Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a surreal, almost dreamlike scene where the moon descends upon a smithy, observed intently by a child. The moon is personified with human-like attributes, moving its arms and revealing its breasts, described as both "lúbrica y pura" (lustful and pure). This juxtaposition immediately establishes a tone of strange, almost unsettling beauty, where the celestial becomes intimately physical and observed by innocent eyes. The central tension arises from the moon's plea to the child to flee, warning of the arrival of "los gitanos" (the gypsies). The threat is visceral: they would turn the moon's heart into "Collares y anillos blancos" (white necklaces and rings). This imagery transforms the moon's essence into adornments, suggesting a violent appropriation of its purity and beauty, a stark contrast to its earlier display. The child, however, remains passive, "con los ojillos cerrados" (with eyes closed), seemingly unaware or unable to act. The repeated phrase "Huye luna, luna, luna" (Flee moon, moon, moon) acts as a desperate incantation, emphasizing the moon's vulnerability and the impending danger. The arrival of the gypsies, heralded by "el tambor del llano" (the drum of the plain) and described as "Bronce y sueño" (bronze and dream), is depicted with a mixture of menace and mystique. The narrator notes the gypsies' "cabezas levantadas / Y los ojos entornados" (heads held high / And eyes half-closed), a gaze that seems both watchful and detached, further heightening the sense of foreboding. Ultimately, the lyrics suggest a tragic transformation. While the moon initially revealed itself in a moment of exposed vulnerability, its fate is to be captured and commodified by the approaching gypsies. The final image of the moon with a child, "Con un niño de la mano" (With a child by the hand), juxtaposed with the "gitanos" weeping in the smithy, creates a poignant, unresolved ending. The air "la vela vela" (watches over it), suggesting a lingering presence or a mournful witness to whatever has transpired, leaving the listener with a profound sense of loss and the unsettling beauty of the moon's captured essence.