Cri-Cri is known as the "grillito cantor" or "the singing cricket". He is a character created by Francisco Gabilondo Soler in his childhood and may even be considered "his inner personality"
The character became so famous and gave its author such renown, that it became a second name for Gabilondo. In the mid part of the 20th century he became the most recognizable singer of children's songs in Spanish. Gabilondo's dedication to this segment of the population has been greatly admired, comparable to Walt Disney in his honest approach to making life fun for those who are getting started in life.
Canción de las Brujas
Cri-Cri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crece a media noche
Cuando el búho canta,
Uh ... uh ... uh ...
Vuelan las Brujas
En grandes escobas
Al juntarse las agujas
Los niños malos
Sueñan visiones,
Malas acciones hicieron ayer;
Y los enanos les dan pescozones
¡para que se porten bien!
Entran las Brujas
Por las ventanas.
Rac, ric, rac, ric
Siempre se esconden
Bajo las camas.
Rac, ric, rac, ric
Y con miradas bizcas
Hechan chispas
Para quemar
A los muchachos tontos
Que no quieren estudiar.
En el tapanco
Suenan pisadas.
Rac, ric, rac, ric
Se oyen portazos
Y risotadas.
Rac, ric, rac, ric
Son las malditas Brujas
Empeñadas en buscar
A los groseros, y mentirosos,
Y a los que estudian mal.
Pero los buenos
Duermen risueños
Dan din don, din don, din, dan
En sus camitas
Con lindos sueños.
Dan din don, din don, din, dan
Una nenita sueña
Que su osito se va a casar
Con la muñeca rubia
Que le acaban de comprar.
Vienen las Hadas
Y los Cocuyos
Dan din don, din don, din, dan
Cantan canciones
Como murmullos.
Dan din don, din don, din, dan
Si es que te portas bien
A media noche las has de oír ...
¡Pero cuidado,
Pues si eres malo
Brujas podrán venir ...!
The song "Canción de las Brujas" by Cri-Cri talks about the scary and mysterious world of witches, particularly on how they haunt children who have misbehaved or haven't studied well. The verses describe the witches' movements and activities at night, during which they come out of hiding and fly around on their broomsticks towards the homes of the naughty kids. The first verse sets the scene of a dark, mysterious place where a black tower emerges and an owl hoots as the witches start to gather. The second verse describes the witches' flight as they swoop down and hide under beds or sneak in through windows, and then use their evil gazes to punish the children who didn't listen to their parents to study or be obedient. The third and fourth verses talk about how the bad children get their comeuppance at the hands of the dwarves who punish them for their misdeeds, while the good children, who sleep soundly, are visited by the fairies and fireflies who sing them lullabies and bring them sweet dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
La torre negra
A black tower rises at midnight
Crece a media noche
It grows at midnight
Cuando el búho canta, Uh ... uh ... uh ...
When the owl sings, Uh ... uh ... uh ...
Vuelan las Brujas
The witches fly
En grandes escobas
On large broomsticks
Al juntarse las agujas Del reloj ...
When the hands of the clock align...
Los niños malos
The bad children
Sueñan visiones,
Dream of visions
Malas acciones hicieron ayer;
They did bad things yesterday;
Y los enanos les dan pescozones
And the dwarfs give them spankings
¡para que se porten bien!
So they behave well!
Entran las Brujas
The witches enter
Por las ventanas.
Through the windows.
Rac, ric, rac, ric
Rac, ric, rac, ric
Siempre se esconden
They always hide
Bajo las camas.
Under the beds.
Y con miradas bizcas
And with crooked gazes
Hechan chispas
They throw sparks
Para quemar
To burn
A los muchachos tontos
The silly boys
Que no quieren estudiar.
Who don't want to study.
En el tapanco
In the hayloft
Suenan pisadas.
Footsteps sound.
Rac, ric, rac, ric
Rac, ric, rac, ric
Se oyen portazos
Door slams are heard
Y risotadas.
And laughter.
Son las malditas Brujas
They are the cursed witches
Empeñadas en buscar
Determined to find
A los groseros, y mentirosos,
The rude and the liars,
Y a los que estudian mal.
And those who study badly.
Pero los buenos
But the good ones
Duermen risueños
Sleep with smiles
Dan din don, din don, din, dan
Ding ding dong, ding dong, ding ding
En sus camitas
In their little beds
Con lindos sueños.
With nice dreams.
Una nenita sueña
A little girl dreams
Que su osito se va a casar
That her little bear is going to get married
Con la muñeca rubia
With the blonde doll
Que le acaban de comprar.
That they just bought for her.
Vienen las Hadas
The fairies come
Y los Cocuyos
And the fireflies
Dan din don, din don, din, dan
Ding ding dong, ding dong, ding ding
Cantan canciones
Sing songs
Como murmullos.
Like whispers.
Si es que te portas bien
If you behave well
A media noche las has de oír ...
You will hear them at midnight ...
¡Pero cuidado,
But beware,
Pues si eres malo
Because if you are bad
Brujas podrán venir ...!
Witches may come ...!
Writer(s): Francisco Gabilondo Soler
Contributed by Jeremiah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.