El vicari s’ha perdut

Salpassa valenciana / Valencian “salpassa”

Recopilació i explicació: / Compilation and explanation: Dani Miquel

 

Salpasses. Sí, sí, salpasses. Són cançons que els xiquets, acompanyats amb maces i picant en terra, van cantant l’adéu a Jesús, perquè van a crucificar-lo. Darrere d’ells, van els escolans portant cistelles per a arreplegar els donatius (que normalment són ous que donen les cases per a beneir-les). El rector escampa sal per la casa, per a beneir-la.

“Salpasses”… Yes, yes, “salpasses”. They are songs that the children, with maces and pecking on the ground, are singing their goodbye to Jesus, because He is going to be crucified. The choirboys are after the children, with baskets to put together the donations, generally eggs of the houses that will be blessed. The parson spreads salt through the house to bless it. Pay attention in this lyrics.

 

Fixeu-vos en esta lletra que vaig a cantar. Es diu El vicari s’ha perdut i està arreplegada al poble de Catadau:

Just listen to the song that I am going to sing you. It’s known as “The vicar got lost” and it was gathered up in the Valencian village of Catadau:

 

El vicari s’ha perdut

per la font de la Salut,

els xiquets se l’han trobat

amagat en un forat.

The vicar got lost

near the fountain of the Salut [= Health],

the kids have found him

hidden in a hole.

 

Oli de puça, oli de rei;

guarda la maça, que es trenque el martell!

— Ous ací, ous allà?

— Bastonades a l’escolà!

— Ous a l’armari?

— Bastonades al vicari!

— Ous al ponedor?

— Bastonades al rector!

Oil of the flea, oil of the king;

keep the mace, that the hammer be broken.

— Eggs here, eggs there?

— Blows with a stick to the altar boy!

— Eggs for the cupboard?

— Blows with a stick to the vicar!

— Eggs for the laying box?

— Blows with a stick to the parson!