Arboleras 1

Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Yc2774/9
Referenced and notated in: Romancero Sefardi de Oriente, pg. 97, Editorial Alpuerto, 2010 Susana Weich-Shahak.

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.

Lyrics:
Arbolera,  arbolera,       arbolera y tan gentíl,
la raíz tiene de oro,      la simiente de marfíl
                        Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
En la más ramica alta    y hay una dama tan gentíl,
peinándo los sus cabellos    con un peine de marfil.
Por ahí pasa un caballero,   misurado y tan gentíl.
- ¿Qué buscas, la mi siñora,     tala hora por aquí?
                        Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
- Busco yo al mi querido      que me dejó d’Amadí..
- ¿Que darés, la me siñora,      al que vo lo trujera aquí?
                        Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
- Daré yo los tres molinos,    que quedaron d’ Amadí:
 el uno muele canela,    y el otro muele el gingivil,
                        Ah, ganem, dostum  guideím.
el más chico de ellos,   mole harina d’ Amadí.  
- ¿Más darés, la me siñora,    al que vo lo trujera aquí?
- Daré yo los tres palacios    que quedaron d’Amadí,
el uno da para la huerta,    el otro par’ el yalí
y al mas chico de ellos    se echaba el chelibí.
- ¿Más darés, la me siñora,    al que vo lo trujera aquí?
- Daré las tres mis hijas,  que quedaron d’Amadí,
la una para la mesa,       la otra para servir,
y la mas chica de ellas,    para honrar  y durmir.  
- ¿Darés vuestro cuerpo lindo,    tan galano y tan gentí?
- Malhaño tal caballero,   que tal se dejó dicir.

Translation:
Tree, tree, tree and so noble,
the root it has of gold, the seed of ivory
         Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
On the highest little branch there is a lady so noble,
combing her own hair with a comb of ivory.
There passes by a knight, measured and so noble.
- What do you seek, my lady, at such an hour around here?
      Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
- I seek my beloved who left me, Amadí.
- What will you give, my lady, to the one who would bring him here?
     Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
- I will give the three mills, that remained from Amadí:
one grinds cinnamon, and the other grinds ginger,
     Ah, my friend, my dear friend, let us go.
the smallest of them, grinds flour of Amadí.
- Will you give more, my lady,
to the one who would bring him here?
- I will give the three palaces that remained from Amadí,
one opens to the garden, the other to the sea side,
and in the smallest of them is for my beloved to lie down.
- Will you give more, my lady, to the one who would bring him here?
- I will give my three daughters, that remained from Amadí,
one for the table, the other for serving,
and the smallest of them, for honoring and sleeping.
- Will you give your lovely body, so gallant and so noble?
- Curse such a knight, who let such words be said.