Es un grande mal con las dotas: los niños saben abusar, las ke no tienen la pilota ellas no se pueden kasar. Los niños piden mesa franka y esfuegro bien paralí, buscan la hanina o la blanka, mesmo si él es bragalí. Buška mujer menajera ke sepa bien lavorar kon alguja y tijera y su kasa bien mirar.
It is a great evil with the dowries: the boys know how to take advantage, those girls who do not have the money they cannot get married. The boys ask for a rich table and a rich father-in-law, they look for the graceful and fair one, even if he himself is a poor. He looks for a woman who keeps house, who knows well how to work with needle and scissors and watch well over her home.
From Arboleras vol. 3, Sephardic songs from the 20th century, 2000 This song criticizes the the custom of having to provide a bride with a large dowry, often exploited by grooms who are not worth it. The song was printed in 1924 and the tune is from the French song: 'Lison-Lisette' composed by Chales Borel-Clerc.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025