The skin of God

This is just part of a very short story by
Eduardo Galeano, called _Palabras_ ("Words").
This part is called _La piel de Dios_ ("The=20
skin of God") and I thought it was nice for us
here, speaking of translation exercises; this
story is also suited for conlanging and
conculturing discussion.


 [...]

 Los chiriguanos no conoc=EDan el papel. Descubren
 el papel, la palabra escrita, la palabra impresa,
 cuando los frailes franciscanos de Chuquisaca
 aparecen en esta comarca, despu=E9s de mucho andar,
 trayendo libros sagrados en las alforjas.

 Como no conoc=EDan el papel, ni sab=EDan que lo necesitaban,
 los indios no ten=EDan ninguna palabra para llamarlo.
 Hoy le ponen por nombre _piel de Dios_, porque
 el papel sirve para enviar mensajes a los amigos
 que est=E1n lejos.


"The Chiriguanos didn't know paper. They discovered
paper, the written word, the printed word,
when the Franciscan monks of Chuquisaca
appeared in this territory, after much walking,
carrying sacred books in their bags.

"As they didn't know paper, and didn't know they needed it,
the Indians didn't have any word to call it.
Today they name it _skin of God_, because
paper is used to send messages to friends
that are far away."


Nice, isn't it?


--Pablo Flores

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
En gian idgrivar fr=FAmneltel frasi=E9rraser gian pavonn
be i malladhar siqged=FCer.

"Don't blame your enemy for your disgrace=20
 if you've just given them a chance."

(Traditional Dr=E1selhadh saying)