Folk-lore from the Dominican republic / by Manuel J. Andrade.

Folk-Lore from the Dominican Republic

409

ever their themes may be. The judges are the members of the
community or communities who are represented by their favorite
bards. No formal decision is rendered. Each person forms his own
opinion as to who is the best cantador.
Before and after the contest, coffee, rum and tobacco are served.
It is an occasion for courtship by means of song, and, besides the
main contestants, different couples may from time to time sing
to each other, one "challenging" en queja or a lo divino, and the
other answering in either style. The following are representative
examples of media tuna songs:
Challenge en queja
Dime, ninia,, que pretende,
que ningufn joven te agrada?
Si pretende algun rey,
cuatro tiene la baraja.
Answer a lo divino
No pretendo ninguin rey;
solo un joven de impoltansia,
y tu como no lo ere,
a ti te dejo en balansa.
Challenge a lo divino
La mujei que yo enamoro
no le quea ecapatorio,
poique como yo enamoro
le doy guto a cuaiquiera.
A mi me naman la fiera
en siendo pa enamor&i:
no te quea qu6 pelai,
ni meno desi que no.
Con la lisensia de Dio
no te quea que pelai.
En queja
Sali de mi casa un dia
en buca de una muj6i.
Yo no jayaba a qui6n quer6e
como te quiero, aima mia.
Me dirigi a la bahia,
a Sabaneta y Chacuey,
Monte Criti y Cupei,
a Jabon, Ana y Quimao,
a Dajabon jata Higuey.
Yo te enamoro cantando
poique no encuentro ocasion.