Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama la cabeza? - Esto no se llama cabeza sino toronja de toronjal ay my toronja de toronjal a mi campo espacioso, viva la novia con el novio. Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llaman los cabellos? - Esto no se llaman cabellos sino briles de labrar, ay mis briles de labrar, ay my toronja de toronjal viva la novia con el novio. Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama i la frente? - Esto no se llama frente sino spada leluciente, ay mis spada leluciente ay mis briles de labrar... Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama i las cejas? - Esto no se llaman cejas sino arco de tirar, ay, mi arco de tirar… Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama i los ojos? - Esto no se llama ojos sino ricos miraldares, ay, mis ricos miraldares… Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama i las caras? - Esto no se llama caras sino ricos mazapanes… Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama la nariz? - Esto no se llama nariz sino pendola d’escribir… Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama los labios? - Esto no se llama labios sino rangos de coral… Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama los dientres? - Esto no se llama labios sino perlas de enfilar… Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama los boca? - Esto no se llama boca sino horno de hornar… Dice la nuestra novia: - Cómo se llama los lengua? - Esto no se llama lungua sino pala de enfornar…
Our bride says: - "What is the head called? - This is not called a head, but an orange from the orange tree, oh my orange from the orange tree, in my spacious field, long live the bride with the groom. Our bride says: - "What is hair called? - These are not called hair, but rather shining threads, oh my shining threads, oh my orange from the vineyard, long live the bride with the groom. Our bride says: - "What is the forehead called? - This is not called a forehead, but rather a shining sword, oh my shining sword, oh my shining tools... Our bride says: - "What are the eyebrows called? - These are not called eyebrows, but rather a bow to shoot, oh, my bow to shoot... Our bride says: - "What are the eyes called? - These are not called eyes, but rather rich balconies, oh, my rich balconies... Our bride says: - "What are cheeks called? - These are not called cheeks, but rich marzipan... Our bride says: - What is the nose called? - This is not called a nose, but a writing pen... Our bride says: - What are lips called? - These are not called lips, but rows of coral... Our bride says: - What are teeth called? - These are not called teeth, but pearls to be strung... Our bride says: - What is the mouth called? - This is not called a mouth, but an oven for baking... Our bride says: - What is the tongue called? - This is not called a tongue, but a stick for baking...
From Arboleras - De las altas mares, Ecos Sefardies de la isle de Rodas, cd 2, 2009 During the bride’s bath, an event attended only by women, that, in both the Eastern and Western Sephardic traditions, a cumulative song is performed. Similar to the Portrait of the Lady known in various regions of Spain, the song describes the bride’s beauty from head to toe. Yet, unlike its Spanish counterpart, it assigns to each feature a metaphorical comparison and then, in reverse order, repeats all the comparisons rather than the physical features themselves. This same song theme appears both in the Eastern tradition and in Morocco, sharing the same cumulative structure and strikingly similar expressions.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025