Andarleto 2

From Merendjenas, Orit Perlman, 2023

This romansa which appears in many versions in multiple communities around the Balkans and in Morrocco, probably migrated to Spain through France via the troubadours. The lyrics tell of a king who, early in the morning, playfully touches his queen, who mistakes him for her lover Andarleto (in other variations of this romance he is called Landariko, Andaleto or Angelino, or other similar names). She declares her love for him and proceeds to list all the ways in which she favours his children over those of the King: “The King's sons wear brocade, but your sons wear brocade and silk; the King's sons ride a donkey, but your sons also ride a horse; the King's sons are sent to war, but your sons stay by my side”. When she realizes that it's the King she is speaking to and not her lover, she begs for forgiveness with the excuse that she must have been half asleep and drowsy from the night. He answers that he will forgive her with her head by her side, implying that she will be beheaded. The long list of expressions of favoritism between the sons is what distinguishes the Jewish version of this romansa from the Spanish, clarifying that not only is adultery forbidden, but even more so is favoritism between children.

Lyrics:
- Andarleto, mi Andarleto, mi polido enamorado
mas te kero, mas te amo   ke al rey kon su reinado
Dos ijikos de ti tengo    i dos del rey ke son kuatro
Los del rey benean mula,  i los tuyos mula i kabayo
Los del rey visten de brusa, los tuyos brusa i bruslado
Los del rey van a la gerra, i los tuyos al mi lado
Eya ke volta la kara  vido el rey a su lado
- Perdon, perdon mi senyor rey, por todo lo ke avlado
ke anoche a medianoche, todo me fue asonyado
- Yo lo pardon, mi reina, kon la kaveza a un lado

Translation:
- Andarleto, my Andarleto, my handsome beloved,
I love you, I adore you, more than the king with all his kingdom.
Two little sons I have from you, and two from the king, that makes four;
the king’s come riding on mules, and yours on mules and horses.
The king’s are dressed in brocade, yours in shirts brocade and silk
the king’s go off to war, but yours stay by my side.
She turned her face, and saw the king beside her,
- Forgive me, forgive me, my lord king, for all that I have spoken,
for last night, at midnight, all of it came to me in a dream.
- I forgive you, my queen, with your head by your side