American Ballads and Folk Songs

	Translation
Año de noventa y cuatro en la ciudad de Mazatlán por primera vez se canta la tragedia de Bernal.	In the year of ninety-four, in the city of Mazatlán, this, the song of Bernal, is sung for the first time.
Heraclio Bernal decía cuando iba para Saucillos que en la boisa traía platas y en la cintura casquillos.	Heraclio Bernal, when he visited Saucillos, was wont to declare that he carried silver in his pocket and cartridges at his waist.
Refrain:
Vuela, vuela, palomita, encarámate a aquel nopal: di que diez mil pesos ofrecen por la vida de Bernal.	Fly, little dove, and perch upon yonder cactus; and proclaim that ten thousand pesos are offered for the head of Bernal.
Una familia en la sierra estaba muy arruinada; y les dió quinientos pesos para que se remediaran.	A family in the mountains was in dire poverty; and he gave them five hundred pesos to mend their fortunes.
Heraclio Bernal decía cuando encontraba a un arriero que él no robaba pobres, antes les daba dinero.	Heraclio Bernal would say, when he met a muleteer, that he did not rob the poor, but rather gave them money.
En la sierra de Durango mató a diez gachupines y mandó curtir los cueros para lucirlos en botines.	In the mountains of Durango he killed ten Spaniards, and had their skins tanned to make boots withal.
Decía doña Bernardina la querida de Bernal: “Mas que la vida me cueste yo lo mando a retratar.”	Doña Bernardina, the mistress of Bernal, said: “I will have a portrait made of him, though it cost me my life.”
Y lo retrató entonces en su caballo oscuro que en medio de la acordada * se estaba fumando un puro.	And she had his portrait painted, riding upon his bay horse, and smoking a cigar in the midst of a troop of mounted police.
Desde Torreón de Coahuila hasta las aguas del mar, todito aquello andaba no lo osaban molestar.	From Torreón in Coahuila to the waters of the sea, he wandered at will, and none dared to molest him.
En una vez en la sierra de sorpresa lo tomaron; a él y a Fabián el indixo en una playa los cercaron.	On a time in the mountains, they took him by surprise; he and Fabián the Indian were besieged in a narrow valley.
Y Heraclio Bernal decía, en su caballo alazán: “¡ Pues ahora rompemos el sitio y entramos a Mazatlán!”	And Heraclio Bernal, mounted on his sorrel horse, said to him: “Now we will break the siege and enter Mazatlán.”
Y de siete de los Rochas que a prenderlos vinieron buenos y sanos a sus casas solamente tres volvieron.	And of the seven Rochas who came to apprehend them, safe and well to their homes only three returned.
Decía don Crispín García, el jefe de Mazatlán: “Vénganme dos acordadas y la Guardia Nacional.”	Said Don Crispín García, the mayor of Mazatlán: “Let me have two troops of mounted police and the National Guard.”
Y en Mazatlán lo mataron, por traición y por detrás porque ese don Crispín García era bueno para entregar.	And in Mazatlán he was killed, by treason and from behind, for that Don Crispín García was skillful in treason.
Todavía despues de muerto cuando en la caja lo tenían, la acordada y los soldados mucho miedo le tenían.	And even after he was dead, as he lay in his coffin, the mounted police and the soldiers feared him greatly.
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¡ Ay, ricos de la costa! ¡ya no morirán de susto! ya mataron a Bernal, ahora dormirán a gusto.	O rich men of the coast! No longer will you die of fear; now they have killed Bernal, now you may sleep at your ease.
Y lloran todas las muchachas del mineral de Mapimí: “Ya mataron a Bernal, ya no lo verán aquí.”	And all of the girls of the mines of Mapimí weep and say: “Now they have killed Bernal, never will he return.”
Y aquí termino mi canto pues así tuvieron final la vida y los hechos del gran Heraclio Bernal.	And here I end my song, for thus ended the deeds and the life of the great Heraclio Bernal.

* Frank Dobie, in “Verses of the Texas Vaqueros” (Publications of the Texas Folk-Lore Society).