HISTORY OF THE BULLFIGHTING SONGS OF VILLAFÁFILA

Since ancient times our ancestors sang songs, such as when they went to agricultural tasks, such as the grape harvest, etc., coplas were written on very diverse themes, they gave proverbs such as San Antón day, and as not bullfighting, they were always vindictive directed to the consistory that in that moment composed it, they sounded louder if they observed that there could not be a bullfighting celebration, a form of struggle also against the ruling class.

The peak day occurred on the day of Santiago when the bulls were requested by the population, we do not know when this custom came from, perhaps it started when the festivities had already become August 16 in San Roque in the 17th century, previously They were celebrated on the day of Saint John the Baptist, June 24, and already in the middle of the 16th century we have references to bullfighting festivities and, as reflected in the year 1873, the constancy of the disorders that occurred when bulls were not hired.

That surely as in the fifth centuries that the Villa has been celebrating bullfights, in the most troubled times, the couplets and songs were more spicy or stronger.

To reflect this in 1900, the events that occurred and the couplets that were published in multiple headers of all the provinces.

Both the Heraldo de Zamora and the Ancora report the same news on different days.

Herald of Zamora August 20, 1900 ^[1]

“The mayor of Villafafila communicates that, as a consequence of having buried the cattle that had to be dealt with on the day of San Roque the day before, a disturbance of public order was promoted.

The rioters, with pikes and grating. No, they went to the corrals where the cattle were, in order to release them, which they managed to stop, despite the opposition of the councilors and other neighbors.

Several young men, confusing the cattle with the councilors, stung the councilor Manuel Alonso and several other people with a prick .

Manuel Alonso Martín , the councilor mentioned in the information, was 36 years old, he was the father of Cónsola, and grandfather of Manolo de la Granja Alonso “Bomba” .

Some couplets were composed against:

La Campana Gorda, Toledo, August 30, 1900 ^[2]

“ From the town of Villafáfila

(Zamora) the mayor

to the Governor

of the province, gives part

that being closed

the bulls to fight them

the other day, the young men

armed with large pikes

in riot they appeared

suddenly in the pens

to unleash the bulls

with furious gestures.

They carried out their project

those brutish earners

overcoming resistance

respectable people,

being the worst case

that in the midst of his efforts

they confused with the bulls

two or three councilors

and in the soft ones they were stung

without removing anyone.

And thanks to the fact that they left

the aediles wailing,

that if not, they also put them

flags to the relaunch!

With pardon of those young men

and with the forgiveness of his parents,

I think it's those acts

villafáfilabrutales!”

 But others included the utors of the riot:

Herald of Zamora August 21, 1900 ^[3]

"There was such a mess in Villafáfila

the day of San Roque, that there are those who say

to have been from my father, my lord

being an aedile the unhappy victim.

The young men of that exasperated town

because the bulls were locked up

with unusual anticipation,

they said rightly embarrassed:

"We must raise a riot today "

And they went to shit City Hall

and they found a councilor

in which they vented

his terrible anger and all burning.

It's like they scolded the poor man

between the revelry and happy youth!

So much so that the councilor

perhaps they would have fired it there

or maybe stocked

to not have gotten into a corral.

Oh people faithful image of our Spain

that oh all brave authority challenges

and to an aedil he gives two crutch passes;

sing your beautiful feat,

although perhaps the times to come

seeing our customs and hobbies

believe us true

lovers of cuckold hobbies.

The Bachelor Angelus” .

REQUEST FOR BULLS ON THE DAY OF SANTIAGO APOSTO JULY 25

One of the traditions linked to bulls was the custom of:

"Ask for the bulls on the day of Santiago Apóstol July 25" .

We do not know when this custom comes from, perhaps it started when the festivities had already become August 16 in San Roque, in the 17th century, as we saw previously they were the day of Saint John the Baptist, June 24, and as reflected in the year 1873 the record of the disorders that occurred when the bulls were not hired.

Of the popular songs about the request of the bulls, we see one already between the 1873-90 section, but this fact of songs and couplets would very surely be a fact produced at the beginning when the bulls were celebrated back in the 15th century.

Then the night before Santiago, the craftsmen and servants who were in the middle of the gathering task would come to sleep at the house and who stayed at night to sleep in the threshing floors. On the 25th, people went out into the streets with cowbells to ask for the bulls through the streets, at the door of the mayor or the town hall, singing songs and songs composed for that purpose, with the rhythm of the jota, some of whose lyrics are preserved.

This denotes the great fondness that the Villa has for bullfighting and its festivities, they were vehemently requested, when the City Council did not give them, it used to be the beginning of riots and demonstrations mixing other kinds, these exaltations were a way of channeling the confrontation social :

"... Well...: of bulls! Bulls are talked about from the day of Santiago in the afternoon until the day of San Roque, San or Roquito, which is the day after, or San Roquín, which is the 18th, and if they don't run in Villafáfila the bulls are run the first day, and the second day they run the third, even if it is half dead…” [4] .

This tradition is lost in Villafáfila in the last years of the 50s, where a decade and a half until 1971 when the bullfights resumed, the request for bullfights has not been made again until today. Perhaps it would be one of the traditions to recover in this very bullfighting Villa.

COPLAS AND SONGS OF REQUEST OF THE BULLS

Today the lyrics may seem rude or wild to us, but you have to put them in the context of the village 70, 100 years ago or more. Most of the population was made up of day laborers, artisans, shepherds, small farmers, the poor and widows, with very harsh living, working and housing conditions. The festivals and the bullfights were one of the few means of escape. In addition, those who formed the town halls, even with the regime changes of the 19th century, were almost always "the rich" , and these excesses in the request of the bulls were a way of channeling into social confrontation.

As we have been able to read in the humorous article written in the Heraldo de Zamora on August 13, 1908, titled "TOROS EN VILLAFÁFILA [5] " leaves us with relevance and testimony that the people of this Villa have about the great fans they have for each other. , then they jumped with songs on the day of Santiago, either in taverns or on the street, until the festival of San Roque with songs alluding to the bulls, which many were demanding that they be given, in them alluding to the municipal corporation, where Due to its great transmission, I will reproduce it completely, to later be dissected in its content to the reference to songs. It even refers to Manzanilla de Villafáfila, already giving it a famous status at that time, which would come from much earlier.

1908 this humorous article that does not transport us to the prefestive atmosphere of the beginning of the century and leaves us testimony of some characters and nicknames that have remained in the collective memory.

Heraldo de Zamora on August 13, 1908 ^[6]

“ BULLS IN VILLAFÁFILA

PLATES

—Today I bring you tasty news!

—Is it that good? how much do you excite me?

-Almost nothing! the story of something the sea of ​​good.

—Some nut from the town you come from, or some reaper tale.

—If none of that, I went to Villafáfila to bring me the best manzanilla [7] in Spain, well, the one you spend; it's bad I stopped at Cachín's house (former Mateote inn and tavern) and since it was Sunday, there was a lot of excitement. What do you think the parishioners were talking hastily, fiery and heatedly about?

—It is natural that they talked about the shortage of wheat that is harvested there, or the low salary that the workers there will get this summer, lesson, or the advance that the harvest is going, etc., etc.

—Come on, come on: 'Now, get out; you naturally! there it does not say that; I pass Santiago and we don't talk about the harvest again, until after August 16, 18 or 18.

—Weird thing! Well, what is it talking about at the height of summer, in the most important and transcendental season of agriculture?

—Well…: about bulls! Bulls are talked about on Santiago day in the afternoon until the day of San Roque or San Roquito, which is the day after, or San Roquín, which is the 18th, and if they don't run In Villafáfila the bulls are run on the first day, and on the second day they run the third, even if it is half dead.

—I didn't know there was a bullring in Villafáfila.

—Well, there is a place in many towns in Spain.

-I didn't know.

—And if they don't cut him to run them, they could cap two at a time.

—Did they cut it because it came out big? Well, it will be pretty; it will be a split square; yes, village thing!

—Well, Don Santiago; Either he doesn't understand me or he wants to give me the tabarra. The Villafáfila plaza is too spacious to run bulls and to reduce the area, on San Roque's Day they take as many carts as are needed and cut a piece of it, with the same materials the streets are closed, and these carts serve as a talanquera ( stretched out), where the spectators stand to witness the fight.

- You'll finish! I don't know how the hell you say things, it takes more than an hour of conversation to understand them. So far yes, but the Ex-Minister of the Interior has prohibited "running bulls or heifers roped or free in the streets" and mayors have been ordered under their strictest responsibility to take care of the effectiveness of this prohibition.

-That's that; Now we are on the subject: that was what was talked about in the Cachín tavern. This prohibition is stated in the Royal Order dated February 5 of the current Year of Grace (Official Gazette of this Province, no. 18) [8]there I saw them read Majín and my lord what a mess it was made!... Los Pelos, Micos, Pichines, Mamonitos, Pistolas, Cachines, Negreros, Pelores, Ruines, Matacristos, Bergas... The devil because I did not understand so much variety of nicknames as they danced there, they protested riotously of such Royal order; one said: Strange thing! La Cierva, so powerful, innocent and simple, so slender and graceful that she became a protector of bulls, I didn't believe it because I don't see the friendly relationship that could exist between La Cierva and the bull—La Cierva is a minister—Majín objected—and send what I have read—and did we get to that point—said the first—until being commanded by a Hind? Horror! I thought that the fable that animals talk about—La Cierva—replied Majin—is not an animal, it's a man whose last name is Cierva, He is a minister of Spain and orders that no bullfights take place except in bullrings for that purpose—ah, recommended by the devils! - replied the first - Do you want only the rich to see them and in towns where they can make places? Let him come to take them away! Our ancestors for centuries, the bulls of Villafáfila have run here! And so the offer to San Roque is denied, and then the plague will come, and instead of catching it, whoever removes them will manage us, never that. I want bulls! Then about fifty voices began to sing in a petitioning tone, Tooros! Bulls! Bulls! That seemed like hell. Finally a Tooros! Bulls! Bulls! That seemed like hell. Finally, a Pelos climbed onto a bench. He is a tall man, with a long neck like a stork, and upon seeing him the others were silent; then he said: do you know what I say? Nobody respects that mandate. In Benavente the Corpus ran, the tied bull through the streets; in Cerecinos cows were run on the day of San Antonio. The other day one came to offer the bulls and said that in 6 or 7 towns he already has them hired for San Roque. Here to be ready, do not fool us, that what Majín read is a piece of paper,other years they have wanted to take them away from us they have not been able to . Do not lose use even if the spinning wheel burns!

 "Long live Hairs!" said one of the Fatties. Long live! The assembled answered and began to sing:

There are no more bulls; there are no more bulls

there are no bulls anymore, in the town;

because he doesn't want the mayor,

neither does justice [9] . (1)

and other stanzas alluding to "the bullfight", and at the end of each song they shouted with all their might to ask for the bulls, another one!

—And your angel, what did you gather from all the noise in the tavern?

"What tavern?" Through the streets there is no other song or other voices than toooros!

— another one! get out the mad cow! Come out the Barroso bull! etc., etc., and of the multiple stanzas alluding to the act, I only remember these two:

(1) If there are, if there are

it's a good run;

Don Pepe takes out the money,

Because the school sells us.

For bullfighter the mayor,

don Sabas, for booby;

Don Alonso, put rods,

Luciano, is the puntillero.

—Well, look, Ángel, all of that is a village symphony, and the RO will be fulfilled by shouting it out to those from Villafáfila in the Cachín tavern, or shouting in the street.

—Don Santiago: You well know that there are bulls for the dead, that behind the Cross is the devil, behind the Law the trap... and I won't say more; Benavente and Cerecinos (if we are to believe Pelos) already gave the note, and that of the Royal Orders, are like castanets, as soon as three days have passed they are worthless.

"Well, the governor there will know what to do." And how are the bullfights in that town?

"Judging by the enthusiasm, superiors." If you allow, I'll go see this year's, and then you'll know.

—Yes man, you will go to find out, I remember having heard it said: <<In Villafáfila the bulls are not entered by arm.

F. Norrab”

As we can see in the following couplets that have come down to us, some only a stanza like the following:

«The bulls in Villafáfila» First stanza of the song:

“There are no more bulls; there are no more bulls

there are no bulls anymore, in the town;

because he doesn't want the mayor,

neither does justice” [10] .

