La reina de Francia 1

Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: NSA Y5435/2
Referenced and notated in: Romansero Sefardi de Oriente pg. 152
Editorial Alpuerto S.A. 2010 Susana Weich-Shahak

There are no known ancient Hispanic versions of this ballad, but it is preserved in the Moroccan tradition with a few differences, such as the groom being depicted as a golden comb. 

Lyrics: 
La reina de Francia    tres hijas tenía, 
la una cusía,     la otra labraba 
la chica de ellas    bastidor hacía: 
labrando, labrando,    esfueño le caía. 
Su madre que la vía      aharvarla quería. 
- No m’aharves, madre,       ni m’aharvarías, 
me suñí un esfueño       bien y alegría: 
m’aparí al pozo,     vide un pilar de oro, 
con tres pajaricos     picando en el oro, 
m’aparí a la puerta,      vide la luna entera, 
m’aparí a la ventana,      vide la strella en Diana. 
-La strella en Diana,    es la tu cuñada, 
la luna entera     es la tu esfuegra, 
el pilar de oro,    el hijo’l rey, tu novio, 
los tres pajaricos,    tus tres cuñadicos. 

Translation: 
The queen of France    had three daughters,
one sewed,     the other embroidered,
the youngest of them    was working needlework:
embroidering, embroidering,    a dream came over her.
Her mother, who saw her,      wanted to scold her. 
– Do not scold me, mother,       nor would you scold me,
I dreamed a dream       good and joyful:
I appeared at the well,     I saw a pillar of gold,
with three little birds     pecking at the gold,
I approached the door,      I saw the full moon,
I approached the window,      I saw the star Diana. 
– The star Diana    is your sister-in-law,
the full moon     is your mother-in-law,
the pillar of gold    is the king’s son, your fiancé,
the three little birds    are your three brothers-in-law.