Viene amagando la noche,
trayendo enancada el agua
castiga el viento los montes,
quebrando sus verdes ramas
se alborotan las haciendas,
buscan guarida las aves
y en la costa 'e los arroyos
se despeinan los sauzales.

Al tranco corto de un zaino
llegó el ausente a las casas
traiba frío hasta en los huesos,
pero calor en el alma.
Abrió la puerta extrañao,
notando un silencio santo
y junto a un candil que humeaba
vio la traición dentro 'el rancho.

(recitado)
Se le aflojaron las piernas
al ver tamaña desgracia,
se le extravió la mirada,
se le añudó la garganta.
Trago saliva pa'dentro,
sintió calor en la cara
y mascando su dolor,
dijo el criollo estas palabras.
'A usté debiera matarlo,
pa'que soltase el veneno,
pero al filo de mi daga
no ha de mellarlo un rastrero'.
Mas luego mirando a su hembra:
'No temblés, no seas cobarde
que no es a vos a quien busco,
sino al hijo de mi sangre'.

Saco el cachorro 'e la cuna,
lo apretó contra su pecho
y envolviéndolo en su poncho,
salió con tranco resuelto.
Acomodó al inocente
en la cruz del zaino viejo
y en la noche tormentosa,
enderezó pa' los cerros.

Un relámpago siniestro
cruzó por lo alto de un pico,
y se vido al pobre gaucho,
besando en la frente al hijo,
tapó con su poncho pampa
los ojos del zaino viejo
y cerrándole las piernas,
le puso a la muerte el pecho.

(Recitado)
Y en el lugar que cayeron,
comenta la gente 'el cerro,
que ha florecido un rosal
que va cubriendo unos huesos.

English translation

The night comes threatening,
Bringing the water in the water
the wind punishes the mountains,
breaking their green branches
the farms are in turmoil,
the birds seek shelter
and on the shores of the streams
the willow trees are disheveled.

At the short stride of a fox
the absent one arrived at the houses
he was cold to the bone
but warmth in his soul.
He opened the strange door
noticing a holy silence
and next to a smoldering candle
he saw the betrayal inside 'the ranch.

(recited)
His legs loosened
at the sight of such a disgrace,
his eyes went astray,
his throat tightened.
He swallowed saliva inwardly,
felt warmth in his face
and chewing his pain
the Creole said these words.
I should kill you,
so that he would release the poison,
but with the edge of my dagger
a creeping thing won't nick him'.
But then looking at his female:
'Do not tremble, do not be a coward
for it is not you that I seek,
but the son of my blood'.

He took the cub out of the cradle,
pressed it to his chest
and wrapped it in his poncho,
he went out with a determined stride.
He placed the innocent
on the cross of the old zaino
and in the stormy night
he headed for the hills.

An ominous lightning flash
crossed the top of a peak,
and the poor gaucho was seen,
kissing his son on the forehead,
covered with his pampas poncho
the eyes of the old zaino
and closing his legs,
he put his chest to death.

(Recited)
And in the place where they fell
people say 'the hill,
that a rose bush has blossomed
that is covering some bones.