Y Aman antes que muriera llamó a todo su parientera los puso a su cabecera, un día antes de Purim. Calla tú, Zeresh, la loca, que hablar a ti no toca, por tí ordené la forca y me la estrené en Purim. A Aspata le decía: de mí tómate mancía, ni cadena ni manilla no estrenes en Purim. Y Šimši, el escribano, se mataba con su mano, no dejaba hueso y sano en el día de Purim Si verias a las gartejas Embajo las escaleras Enfilando la litrea Para ‘l dia de Purim Si verias a los ratones en bajo de los colchones enfilando maccarones para ‘l dia de Purim Al haham de los hijicos Y la mestra regalicos Y si puede, ducuadicos Para ‘l dia de Purim Las vicinas en las cocinas Desplumando las gallinas Kaymak, yougurt y meyina Para ‘l dia de Purim
One day before he died he called all his relatives he took them to his bedside, one day before Purim. Be silent, Zeresh, the crazy one, for it is not your place to speak, because of you I made the gallows and I was hung on Purim. To Aspata he was saying: “Take from me this warning, neither chain nor bracelet shall you wear on Purim.” And Šimši, the scribe, killed himself with his own hand, leaving neither bone nor whole on the day of Purim. If you saw the lizards under the stairs lining up the sweets for the day of Purim. If you saw the rats under the mattresses lining up the macaroni for the day of Purim. To the rabbi of the little boys and the teacher little gifts and if possible, small presents for the day of Purim. The neighbors in the kitchens plucking the chickens cream, yogurt, and oil for the day of Purim.
From Arboleras vol. 1 - Sephardic cancionero and coplas oral tradition,1996
This a a humorous and festive copla from the Ottoman tradition , celebrating the downfall of Haman and the joy of the Jewish people. Haman here is the protagonist, foreseeing all the disasters soon to befall him, his family and his advisors. An almost identical text of a Purim copla exists in North Morocco as well which includes a chorus. Most of the strophes in this copla are structured in Muslim originated 12th century Zajal rhyme quatrains, in which first three lines of each strophe rhyme while all the fourth lines rhyme with each other. The rhythm, typical of the Ottoman region, is an asymmetric 7/8 beat.
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