De que lloras, blanca y linda

From Arboleras - De las altas mares, Ecos Sefardies de la isle de Rodas, cd1, 2009

In the Sephardic tradition, the combination of two ballads is very frequent, the first consisting of a dialogue between the departing knight and his tearful young wife, which continues with another theme, that of the mother who curses her son and then, missing him, asks about him, after which he reveals himself as her long lost son. 

Text:
- ¿De qué lloras, blanca y linda?  Aman  ¿De qué lloras, blanca flor?
- Lloro por ti, caballero,     que te vas y me dejás,
me dejás chica y muchacha, aman,     niña de la poca edad,
me dejás hijos muy chicos,     lloran y demandan pan. -
Metió la mano en su pecho,       dos mil dublas ya le da.
- ¿Esto para que m’abasta, aman,   para vino o para pan?
Venderés viñas y campos,    media parte de civdad.
Si a los siete años non torno,    a los ocho vos casás.
Tomarés un mancebico, aman,    que parezca par igual,
le dares los mis vistidos     sin sudar y sin manchar.
Esto que sintió la su madre, aman,      maldición le fue a echar.
- Todas las naves del porto   vaigan y tornen en paz
y la nave de tu hijo    vaiga y non torne más. -
Paso tiempo vino tiempo, aman,     descariño le fue a dar,
Subiose a la uda,   la mas alta de saray
aparóse a la ventana,    la que da para la mar,
Vido venir navicica, aman,     navegando por la mar.
- Así viva, el capitáno,      que me diga la verdad,
¿si vites al mi hijo, aman,     al tu hijo coronal?
- Si lo vide, si, siñora,  al tu hijo coronal,   
la tierratiene  por cama, aman,  y la piedra por cabezal,   
Esto que sintió la su madre,    cumenzo ella  a llorar
Cumenza ella a aharvarse, aman,   de la ventanan abajo se quiso tirar
-No vos echos la mi madre     so vuestro hijo ‘l coronal
-Una vez que si era esto, aman,   una siñal me deras?
-Dembajo del brazo siedro, tres cabellos tengo con un lunar
Besosen y abrazonse, aman, se feron a pasear

Translation:
-  Why do you weep, fair and lovely one? Aman Why do you weep, white flower?
-  I weep for you, knight, for you are leaving and abandoning me,
you leave me small and young, aman, a girl of tender age,
you leave me very little children, they cry and ask for bread. -
He put his hand into his chest, two thousand doubloons he gives her.
- Is this enough for me, aman, for wine or for bread?
You will sell vineyards and fields, half a city.
If in seven years I do not return, in the eighth you shall marry.
You will take a young man, aman, who is your equal,
you will give him my clothes neither soiled nor stained.
When his mother heard this, aman, she cast a curse upon him.
- May all the ships of the port go and return in peace,
but your son’s ship may it go and never return. -
Time passed, time came, aman, estrangement came upon her,
She went up to the tower, the highest in the palace,
she leaned at the window, the one that faces the sea,
She saw a little ship, aman, sailing upon the sea.
-  Long live the captain, tell me the truth,
did you see my son, aman, your son the colonel?
-  Yes, I saw him, yes, madam, your son the colonel,
the earth is his bed, aman, and stone his pillow,
When his mother heard this, she began to weep,
She began to throw herself about, aman,  
          from the window below she wished to cast herself down.
-  Do not throw yourself, my mother, I am your son, the colonel.
- If this is truly so, aman, will you give me a sign?
-  Under my left arm, three hairs I have with a mole.
They kissed and embraced, aman, and went out to walk together.