Bochincho

At a ruckus, one time
I arrived out of curiosity
That vice is like scabies
Never stops, never settles
Dance of upright people

I quickly realized it wasn't
On a spring night
The voice of a tango stuttered
And I'm crazy about fandango
Like a chicken for corn!

I tied my bay horse
To a guamirim branch
Since I was a kid, I've been like this
I don't play or make it easy
I don't believe in witches

But they exist, they do!
I'm from the coast of Uruguay
My dear old homeland
And, for being unprepared
There are so many fatherless kids

In the Santa Fé ranch
Made of mud and wattle, fenced
In a big crowd of guests
I got involved in the uproar
The commotion on foot

In the smoky atmosphere
A lantern, right in the center
In the twilight of dawn
For those who arrived from outside
Could barely see inside

I grabbed a girl
Who crossed my side
And I already got mixed up
Between the dust and smoke
Hey, beautiful China!

Brunette from every climate
One of those with a snub nose
With the smell of lizard
That when she raises an eyelash
Even the night lights up

A mix of devil and saint
And with the airs of being a lady
And a taste of a storm
That brings water to the throat
And I got stuck with the girl

Just like a tick!
And the accordion player was a mulatto
Who even played in his sleep
And the accordion whimpered
Like a cat's courtship

The old accordion moaned
Sometimes almost stopped
Suddenly woke up
And got lost in a vanerão!
And I against the soft skin

Of that dark body
Felt the world small
Pumping, full of delight
Two eyes, clover flowers
With dew splashes

But good things come to an end
An old saying came true
I, who danced swayed
In the sweet arms of China
Heard a kind of neigh

It was the owner of the ruckus
Half drunk in a corner
Who looked at me in astonishment
More serious than a capybara
He was the one who came

Because, if it was his party
Snorting and opening space
As the owner of the rodeo
He wanted to split me in half
With a dagger blow

That if it hits me, it ruins me!
He even raised some dust!
But it's not for nothing, buddy
That I'm from São Luiz Gonzaga!

Half in the curve of the arm
I managed to dodge the blow
But I almost messed up
Because there was little space
But I felt the heat of the steel

And the heat of the steel burns!
I got up without fuss
Because of the insult
And released my bull mark
In a dreadful
Good afternoon

I've seen ugly things
I've seen abuse
But today it still gives me chills
Remembering that fight
Maybe those who hear won't believe

But I saw born, on the neck
Of the thick-necked Indian
Like a red belt
And from the lip to the ear
The bone kept flashing!

The Indian was a bull Indian
But even a bull kneels!
Cut from lip to ear
He piled up like a hide
And, friends, it was a blast

One that was scary!
The crowd was amazed
And it was a commotion!
It seemed like a herd
Running in a meadow

There is no one to paint the picture
Of a ruckus when it erupts
Clanging of daggers, spurs
And shouts of disrespect
Gunshots of forty-four

From every corner of the room
And the old bagpipe
In a slow vanerão
Providing accompaniment
To the rumble of bullets!

China is scrambling
Whirling at the door
And the crooked-horned cowboy
Who comes straight to the window
In a shout at the top of his lungs

In a hallucinating uproar
The Indian who can't handle it
Seeing blood, gets scared
And runs out to the field
Taking everything in his path!

I believe in divinity
I'll die when God wants
But, friends, if I say
It might even be true
In that barbarity

Of the crowd fleeing
Of shouts and bullets buzzing
The oblivious accordion player
Played a lively xote
Almost half asleep!

And things were going like this
I balanced the situation
Almost out of ammunition
And everyone shooting at me
What would be my end?

I suddenly realized
I won't be left for seed
But I like to travel the world!
They were waiting for me in the back
I left through the front door

And from there, I hit the bush
Under gunfire
I could still hear the flourish
Of the mulatto's accordion
And, to shorten the story

I headed to the other side
I crossed Uruguay swimming
Because my bay was a capybara
And the story of this ruckus
Is part of my past

And China?

This question is asked of me
Every time I recite
It's something I complain about
And I think it's even a slight
I think it's not right

And I can't even understand
I, in the dreadful danger
Of a Brazilian situation
Everyone asks about China
And no one cares about me!

And I never saw China again
In my wandering gaucho life
Only in dreams I see her
In a barbaric frenzy
Maybe she's out there

In the rodeo of the corrals
Or maybe, in the early hours
She's a wild star
One of those that bathes naked
In the mirror of the waterholes