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.
La Patita
Cri-Cri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De canasta y con rebozo de bolita
Va al mercado
A comprar todas las cosas del mandado
Se va meneando al caminar
Como los barcos en alta mar
La patita
Centavitos para darles de comer a sus patitos
Porque ya sabe que al retornar
Toditos ellos preguntarán
¿Qué me trajiste mamá? Cua cua
¿Qué me trajiste? Cuara cua cua
La patita, como tú
De canasta y con reboso de bolita, como tú
Se ha enojado, como tú
Por lo caro que está todo en el mercado
Como no tiene para comprar
Se pasa el día en regatear
Sus patitos
Van creciendo y no tienen zapatitos
Y su esposo
Es un pato sin vergüenza y perezoso
Que no da nada para comer
Y la patita pues qué va hacer
Cuando le pidan contestará
¡Coman mosquitos! Cuara cua cua
In Cri-Cri's song "La Patita," we hear about a little duck who goes to the market to buy everything on her shopping list. The lyrics describe her walking with a swaying motion, like a boat on the high seas. She is searching for pennies in her pocket so that she can feed her ducklings when she returns. When she gets home, her ducklings ask her what she has brought back for them, and she responds with a "cua cua," the sound that ducks make.
As the song progresses, we learn that the little duck is similar to us. She too feels angry because things are too expensive at the market, and she spends her day haggling with the merchants. Her ducklings grow older and need shoes, and her husband is lazy and doesn't bring back any food for the family. When the little duck is asked what they should eat, she says "eat mosquitoes," a clever allusion to the fact that they are poor and have nothing else to eat.
Through the lyrics, we see a picture of struggle and poverty but also of determination and the strength of family ties, with the little duck fighting for her family's wellbeing despite the odds against her. The song encourages perseverance, hard work, and resourcefulness in the face of adversity, and it has resonated with listeners young and old for generations.
Line by Line Meaning
La patita
The little duck
De canasta y con rebozo de bolita
With a basket and a small shawl
Va al mercado
She goes to the market
A comprar todas las cosas del mandado
To buy all the things on her list
Se va meneando al caminar
She waddles as she walks
Como los barcos en alta mar
Like the boats on the open sea
La patita
The little duck
Va corriendo y buscando en su bolsita
She runs and searches in her little bag
Centavitos para darles de comer a sus patitos
Pennies to feed her ducklings
Porque ya sabe que al retornar
Because she knows that when she returns
Toditos ellos preguntarán
They will all ask
¿Qué me trajiste mamá? Cua cua
"What did you bring me, Mama? Quack quack."
¿Qué me trajiste? Cuara cua cua
"What did you bring me? Quack quack quack."
La patita, como tú
The little duck, like you
De canasta y con reboso de bolita, como tú
With a basket and a small shawl, like you
Se ha enojado, como tú
She gets angry, like you
Por lo caro que está todo en el mercado
Because everything is expensive in the market
Como no tiene para comprar
Since she doesn't have money to buy things
Se pasa el día en regatear
She spends the day haggling
Sus patitos
Her ducklings
Van creciendo y no tienen zapatitos
They are growing up and don't have shoes
Y su esposo
And her husband
Es un pato sin vergüenza y perezoso
He's a shameless, lazy duck
Que no da nada para comer
Who doesn't provide any food
Y la patita pues qué va hacer
And what can the little duck do?
Cuando le pidan contestará
When they ask, she'll answer
¡Coman mosquitos! Cuara cua cua
"Eat mosquitoes! Quack quack quack."
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Francisco Gabilondo Soler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind