Parida, el Dio vos guadre, cuanto quere la vuestra madre, parida sos. Parida staba la reina, parida sos. S'aqueja la parida que no comió nada, se come la gallina, los guesos debajo la cama. Ya viene el parido con las manos llenas, que en la una mano manzanas y peras, en la otra mano mazo de candelas. Que haces, parida, que haces, mi alma. S'aqueja la parida que no comió nada, se comió la gallina, los gesos debajo la cama. Vino bullido, bien arevinido que mos viva 'l parido, tambien el nacido.
Birthing mother, may God guard you,
how much your mother loves you,
you are a birthing mother.
Birthing was the queen,
you are a birthing mother. The birthing mother complains that she ate nothing,
she eats the hen, the bones beneath the bed. Now comes the father with his hands full,
in the one hand apples and pears,
in the other hand a bundle of candles. What are you doing, birthing mother, what are you doing, my soul?
The birthing mother complains that she ate nothing,
she ate the hen, the bones beneath the bed. Boiled wine,
well prepared,
may the father live,
and also the newborn.
Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Y 2091/2 Referenced and notated in: El ciclo de la vida, pg. 172, Editorial Alpuerto, 2013 Susana Weich-Shahak. This copla describes a woman who has just given birth and receives blessings for protection. She hides the chicken bones under the bed so that no one will see she has eaten well, shielding herself from envy and the evil eye during her vulnerable postpartum period. The father arrives bringing symbolic gifts such as fruit and candles, representing care and blessing. The song ends with a wish for the well being of both the father and the newborn.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025