ALENCAR

O Guarani 4.9 · 4.9

A dappled back in the leaves

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Ali por entre a folhagem, distinguiam-se as ondulações felinas de um dorso negro, brilhante, marchetado de pardo; às vezes viam-se brilhar na sombra dois raios vítreos e pálidos, que semelhavam os reflexos de alguma cristalização de rocha, ferida pela luz do sol.

There, through the foliage, could be made out the feline undulations of a black, glossy back, dappled with grey-brown; at times two glassy, pale rays glinted in the shade — resembling the reflections of some rock-crystal struck by the light of the sun.

Word by word

Alia-LEEThereporporthroughentreEN-treeamongaathefolhagemfo-LYA-zheinfoliage,distinguiam-sejeesh-cheen-GEE-own-sewere made outasashtheondulaçõeson-doo-la-SOINSHundulationsfelinasfe-LEE-nashfelinedejeeofumoomadorsoDOR-soobacknegroNE-grooblack,brilhantebree-LYAN-cheeglossy,marchetadomar-she-TA-doodappleddejeewithpardoPAR-doogrey-brown;àsashatvezesVE-zeshtimesviam-seVEE-own-secould be seenbrilharbree-LYARglintingnanain thesombraSON-brashadowdoisdoyshtworaiosHA-yooshraysvítreosVEE-tree-ooshglassyeeeandpálidosPA-lee-dooshpale,quekethatsemelhavamse-me-LYA-vownresembledosooshthereflexoshe-FLEK-sooshreflectionsdejeeofalgumaal-GOO-masomecristalizaçãokreesh-ta-lee-za-SOWNcrystallizationdejeeofrochaHO-sharock,feridafe-REE-dastruckpelaPE-laby theluzlooshlightdodooof thesolsolsun.

The setting

In the hedge: the feline undulations of a black, dappled back, and two glassy pale eyes glinting in the shade like light on rock-crystal.

A note on this passage

The jaguar is introduced not as a body but as motion and light: 'ondulações felinas,' two crystalline gleams. Alencar makes us see it the way Peri does — a pattern in the leaves before it is a beast.

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