Please Rain

Text:

Que llueva, que llueva

La Virgen de la Cueva

Los pajaritos cantan, 

Las nubes se levantan. 

¡Que sí, que no,

que caiga un chaparrón!

Context:

The participant has known this saying/song since he was a young boy. Growing up in a small town in Spain, he recounts how almost everyone in his town, including his own family, has livestock and/or fields of land where they produce their own agriculture. During dry seasons, he explains that this was sung in efforts to induce rain to come and water their crops. 

Analysis:

This saying is somewhat similar to a prayer and is used as one in a sense. Usually young kids are told to call out to the Patron Saint, in hopes to promote rain that will allow the birds to sing, for the clouds to rise, and for the rain to fall. I am also part Spanish, and remember also being taught this saying in order to command rain from Mother nature. Looking back I was convinced as a child that the saying worked, as it had succeeded a few times with a light drizzle following. I now realize that it was more of a juvenile​ trick to promote optimism in my prayers, as my elders would tell me to sing it during times when they knew chances of rain were high. This saying helps instill the relation between children and beliefs in their religion, prayers, and saints.