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The Senecas (As Long As The Grass Shall Grow)

Peter La Farge
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OriginalVersione spagnola di Gustavo Sierra Fernández
THE SENECAS (AS LONG AS THE GRASS SHALL GROW)LOS SENECAS (MIENTRAS LA HIERBA CREZCA)
  
The Senecas are an Indian Tribe of the Iroquois nation,Los sénecas son una tribu india de la nación iroquesa,
Down on the New York-Pennsylvania line, you'll find their reservation.en la frontera Nueva York-Pensilvania, encontraréis su reserva.
After the U. S. revolution, Cornplanter was a chief;Tras la Revolución de los Estados Unidos, Sembrador-de-Maíz era jefe;
He told the tribe these men they could trust, that was his true belief.le dijo a la tribu en estos hombres podríamos confiar, ésa era su sincera creencia.
He went down to Independence Hall, and there a treaty signed,Se dirigió al Salón de la Independencia, y allí un tratado firmó,
That promised peace with the USA, and Indian rights combined.que prometía paz con los EE. UU, y los derechos indios combinados.
George Washington gave his signature, the Government gave its hand;George Washington dio su rúbrica, el Gobierno tendió su mano;
They said that now and forever more this was Indian land.dijeron que ahora y por siempre jamás esto era tierra india.
  
As long as the moon shall rise,Mientras la luna salga,
As long as the rivers flow,mientras los ríos fluyan,
As long as the sun will shine,mientras el sol brille,
As long as the grass shall grow.mientras la hierba crezca.
  
On the Seneca reservation, there is much sadness now;En la reserva séneca hay ahora mucha tristeza;
Washington's treaty has been broken, and there is no hope, no how.el tratado de Washington se ha roto, y no hay esperanza, no hay manera.
Across the Allegheny River, they're trowing up a dam;A través del río Allegheny están construyendo una presa;
It will flood the Indian country, a proud day for Uncle Sam.inundará la tierra india, un día orgulloso para el Tío Sam.
It has broke the ancient treaty with a politician's grin;Se ha roto el antiguo tratado con la mueca de un político;
It will drown the Indian graveyards -- Cornplanter, can you swim?anegará los cementerios indios – Sembrador-de-Maíz, ¿sabes nadar?
The earth is mother to the Senecas; they're trampling sacred ground,La Tierra es la madre para los sénecas; están pisoteando suelo sagrado,
Change the mint-green earth to black mud flats, as honor hobbles down...cambian la tierra verde de hierbabuena en negras marismas, mientras el honor se traba…
  
As long as the moon shall rise,Mientras la luna salga,
As long as the rivers flow,mientras los ríos fluyan,
As long as the sun will shine,mientras el sol brille,
As long as the grass shall grow.mientras la hierba crezca.
  
The Iroquois Indians used to rule from Canada way south;Los indios iroqueses solían gobernar desde Canadá hasta el sur;
But no one fears the Indians now, and smiles the liar's mouth.pero nadie teme a los indios ahora, y sonríe la boca del embustero.
The Senecas hired an expert to figure another site;Los sénecas contrataron un perito para idear otro lugar;
But the great good Army engineers said that he had no right.pero los grandes buenos ingenieros del ejército dijeron que él no tenía derecho.
Although he showed them another plan, and showed them another way,Aunque les mostró otro plan, y les mostró otra manera,
They laughed in his face and said, "No deal, Kinzua dam is here to stay."se rieron en su cara y dijeron, “No hay trato, la presa de Kinzua está aquí para quedarse”.
Congress turned the Indian down, brushed off the Indians' plea;El Congreso rechazó al indio, no hizo caso del alegato de los indios;
So the Senecas have renamed the dam, they call it "Lake Perfidy."entonces los sénecas renombraron la presa, la llaman “Lago Perfidia”.
  
As long as the moon shall rise,Mientras la luna salga,
As long as the rivers flow,mientras los ríos fluyan,
As long as the sun will shine,mientras el sol brille,
As long as the grass shall grow.mientras la hierba crezca.
  
Washington, Adams, and Kennedy, now hear their pledges ring,Washington, Adams, y Kennedy, ahora oyen sus compromisos resonar,
"The treaties are safe, we'll keep our word," but what is that gurgling?“Los tratados están garantizados, mantendremos nuestra palabra”, pero ¿qué ese gorgoteo?
It's the backwater from Perfidy Lake, it's rising all the time,Son las negras aguas del Lago Perfidia, crecen todo el rato,
Over the homes and over the fields, over the promises fine.sobre las casas y sobre los campos, sobre las buenas promesas.
No boats will sail on Lake Perfidy, in winter it will fill;Ningún bote navegará en el Lago Perfidia, en invierno se llenará;
In summer it will be a swamp, and all the fish will kill.En verano será un pantano, y matará a todos los peces.
But the Government of the USA has corrected George's vow.Pero el Gobierno de los EE.UU ha corregido el juramento de George.
The Father of Our Country must be wrong -- what's an Indian, anyhow?El Padre de Nuestro País debe estar equivocado – ¿qué es un indio, de todos modos?


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