa del saber. “Contigo no estamos bien,

from that house of knowledge. “We are not confortable with you. masta manahiya:nki qamqa, antis kanam qamqa uryanki

Estoy adeudándome mucho con usted. Mejor ahora tú trabajas

You are a great burden to me.  It is better now that you work
nuqawan. kampanata wipyanki”, nira. chaynitbinmi chay xuan

conmigo. Tocarás la campana”, dijo. Cuando le ha dicho, ese

with me. You will ring the bells,” the priest said. When he said so,  
usuqa “ari” nir. Aywara. chaymi na  misaq qalayunampaqa,

Juan Oco “si” dijo. Y fue. Entonces para que empiece la mi—

John the Bea said yes. And he left. Then, for the start of the mass

kampanata rumiwan wipyay asta. rumis ushanqangama, kampanas
sa, con una piedra golpeaba hasta que desapareció la piedra

he beat the bell with a stone until the stone crumbled
paginqangaman. chay pagirutbinmi, char kura rabyarur

y romper la campana. Cuando ha roto, ese cura se amargó

and the bell was broken. When he broke it, the priest was mad
qarqurura. nira: “mana muna:chu imas aygas usaqtaqa. y lo botó. Dijo: “No quiero los que termines mis cosas,

and he kicked him out. He said: “ I do not want you to ruin all my things
antischi aywakurganki, aywakurgay mayaqtas. mana. mana:chu

Mejor so van. Váyanse a oualquier sitio. No quiero

It is better if you both leave. Go anywhere. I do not want
chaynuytaqa. qamqa asyayba ima supayba churinchi ganki.

esa clase de gente. Tú  eres hijo de cualquier diablo o Satanás.

you kind of people. You are the son of a devil or Satan
manam qamqa nunaba churinchi ganki”, nir. ohaymi puklyayta

no eres hijo de gente”, dijo. Entonces Juan Oso andaba

you are not the offspring of humans.”  While John the bear wandered
purir xuan usuqa rigara qatun firruta barritata. chinargur

jugando y vio una barra do fierro grande. Después

and played, he saw a big metal bar. Then

chay barritata aptakurgurmi aywakura mamantin mana riqisha

empuñando esa barra se ha ido con áu mania a un pueblo que

wielding that bar he went with his mother to a town that
margata; paqas qunaq aywaba:kura. chay aywargayarmi na

no conocian; caminando noche y día. Estando caminando ya

that they were not familiar with, walking night and day. While they were walking
tinkarura papninwan. chay papa:ninwan tinkururqa, na mamanta

se encontró con su papá. Al encontrarse con su papá cuando

they ran into his father. In the encounter with his father, when
mikushay niyatbinqa wigatarura warawyaq qaqabita wanuqbaq

dijo comeré a su mamá, lo arrojó al precipicio

the great bear threatened to devour his mother, he threw him off a precipice
chaynuyban papa:ninta wanurachira. de una pedrada.  Asi mató a su papa,

with a stone. That is how he killed his father.
chaymi aywara kiluwan, awayanqantrawmi tinkunakara:rira

Asi yendo con luna, en en lo que están caminando se han en-

Wandering as before under the moon, they ran
kondinaduwan. chaymi kundinadu ganaq quk gabuqniyuqba.

contrado con un condenado. Ese condenado era de un rico.

into a wandering soul. It was the ghost of a rich man.
kundinakunaq asindalantraw wanushgar. chaylatraw pagash gara

Se condenaba porque había muerto en su hacienda. Allí estaba

He became a ghost when he died on his farm. There he
achga qulqisaba. tuguy klasi imas aygas ruraq gara oculto bastante plata. Era un hombre que hacía toda clase de co-

hidden a lot money. He was a man that used to do all kinds of  
chaymi xuan usuwan tinkunakara:rirqa xuan usutaqa labiyta

sas. Entonces al encontrarse con Juan Oso queria exprimir

things. When he ran into John the Bear, he wanted to throttle
munara kunkabita. chay kunkabita labiyta munatbinmi, xuan

del cuello a Juan Oso. Cuando quería a exprimirle del cuello

him. When he went to wring his throat,
usu barritawan wipyarura kundinaduta qutukaqbaq. chay

Juan Oso golpeó al condenado con la barra hasta amontonarlo.

John the Bear hit the gost with the bar until the fell down on the floor like a puddle.

wipyarutbin qutuka:rurni niraq: “nuqaqa puri: qarqarin

 Cuando lo golpeó, al amontonarse dijo: “Yo ando botado

As he struck the ghost and he fell down like a puddle, he said: “I wander with my
almata; qarqarisha gaba:ku: lapan imas aygasi pampa ruritraw

con mi alma; botados estamos. Todas mis cosas dentro del

abandoned soul; we are thrown away. All my belongins are inside
uqtirgur pagasham gayan. chayta qurquruy kigibaq ganampaq. suelo están escondidos. Sáca1as para que sea para tí mismo.

the ground, hiding. Take them out, so you may have them for your own. chayta qurqurutbigiraq manarn purishaqochu”, nir.
Cuando sacas eso no andaré”, dijo.

When you take them out, I will no longer wander,” he  said.

 
chaynuyban xuan usubaqa puriynin gara. chaymi chaynuy
Así era su andanza de Juan Oso, Entonces así

Like this was the drive of John the bear. Then in his
aywargayar atuqwan tlnkura:rira. Tinkunakara:rirqa, atuqa
andando se encontrô con el zorro. Al encontrarse, el zorro

wandering he run into the fox. When they encauntered, the fox
nira usutaqa: “ a: qamta ashiya:raq chiga wata rnanam

dijo al usutaqa: “aahh, te he buscado tantos años sin

said to John the bear: “hey, I have been looking for you all these years  without
tariraqchu. wara shamunki mikiba:kunanchibaq irnalatabis
encontrarte. Mañana vendrá para comer de todo lo que tengo

finding you. Tomorrow you will came to eat everything I have
aygalatabis wak altu,warawyayaq, qaqatrawmi. chugishaq,

allá arriba, el precipicio, en el cerro. Tenderé,

there up in the mountain, in the creeck. I will put
mantashaq misata mikunanchibaq. tuguy klase mikuy lapan

prepararé una mesa para corner. Toda clase de cornida

the table to eat. There will be any kind of food
imas aygas mikunancbibaq”. nir nitbinqa rasunchi nira.

hay para corner”. Cuando dijo verdad habia dicho.

to eat. When he has said so, he has said the truth. chaymi chayta rnikuq yayutbin, aykuyba wanur, aychata
Entonces, cuando entró allá a corner, matándose de risa,

Then, when John the bear arrived there to eat, the fox, laughing wildly,

qaqchiyatbin, atuq wigataramura chaytitaqa.

cuando mascaba la carne, el zorro lo arrojó desde alli.

when the former was chowing the meet, the fox push him down from there
chaynuyban wanururan xuan usu
Así murió Juan Oso.

This is the way, John the bear, died