40. Tribute to Jorge Amado

Once upon a time, one of our fellow countryman read Jorge Amado´s books, in their French translation, of course: Terras do Sem Fim, Jubiabá, etc… others perhaps. It keened his desire to visit Bahia. He came as a tourist some years ago. I met him in Salvador. He stayed in Bahia and he became a cacao producer!

On the shore of the small beach overseen by the Conceição da Praia church, saveiros¹ rest in the twilight, sweetly lulled by the swell. Isn’t one of them the Paquete Voador²? Isn’t she that took Antônio Balduíno in his escape to other climes³? And I please myself to imagine, and at nightfall, it seems to me that I can hear from far away in the distance, “a sad song coming from the sea!”⁴
1. Long fishing boats.
2. Name of a saveiro in Jorge Amado’s novels.
3. In Jorge Amado’s novel Jubiaba.
4. Title of one of the chapters of Jubiaba.​