Page:Face to Face With the Mexicans.djvu/487

Rh The air of this ditty is extremely musical, and though the words do not suggest anything particularly soothing, yet, crooned by the low, sweet voice of the mother, it never fails to produce a quieting and soporific effect upon the most recalcitrant infant.

This is as popular with the Mexican tots as "Rock-a-bye baby" or kindred melodies are with ours.

Their nursery tales, too, as well as their ditties, bear an analogy to our own.

The Nana is preparing the children for bed; the little ones chatter



and yawn alternately, and the nurse is hoping that their drowsiness will spare her this time her nightly task of story-telling. Not so, however. Tucked at last in bed. with the exception of the youngest, whom she holds on her lap, one calls out: "Cuentome! cuentome!" ("Tell me a story, tell me a story!") The others quickly chime in—"Cuentanos!" ("Tell us a story.")

"Bueno, pero estan quietos." ("Very well, then, but you must be quiet"), she answers. Then taking in hers the baby's fingers she begins: