The Little Black Girl Cucurumbé

La Negrita Cucurumbe

The Little Black Girl CucurumbéLa Negrita Cucurumbé
went to bathe in the sease fué a bañar al mar
hoping that in the white wavespara ver si en las blancas olas
her little face could lighten.su carita podía blanquear.

The Little Black Girl CucurumbéLa Negrita Cucurumbé
approached the beacha la playa se acercó
envying the seashellsenvidiando a las conchitas
for their pale color.por su pálido color.

She wanted to be whiteQuería ser blanca
like the Moon,como la Luna,
like the foamcomo la espuma
that the Sea has.que tiene el Mar.

A fish in a top hatUn pescado con bombín
swam up to her,se le acercó,
and taking off his haty quitándose la bomba
he greeted her:la saludó:

"Well, bless my soul!¡Pero válgame Señor!
Don't you see¿Pues qué no ves
that you're beautiful just the way you are?,que así negra estás bonita?,
Little Black Girl Cucurumbé."Negrita Cucurumbé.

A fish in a top hatUn pescado con bombín
swam up to her,se le acercó,
and wagging his taily moviendo la colita
he asked her:le preguntó:

"Well, bless my heart!¡Pero válgame mujer!
Don't you see¿Pues qué no ves
how pretty your little face is?,que bonita es tu carita?,
Little Black Girl Cucurumbé."Negrita Cucurumbé