Flor de Huiñaj

Huiñaj Flower

Flor de Huiñaj

The folks from the countryside tell that in the mountains livedCuentan los viejos del pago que por los montes vivía
A dark-skinned indigenous girl, a heritage of Quechua raceUna indiecita morena, herencia de raza quichua

When she left the loom, from time to time she would go outCuando dejaba el telar de tarde en tarde salía
To make way for her charm, the Sun itself would hidePor darle paso a su encanto, el propio Sol se escondía

The whole mountain rejoiced when she was seen thereTodo el monte se alegraba Cuando allí se la veía
Always wearing a yellow flower in her hairLlevando en su cabellera siempre una flor amarilla

She was the beauty of the mountain, blessed by the skyEra la bella del monte Por el cielo bendecida
That beautiful indigenous girl was called Huiñaj FlowerFlor de Huiñaj se llamaba aquella hermosa indiecita

Death wanted to take her, and sensing her agonyLa muerte quiso llevarla y Al presentir su agonía
Her body turned into a tree, thus prolonging her lifeSu cuerpo se volvió árbol, prolongando así su vida

And the local gods, to bid farewell to her soulY los dioses lugareños Para despedir su almita
Gave the tree flowers, all yellow in colorLe dieron al árbol flores, todas color amarillas

And since then the sky cries for her absence in lifeY desde entonces el cielo llora su ausencia en la vida
And with tears of rain, wets her suffering landY con lágrimas de lluvia moja su tierra sufrida

She was the beauty of the mountain, blessed by the skyEra la bella del monte Por el cielo bendecida
That beautiful indigenous girl was called Huiñaj FlowerFlor de Huiñaj se llamaba aquella hermosa indiecita