We can more or less classify the following couplet in time since it refers to "Don Sabas" as the name refers to D. Sabas Calzada Suena [11] (Villafáfila 1845 - 1916 Villafáfila) who participated in municipal politics, was a councilor in 1879 and 1887, mayor in 1888-90, in the ranks of the conservative party. He one of the biggest contributors of his time. He descended from a family of hidalgos by his surname Calzada.

"For the mayor bullfighter,

don Sabas, for booby;

Don Alonso, put rods,

Luciano, is the puntillero " .

The following stanza can also be more or less classified in time, since when mentioning "Don Pepe" it refers to D. José Santiago Pérez Villardeciervos 1861- Villafáfila 1924. "El Cervato" [12] , from a young age he participates in local politics and provincial in the Conservative Party, he became a provincial deputy for the Toro-Villalpando parties in 1898-1899. That he was mayor of Villafáfila from 1905 to 1919. The relationship with the school was the need for a building for the obituary for children, already in 1905 the city council had requested the Diputación, 1903 demolished the church of San Pedro, the site that he left It was given by the parish to the City Council in 1911 [13] (the children's schools were made in 1921 [14]) condition that the City Council ceded a part of the public highway so that, together with that of the parish of Santa María del Moral, a worthy sacristy would be made.

"If there are, if there are

it's a good run;

Don Pepe takes out the money,

because the school sells us”.

The song that has reached us the most to our days with different verses is “NOS QUIERE QUITAR LOS TOROS” [15] although the order of the verses alternates depending on who sings.

In 2010 from the Casa del Parque de Villafáfila "El Palomar", in a course of traditional songs , we could see that alternation of the verses, this similar verse was even recorded to make a pigsty, changing it for a hovel.

"They don't want to bring us the bulls

we will make a hovel

to put the mayor

and also the sheriff . "

In 2005, the Bajo Duero Ethnographic Association published an album of traditional conations “El Baile y la Canción Tradicional en Zamora”. 25 years Roasting Ethnography Bajo Duero. That, on CD2, in the festive season, number 31, includes CANCIÓN DE PEDIR LOS TOROS DE VILLAFÁFILA (1'44'').

Another of the most famous and bullfighting songs in the Villa and that is still called " VILLAFÁFILA QUERIDA" due to an event that occurred , between the mid-40s and early 50s, the following event occurred: where a group of young men in an adobe and mud place, set up a bar at the parties called "Bar Ciclón" , being located in the Plaza Mayor within the place of the capea, (between the house that belonged to Doroteo Rodríguez Rodríguez "El Red"and Fidalgo) one of the bulls entered the bar, there the young men were armed with grips and clubs, and equipped with some burladero or talanquera, a bull that entered, a bull with which they were beaten and the bull to defeats, which put the horn on half a wall, such was the excitement and expectation that it produced, that the echo ended up reflected with this titled lick ^[16] :

“DEAR VILLAFÁFILA ^[17]

On the fifteenth of August,

day that is never forgotten

Villafáfila celebrates its most popular party,

because bulls are always fought,

good sparks are caught,

and what faces those days look like,

How many women and all of them pretty

oh oh oh Villafáfila dear,

oh oh oh oh I can never forget you

because in you I have begun to enjoy.

Everyone comes to see your cheerful air,

At your party, party, of tradition,

matarile rile rile ron

kill rile rile rum.

In the afternoon of the bulls,

a rock in a room,

they inaugurated a bar titled

Ciclón bar, where there was a lot of wine and

brave men,

joy waited for the bulls,

How much did the Bar Ciclón enjoy?

oh oh oh dear Villafáfila

At seven in the evening,

the cumshot room,

there he made a very good entrance,

but very bad output,

Well, they almost didn't leave him,

to slash the ribs,

Oh what pain that bull would feel

Oh, what a beating they all gave him,

oh oh oh Villafáfila dear

oh oh oh Villafáfila dear

All the people who were there

made mincemeat because none,

the fifth came out and like the other,

there he also made his entrance,

and not respecting the stick,

He threw all the men

he made the corral of the morapio,

the walls pointed, all the men

from there they left, and the bored bull,

he went after them

oh oh oh Villafáfila dear

oh oh oh Villafáfila dear.

