La Casa en Mango Street: Payasos Rojos

Question

I am finally taking a Spanish class and we are reading "La Casa en Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros. I have a few questions about the chapter "Payasos Rojos" and I refuse to buy the English translation (that seems like cheating!)

No fue como tú dijiste. Lo que hizo. = It wasn't how you said. ?? what did ??

Te guardo el cambio = I keep the change (coins?) for you ??

Pero ese muchacho grandote, ¿dónde te llevó? But this ?? man, where did he take you?

Haz que se detenga ... No pude correrlos. = Do/Make stop. I cannot run ??

Answer 1

No fue como tú dijiste. Lo que hizo. = It wasn´t the way you said it. What he did.

Te guardo el cambio = I keep the change (coins?) for you ?? (OK)

Pero ese muchacho grandote, ¿dónde te llevó? But this big man, where did he take you? (grande = big, fat / grandote = really big or fat)

Haz que se detenga ... No pude correrlos. = Make it/him stop. I could not run after them / cast them away

Some of the translations depend on the context!

I'd prefer: "I'll keep the change". "But this big boy.." "No pude correrlos"- > "I could not chase them away" (depends on context). - Gekkosan, MAY 6, 2010