Arboleras 2

From Arboleras Vol. 2 - Romances Sefardies Tradicion Oral

This romansa, titled La vuelta del marido ("The Husband’s Return"), tells a story familiar throughout European balladry: the long-awaited return of a husband. Set among gentle trees with branches of gold and ivory, the ballad unfolds as a dialogue between a woman searching for her lost husband and a man who offers to bring him back, but only in exchange for her favors. Desperate, she offers the three windmills her beloved left behind, and even her three daughters. But when the man demands her own body, she refuses. In other versions, it is then that he reveals his true identity: he is her husband. To prove it, he describes the birthmark beneath her left breast.

Text:
Arbolera,  arbolera,       arbolera y tan gentí,
la raíz tiene de oro,      la simiente de marfí
    Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
Bajo la rama mas alta     una dama hay ayi
peinándo los sus cabellos    con un peine de marfi.
    Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
Por ahí paso un caballero,   misurado y tan gentíl.
- ¿Qué buscas, la mi siñora,   estas horas por aquí?
    Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
- Busco yo al mi querido     mi marido Amadí.
Y que dabas, la me siñora,   por que vo lo traiga aquí?
    Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
- Daba yo mis tres molinos,    mis molinos d’ Amadí:
el uno mole canela,    y el otro mole el zanzivil,
    Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
el trecero mole harina,  harina blanca d’ Amadí
Mas que dabash, la mi siniora, porque vo lo traiga aqui?
    Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
- Daba yo las tres mis hijas,  que quedaron d’Amadí,
la una para la mesa,   la otra para servir,
   Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
la mas chica de ellas,   para burlar y airir 
Mas que dabash, la mi siniora, porque vo lo traiga aqui?
   Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
- ¿Dabas vuestro cuerpo lindo,    tan galano y tan gentí?
- Ah, malania tu el caballero,   que tal se dio a dicir.
   Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
No maldigas mi siniora ne me maldigas a mi
yo so vuestro marido, vuestro marido Amadi
   Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.

Translation:
Tree, tree  tree  so noble,
its root is of gold, its seed of ivory.
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
Under the highest branch there is a lady there,
combing her hair with a comb of ivory.
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
Along there passed a knight, measured and so courteous.
- What do you seek, my lady, at these hours, here? 
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
- I seek my beloved, my husband Amadí. 
- And what would you give, my lady, if I were to bring him here? 
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
- I would give my three mills, my mills of Amadí:
one grinds cinnamon, and another grinds ginger,
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
the third grinds flour, white flour of Amadí. 
- But what would you give, my lady, if I were to bring him here? 
Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
- I would give my three daughters, who remained from Amadí,
one for the table, another to serve,
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
the youngest of them, for laughing and for walking.
- But what would you give, my lady, if I were to bring him here? 
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
- Would you give your lovely body, so handsome and so fair? 
- Ah, cursed be you, the knight, that such you came to say! 
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
- Do not curse, my lady, do not curse me,
for I am your husband, your husband Amadí. 
  Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.