La tropillita

Isabel Parra's song 'La tropillita' paints a vivid picture of rural life, capturing the simplicity and contentment found in nature and daily routines. The song revolves around the narrator's relationship with their five black donkeys, which are affectionately referred to as 'burritos negros.' These animals are not just beasts of burden but companions that share in the narrator's daily life and labor. The repeated imagery of the donkeys being 'very black, all black' emphasizes their distinctiveness and perhaps symbolizes the deep connection the narrator feels with them.

The lyrics describe the narrator's routine of returning from the hills with loads of dry wood, singing joyfully as they head back home. This act of singing while working highlights a sense of fulfillment and happiness derived from simple, everyday tasks. The phrase 'arre burritos, arre' is a call to the donkeys, urging them forward, and it adds a rhythmic, almost musical quality to the work being described. This repetition underscores the harmony between the narrator and their environment.

The song also delves into the narrator's life in a small valley in the Pampa del Tamarugal, where they grow corn and alfalfa to feed their donkeys and themselves. The mention of having plenty of water to irrigate their crops and the solitary nights where the narrator feels as if the surroundings want to sing with them, further emphasizes a deep connection to the land and a sense of peace and contentment. 'La tropillita' is a celebration of rural life, where hard work, nature, and simple pleasures intertwine to create a fulfilling existence.