I mentioned wanting to hear more stories, cultural archetypes and tropes from Latin America and Argentina in particular. Songs are a great place to find them. That same day I was listening again to Mariana Carrizo’s 'Coplas de Sangre' album. She is a folk singer, especially of bagualas [Baguala de Amaicha], vidalas [Vidala para mi sombra] and coplas [Strangeness and Awe] [Musical journeys], from the mountainous northwest of the country where there is a particularly strong tradition of folk music.
The album contains a story and song Coplas Pa'l Pata I'Lana. Primarily an Argentinian concept, the pata i'lana is the backdoor man, the side piece, the fancy-man, the lover. He is the counterpoint to the cuckold. In Mexico he is apparently known as Sancho, or Lechero.
It is the creeping subversiveness I find most entrancing. So-called innocence and experience and a dangerous game, transgressive of traditional morals is repackaged, little by little into something harmless, then into something good, then into a service, then something that could be sold, and then to something positively angelic. I marvel at the sleight of hand and wish I could make up a song about those with that ability who use it sometimes lightly, sometimes to more treacherous ends.
Best of all, we are never quite sure of the singer's take on it all. Smart, elusive, playful, she won't be pinned down. Are the women in the song pitiful or clever or simply acting as women abandoned in the home may do? Or, in modern times, now that women can apparently be pata i'lanas themselves, have they taken charge of their destinies? It is a thoroughly modern twist to a traditional idea. Or are we taken in wholesale, just as the pata i'lana is presented first as something naughty and indulgent and then into a commodity, sold to satisfy a need?
In some ways the song is an inversion of the supposedly macho tangos where the man rails against the woman who betrayed him. It is very much in the vein of Quiscaloro - people doing what they can get away with.
I think of it too against the contrast of Me voy pa’l pueblo, the song popularised by Los Panchos where the man leaves the woman at home to go drinking - an opportunity for the pata i'lana if ever there was one.
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Story:
El limón debe de ser verde para que tiña a mora’o¹ y el amor para que dure debe ser disimulado, reza el pata i'lana.
The lemon must be green to turn purple, and love, to last, must be discreet, so says the pata i'lana.
El pata i'lana² dícese, del señor que tiene las patas, livianita³, livianita, como su nombre lo explica: “pata de lana”.
The pata i'lana, they say, is a man whose feet are light as wool, just as his name suggests, "pata de lana." [feet of wool].
Este señor tiene la habilidad de entrar, introducirse y/o, o/y penetrar, primero en los ranchos, las casas, viviendas; luego pasa al dormitorio y luego a la señora prohibida, legalmente casada o simplemente con dueño⁴.
This man is able to enter, sneak into, penetrate ranches, houses, homes. From there he makes his way into the bedroom, and finally to the forbidden lady, legally married or simply a common law spouse.
El pata i'lana entra calladito, calladito, sin meter bulla, sin hacer ruidito, sin ningún ruidito, no deja ningún rastro ni pa’entra’ ni pa’ sali’⁵.
The pata i'lana enters quietly, quietly, without making any noise, without leaving a trace, neither on entering nor on leaving.
Generalmente el pata i‘lana entra cuando no está el marido de su presita⁶, aunque algunas veces, también entra cuando está el marido.
Usually, the pata i'lana enters when the woman's husband is not at home, although sometimes he enters even when the husband is there.
Esto pasa cuando el marido tiene el sueño medio pesa’o o el ronquido medio fuerte y bueno, ahí aprovechan estos amantes para estar juntitos.
This happens when the husband is in a deep sleep or snoring loudly, and that's when these lovers take the opportunity to be together.
Algunos dicen que la pata i'laniada es una debilidad, pero los hombres pata i‘lanas se consideran muy solidarios, grandes de corazón, porque su misión en este mundo es acompañar a las señoras, esas que están solitas porque algunos maridos se la pasan trabajando o se van a alguna fiesta o reuniones laborales o viajes de negocios o otras ocupaciones, pero siempre solito.
