Pensativo estaba’l Polo

Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Yc22641/41

Polo, sunk in melancholy, meets a page who reveals a scandal at the royal court: the queen’s daughter has secretly borne children with Count Vergico. The queen confronts the princess, who denies everything but soon gives birth in hiding. Vergico tries to carry the newborn away, but the king intercepts him and discovers the truth. The story ends with the royal family preparing a wedding to resolve the dishonor.

This contamination of the romance La infanta parida with the enigmatic romance of El Polo, which functions here as a prologue, turning the narrative into a romance within another. It is quite common in Moroccan tradition, the only place were it exits.  

Text:
Pensativo estaba 'l  Polo,     malo y de melanconía,
que lo que gana 'n  un año      todo se le va en un día,
en gayinas y en capones         y en amigas que él tenía.
Fuerase a la mar salada    por dar descanso a su vida,
vió venir a un pajecito,     que de los cuartos venía. 
- Por tu vida, el pajecito,   y así Dios guarde a tu amiga,
que si la tienes en Francia    Dios te la traiga a Sevilla,
y si la tienes preniada,     Dios te la haga parida
y, si no la tienes, paje,    Dios te la procuraría.-
- Por tu bien palabra el Polo,     un cuento te contaría:
que se pensaba la reina     que honrada hija tenía,
con ese Conde Vergico      tres veces parido había,
con lo que en el cuerpo tiene     el de los cuatro sería.
Decíanselo a la reina,     la reina no lo creía;
cubrierase en manto de oro,    fuera a ver si es verdá o mentira.
- Enbuenhora estéis, la infanta. - Bien vengádeis, madre mía.-
que son esas voses, hija,  que se oyen por la villa
- hija, si tú estás libre,     reina serás de Castilla;
ay, hija, si no lo fueres,      en mal fuego estés metida.-
- Tal libre estoy, la mi madre,     como a vuestros pies nacida.-
Ellas en estas palabras  los dolores la darian
Colores de la su cara     se la iban y la venían.
- ¿Qué tienes tú, mi hija,     que te veo amarilla?-
- Madre cené mucho anoche,    tengo  dolor de barriga;
perdón, perdón, la mi madre,    que yo acostarme quería.-
cogió almohadita en mano,    y subióse a una sala arriba,
y entre almena y almena     un ninio la naceria.
Envolvió[le en] seda y grana,     y asomóse a la ventana:
viera pasa a la Vergico,     la su bien amaba prenda.
- Ay Vergico, ay, Vergico,     un hijo te nacería!-
- No se te, de mi, mi bien,    no se te de ti, mi vida,
que el  cria de los tres,     ya los cuatro criaría.-
Envolviole en seda y grana y tirole por la ventana 
Y en mitad de aquel camino     con el buen rey se encontrara.
- ¿Qué lleváis ahí, Vergico?     ¿qué lleváis en es a capa? -   
- Llevo almendritas verdes      para las que estan preniadas.-
- Dame unas cuantas, Vergicos,   para mi hija, la infanta.-
Ellos en estas palabras,     lo de la falma llorara.
- ¿No se te de de ti, Vergicos?  Tu mujere ya seria 
Otro día la mañana,     las ricas bodas se harian

Translation:
Brooding was Polo, sick and full of melancholy,
that what he earns in a year all goes from him in a day,
on a hen and meat and on the girlfriends he had.
He went off to the salty sea to give rest to his life,
he saw a little page coming, who came from the palace rooms.
– By your life, little page, thus may God guard your sweetheart,
that if you have her in France may God bring her to Seville,
and if you have her pregnant, may God make her delivered
and, if you do not have her, page, may God procure her for you.–
– For your good you speak, Polo, a tale I would tell you:
that the queen believed that she had an honorable daughter,
with that Count Vergico three times she had given birth,
with the one she carries in her body it would be four.
They told it to the queen, the queen did not believe it;
she covered herself in a mantle of gold, she went to see if it is truth or lie.
– Good hour be upon you, princess. – Welcome you are, my mother.–
– daughter, if you are free, queen you shall be of Castile;
ay if you are not, may evil fire burn you.–
– As free I am, my mother, as at your feet born.–
As they were spealing  she felt her birth pains
The colors of her face were going and coming.
– What have you, princess, that I see you so yellow?–
– Mother I supped much last night, I have belly pain;
pardon, pardon, my mother, for I wished to lie down.–
She took a little pillow in hand, and she went up to an upper hall,
and between battlement and battlement a little boy she had borne.
She wrapped him in silk and scarlet, and she leaned out the window:
she saw Vergico passing, the beloved treasure she well loved.
– Ay Vergico, ay, Vergico, a son would be born to you!–
– Do not be troubled, my good one, do not be troubled, my life,
he who raises the three, already the four he would raise.–
And in the middle of that road with the good king he would meet.
– What carry you there, Vergico? what carry you in that cape?–
– I carry little green almonds for those who are pregnant.–
– Give me a few, Vergicos, for my daughter, the princess.–
As they were in these words, the one in the cloth cried.
– Do you not have it there, Vergicos? Your woman already would be
Next day in the morning, the rich weddings would be made