Then they went to the infirmary.

where they were congratulated by the mayor and the

Justice to lemonade and liquor,

all sparkle,

then they went to Bar Ciclón,

all cheerful with a good mood,

Oh no, one of the people

that does not say that the Cyclone,

in the afternoon of the bulls,

he only ironed

oh oh oh Villafáfila dear,

oh oh oh oh I can never forget you

because in you I have begun to enjoy .

Thanks to D. Elías Rodríguez Rodríguez (son and historian of Villafáfila) who about the study of the bulls and running of the bulls of Villafáfila, with his published works:

History of the running of the bulls in Villafáfila .

Riots at festivals due to bullfighting at the beginning of the 20th century .

             This part of the History of the bullfighting songs of Villafáfila, belongs to the work on "The Bulls in Villafáfila XVI-XXI and historical news about the running of the bulls in Villafáfila, (still unedited), which from villafafila.net based on the referenced works of Elías, has been carrying out for years a compilation of information through oral testimony of neighbors, photographic documentation, etc. getting to make an extension-complementation of our bullfighting history.   

          Thank all the residents of our Villa, for the attention and kindness provided when I have been requesting their services to collect first-person testimonies as transmission that have been passed from one generation to another, also thank the graphic contribution, documents, personal photos of parties, posters, songs, etc. Although it is already well known that this town is fond of bullfighting, I have been able to pick up on that imprint that has been made since the 16th century.

Author: Elias Rodríguez Rodríguez. Jose Luis Dominguez Martinez

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Elias Rodriguez Rodriguez. History of the running of the bulls in Villafáfila. Zamora's opinion, January and February 2000. villafafila.net https://villafafila.net/encierros/encierros.htm.

Elías Rodríguez Rodríguez : Surname Calzada. villafafila.net. https://villafafila.net/calzada/calzada.htm.

Elías Rodríguez Rodríguez.: Riots at festivals because of bullfighting at the beginning of the 20th century. historiasdevillafafila.blogspot.com https://historiasdevillafafila.blogspot.com/2020/08/algaradas-en-las-fiestas-por-causa-de.html Information: https://prensahistorica.mcu.es.

Elías Rodríguez Rodríguez: Photos with history: Don Sabas Calzada Suena. historiasdevillafafila.blogspot.com .https://historiasdevillafafila.blogspot.com/2016/03/fotos-con-historia-don-sabas-calzada.html

Elías Rodríguez Rodríguez: Don Pepe the Fawn. historiasdevillafafila.blogspot.com https://historiasdevillafafila.blogspot.com/2016/10/don-pepe-el-cervato.html

Elías Rodríguez Rodríguez: Personal data.

Heraldo de Zamora on August 13, 1908. F Norrab. BULLS IN VILLAFÁFILA. TALKS https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/es/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=1002747273

José Luis Domínguez Martínez: Course on traditional songs from Tierra de Campos. Villafáfila Park House "El Palomar". 2010. And personal data.

Songs:

The bulls in Villafáfila, 1 st stanza. Verses Sabas, and D. Pepe. Heraldo de Zamora on August 13, 1908.

https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/es/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=1002747273

They want to take away the bulls: Popular song of Villafáfila. Collected by Mr. Elías Rodríguez Rodríguez, Mr. Ignacio Orduña Domínguez, Mrs. Purificación Zamorano Gómez and Mr. José Luis Domínguez Martínez.

Album: Traditional Dance and Song in Zamora. 25 years Asación Etnografía Bajo Duero, CD2, in the festive season, No. 31, SONG OF ASKING FOR THE BULLS OF VILLAFÁFILA (1'44'').

Dear Villafáfila: Popular song of Villafáfila. Collected by Mrs. Chencha Gallego. Compiled by José Luis Domínguez Martínez.

Traditional songs have neither authors nor owners, since they belong to the people who have transmitted them, in this case Villafáfila, who from generation to generation have made it possible for them to reach our days.

Photos: Elias Rodríguez Rodríguez. Bajo Duero Ethnography Roasting. Dance and Traditional Song in Zamora. 25 years. Jose Luis Dominguez Martinez.

Transcription and editing: José Luis Domínguez Martínez.

All text, photographs, transcription and assembly, the rights belong to their authors, any type of use is prohibited without authorization.

All text and photography have been authorized to storage, treatment, work, transcription and assembly to José Luis Domínguez Martínez, its dissemination in villafafila.net, and any means that the authorized means.