Some say that being a pata i‘lana is a weakness, but the men who are pata i‘lanas consider themselves very supportive, great-hearted, because their mission in this world is to keep those women who are lonely company, because their husbands are always working or attending parties, work meetings, business trips, or doing other things but never with their wife.
La mujer queda en la casa con las guaguas⁷, con los hijos, los niños ¿no es cierto? Y los quehaceres domésticos.
The woman stays home with the babies, with the children, isn't that right? And with the household chores.
Y es ahí donde el pata i‘lana brinda su ayuda a esta mujer sola, triste y abandonada⁸.
And that's where the pata i‘lana comes in to offer his help to this lonely, sad, and abandoned woman.
Es ahí donde él acude⁹ a hacerle el favor; el favor, digo, el favor de acompañarla, sobre todo en las noches, porque a las mujeres a veces nos sucede de que nos da miedito la oscuridad.
That's where he comes in to do her a favour; the favour, I mean, of keeping her company, especially at night because sometimes, women get a little scared of the dark.
Entonces el pata i‘lana nos¹¹ acompaña en algunas ocasiones y de verdad que es una obra de caridad¹⁰, porque uno se siente protegida, contenida ante cualquier aparición de la oscuridad.
So the pata i‘lana accompanies us on some occasions, and it's really a charitable act, because one feels protected, safe from any appearance of darkness.
Es una buena opción¹².
It is a good option.
Así que usted, cuando tenga miedito, esté solita, agarre y llame al pata i‘lana, llame y ya haga su reserva¹³.
So when you're feeling a little scared, alone, go ahead and call the pata i'lana, call and make your reservation.
Si llama dentro de diez minutos¹⁴ le regalamos dos más. Imagina dos patas i’lana y nunca más va a estar solita.
So if you call within the next ten minutes, we'll give you two of them. Imagine¹⁵, two woolenfeet and you’ll never be alone again.
No se asuste por los nombres que le vayan a dar las otras opciones.
Don't be scared by the names other options might give you.
En el noroeste argentino se le llama pata i‘lana.
In northwest Argentina, he's called Woolenfoot.
En otros lugares se le llama “El Vientito”¹⁶.
In other places he’s called The Little Wind.
En otros, el pata ‘i bolsa¹⁷.
In others ?Bag foot
Modernosamente¹⁸ se le dice el amante a domicilio o simplemente el cadete¹⁹ solidario.
In modern times he is called the lover for hire or simply the "community courier".
Tiempos atrás dice que el pata i‘lana era sólo una actividad del hombre.
In times past, it was said that being a pata i'lana was solely a man's activity.
Hoy esta labor también le atañe²⁰ a las féminas.
Today, this task also includes women.
Así que también si algún hombre se encuentra solito puede llamar ya.
So if any man finds himself alone, he can call too.
*
Song:
Dele comida a sus perros pa’ que dejen de ladrar; y apague los faroles, que el vientito va a llegar.
Feed your dogs so they stop barking, and turn off the lights, because the "little wind" is about to arrive.
Déjalo al triste a llorar y al tonto a cuidar lo ajeno²¹, sabiendo disimular se goza mejor que el dueño²².
Leave the sad man to cry, and the fool to watch over what isn't his, knowing that pretending [how to disguise oneself] is more enjoyable than owning²³.
Yo soy como un angelito. Ay, que no sabe hacer diablura, pero sé entrar en la casa, salir por la cerradura.
I am like a little angel, who doesn't know how to be mischievous, but I know how to enter the house and leave through the keyhole.
Plantita'i simbol²⁴, hacerme el favor, hacerme el favor.
? Do me the favour, do me the favour
Juanito me llamo yo.
I call myself Juanito.
Zorro me dice mi vecina.
My neighbour calls me Fox.
Cada [?vez] que está solita ya está lista tu gallina²⁵.
Each time she is alone, your chicken is ready.
Cerca viene quien te mantiene, quien te mantiene.
Someone who takes care of you is coming near, who takes care of you
Ánima que andas penando detrás de este suceso, mi marido está en la cama, olvidé colgar el hueso²⁶.
Soul who is sorrowing behind this event, my husband is in bed, I forgot to hang up the bone.
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