Ajuare nuevo, delantre vos los pondrí, suegra y cuñada, no tengáis que dećir: que muestra novia, muncho lo veló al candil y el muestro novio cenó y se echó a dormir. Anoche, mi madre, cení y me echí a dormir, soñaba un sueño, tan dulce lo era de dećir, que me bañaba a las orillas del Sil, viniera la ola y a mí quisiera vencer. Con amor, madre, con amor yo me iré a dormir. Marido es, hija, que a ti vino a depedir. Con amor, madre, con amor yo me iré a dormir. Anoche, mi madre, cení y me echí a acostar, soñaba un sueño, tan dulce lo era de contar, que me bañaba a las orillas del mar, viniera la ola y a mí quisiera llevar. Con amor, madre, con amor yo me iré a folgar Marido es, híja, que a ti vino a demandar. Con amor, madre, con amor yo me iré a folgar.
New trousseau,
before you I will lay it out,
mother-in-law and sister-in-law,
you have nothing to say:
our bride
kept long vigil by the lamp,
and our groom
has eaten and gone to sleep. Last night, my mother,
I ate and went to sleep,
I dreamt a dream,
so sweet it was to tell,
that I was bathing
at the banks of the Sil,
the wave came
and wished to overcome me.
With love, mother,
with love I will go to sleep.
It is a husband, daughter,
who came to bid you farewell.
With love, mother,
with love I will go to sleep. Last night, my mother,
I ate and went to lie down,
I dreamt a dream,
so sweet it was to recount,
that I was bathing
at the edge of the sea,
the wave came
and wished to carry me away.
With love, mother,
with love I will go to rest (have pleasure).
It is a husband, daughter,
who came to ask for you.
With love, mother,
with love I will go to rest (have pleasure).
From Arboleras vol. 1 - Sephardic cancionero and coplas oral tradition,1996 This North Moroccan dowry song describes how the dowry is laid out before the future mother in law and sister in law. The bride is described as having worked many hours by the light of the lamp to have her trousseau ready while the groom has eaten and slept. The bride then recalls dreaming a dream of erotic images of being swept away by a wave. Traditionally, this is accompanied by a single castanet, showing a later Spanish influence.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025