AGE: 20
Date of performance: Feb 20
Informant Name: AM
Language: Spanish
Occupation: Student
Primary Language: English
Residence: Santa Ana

Text:

“Sana, sana, colito de rana. Si no sana hoy, sanara mañana”

Context:

According to the teller, it translates to: “Heal, heal, tail of frog. If you don’t heal today, you’ll heal tomorrow.” It is a phrase that parents tell their children whenever they got hurt, essentially wishing them a faster healing. They learned it from their parents, specifically their mother, who would “rub her hand over the cut or scratch” whenever they got minorly injured.

Analysis

Although this quote is one of many variants, they all follow the same strand of silliness and nonsense. When I heard this phrase, I thought it was silly and funny, and wondered why adults would say this to their children. Then I thought that perhaps that was exactly why they said this phrase. It is so nonsensical and lighthearted that the child who got hurt could perhaps laugh and forget their pain for a little. This goes hand in hand with the practice of distracting little kids with a more engaging, eye-catching stimulant to take their attention off of more serious, dire matters. Furthermore, frogs are known for their regenerative abilities, thus signifying the manifestation of quick healing. By saying this phrase, the parents are reassuring their child that no matter what, it will heal.