Rin Rin the tadpole

Tadpole

A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...

(Spanish: Rin Rin Renacuajo), also known as the tripping tadpole (El renacuajo paseador) (1884

1884 in literature

The year 1884 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Edwin Abbott Abbott - Flatland*Henry Brooks Adams - Esther*Aluísio de Azevedo - Casa de Pensão*Richard Doddridge Blackmore - Tommy Upmore...

) is a stock character

Stock character

A Stock character is a fictional character based on a common literary or social stereotype. Stock characters rely heavily on cultural types or names for their personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. In their most general form, stock characters are related to literary archetypes,...

 created by Colombian poet

Literature of Colombia

Colombian literature, as an expression of the Culture of Colombia, is heterogeneous, tropical and diverse due to the struggle between the Spanish, African and Native American heritages.-Colonial literature:...

 Rafael Pombo

Rafael Pombo

"Rafael Pombo is one of the great poets of Colombia, and the best exponent of romanticism in the country". Great Encyclopedia of ColombiaJosé Rafael de Pombo y Rebolledo was a Colombian poet born in Bogotá...

. It is still reprinted in compilations of children stories and nursery rhymes.

History

Rin Rin the tadpole represents the stereotype

Stereotype

A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...

 of the self-assured youth, never listening to his elders. He is depicted in an aristocratic dandy

Dandy

A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...

 fashion ("With short pants, a stylish necktie

Necktie

A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck...

, hat

Hat

A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...

 with ribbons and a wedding frock coat

Frock coat

A frock coat is a man's coat characterised by knee-length skirts all around the base, popular during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. The double-breasted style is sometimes called a Prince Albert . The frock coat is a fitted, long-sleeved coat with a centre vent at the back, and some features...

"). His mother (naturally, a frog

Frog

Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...

) asks him not to leave the house, but he doesn't listen to her. The companions in his adventures are a young mouse ("el Niño Ratico"), and an old lady rat

Rat

Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...

 ("Doña Ratona"). They go around, partying and drinking beer

Beer

Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...

. Finally, due to this misconduct, they end tragically, devoured by predators.

Cultural references

Rin Rin is one of the most recognized characters of the Colombian culture

Culture of Colombia

Many aspects of Colombian culture can be traced back to the early culture of Spain of the 16th century and its collision with Colombia's native civilizations . The Spanish brought Catholicism, African slaves, the feudal encomienda system, and a caste system that favored European-born whites...

, and is commonly used in elementary school

Elementary school

An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...

 textbooks, nursery rhymes and children literature compilations.

The Mexican musician Silvestre Revueltas

Silvestre Revueltas

Silvestre Revueltas Sánchez was a Mexican composer of classical music, a violinist and a conductor.-Life:...

 composed his ballet El renacuajo paseador in 1936.

Representations of the character are used in parade

Parade

A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...

s and carnivals. In recent years, the theme parks Mundo Aventura and Colombian National Coffee Park

Colombian National Coffee Park

The Colombian National Coffee Park is a theme park located in the department of Quindío, Colombia, 4 km south-west of the town of Montenegro and 11 km west of the departmental capital city Armenia...

have used animatronic versions of the tadpole.