A Avó

The Grandmother

A Avó

The grandmother, who is eighty years old,A avó, que tem oitenta anos,
Is so weak and old!...Está tão fraca e velhinha!...
Had so many disappointments!Teve tantos desenganos !
She turned so pale, so pale,Ficou branquinha, branquinha,
With human sorrows.Com os desgostos humanos.

Today, in her chair,Hoje, na sua cadeira,
She rests, pale and cold,Repousa, pálida e fria,
After so much toil:Depois de tanta canseira:
And dozes all day,E cochila todo o dia,
And dozes all night.E cochila a noite inteira.

Sometimes, however, the flockÀs vezes, porém, o bando
Of grandchildren invades the room...Dos netos invade a sala ...
They enter laughing and chattering:Entram rindo e papagueiando :
This one argues, that one talks,Este briga, aquele fala,
That one dances, jumping...Aquele dança, pulando ...

The old lady wakes up smiling.A velha acorda sorrindo.
And joy transforms her;E a alegria a transfigura;
Her face becomes more beautiful,Seu rosto fica mais lindo,
Seeing so much mischief,Vendo tanta travessura,
And hearing so much noise.E tanto barulho ouvindo.

She calls her beloved grandchildren,Chama os netos adorados,
Kisses them, and, tremblingly,Beija-os, e, tremulamente,
Runs her wrinkled fingers,Passa os dedos engelhados,
Slowly, slowly,Lentamente, lentamente,
Through their golden hair.Por seus cabelos doirados.

She becomes younger, and throbs,Fica mais moça, e palpita,
And recovers her memory,E recupera a memória,
When one of the little grandchildren shouts:Quando um dos netinhos grita :
"Oh grandma! Tell a story!"Ó vovó ! conte uma história!
Tell a beautiful story!"Conte uma história bonita!"

Then, with measured phrases,Então, com frases pausadas,
She tells stories of fantasies,Conta histórias de quimeras,
Where there are fairy palaces,Em que há palácios de fadas,
And witches, and beasts,E feiticeiras, e feras,
And enchanted princesses...E princesas encantadas ...

And the little grandchildren shudder,E os netinhos estremecem,
Following the tales,Os contos acompanhando,
And forget the mischief,E as travessuras esquecem,
- Until, leaning their foreheads- Até que, a fronte inclinando
On her lap, they fall asleep...Sobre o seu colo, adormecem ...