Duelo

[Tyrn]

Hi,


El preso numero nueve era un hombre muy cabal
Iba el noche del duelo, muy contento a su jacal


According to the dictionaries, it's either duel, or mourning. Either way, it does not make a lot of sense. Why should one be happy about a mourning? Is a duel a daily routine for an inhabitant of a jacal?

[poli]

From what I have read la noche de duelo is another word Día de Muertos. This is a big holiday, and in Mexico, a joyous one in which family members celebrate their deceased ancestors.

[Tyrn]

Thanks!

Why el?

[poli]

La noche is correct.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

In this case, "duel" is used as a confrontation. The man was happy going back to the hut that was his home and saw his friend and wife together, so he confronted and killed them both. Since it's an old Mexican song, it probably assumes that the other guy also had a gun with him and he had a chance to defend himself, so that's why the word "duelo" is used here.

The verse is actually: "Iba en la noche del duelo, muy contento a su jacal" (The night of the duel, he was merrily going back home to his humble hut)

The problem with this song is that, although Joan Baez is a great singer and pronounces Spanish way better than many other American singers, she still has an accent, and lyrics may be misunderstood. The lyrics I found via Google, need a little polishing too.