Six Castillan Folksongs

Allá arriba, en aquella montaña, 
yo corté una caña, yo corté un clavel.
Labrador ha de ser, labrador,
que mi amante lo es.
No le quiero molinero, 
que me da con el maquilandero.
Yo le quiero labrador, 
que coja las mulas y se vaya a arar 
y a la medianoche me venga a rondar.
Entra labrador si vienes a verme. 
Si vienes a verme ven por el corral,
sube por el naranjo, que seguro vas.
Entra labrador si vienes a verme.

Up there, on that mountain, 
I cut some cane, I picked a carnation.
A simple farmer must he be, a simple farmer,
must my lover be.
I do not want a miller, 
who treats me like the grain that powers his mill.
I want a simple farmer, 
to take the mules and go to plow
and at midnight come to serenade me.
Enter, farmer, if you have come to see me. 
If you come to me, come through the farmyard,
climb the orange tree, [just] to be safe.
Enter, farmer, if you have come to see me. 

Text Authorship:

• Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Translator's notes: This folksong from Candeleda, Avila, in Castille y León is also called “La molinera y el maquilandero."

This text was added to the website: 2016-02-13
Line count: 13
Word count: 98

¡Sereno! En mi casa hay un hombre
durmiendo con un capotón.
En la mano llevaba un reloj 
y un puñal de plata.
¡Ay! Sereno, este hombre me mata.

Nightwatchman! In my house there is a man
sleeping under a cloak.
He was wearing a watch and in his hands
holding a silver dagger.
Ah! Nightwatchman, this man is killing me.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Translator's note: "Sereno" can also refer to a guardian or protector.

This text was added to the website: 2016-02-13
Line count: 5
Word count: 32

Llámale con el pañuelo, llámale con garbo y modo.
Echale la escarapela al otro lado del lomo.
Llámale majo al toro. 
Torero tira la capa; torero tira el capote; 
mira que el toro te pilla, mira que el toro te coge.
Majo, si vas a los toros, no lleves capa pa torear;
que son los toros muy bravos y a algún torero
     le van a matar.

Wave to him with your handkerchief, call him with grace and style.
Throw your cockade over his shoulder.
Majo, call the bull. 
Matador, throw down your silk promenade cape; twirl your long red cape; 
Look out, lest the bull catch you, look out, lest the bull gets you.
Majo, if you go to the bulls, don’t wear a decorative cape to fight;
for the bulls are very brave and some bullfighter
     they are going to kill.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Translator's notes:
Line 2: "cockade" - a circulation badge of ribbons, affixed to a men’s tricorne hat or a woman’s dress hat to show political faction, rank, or regiment
Line 3: Majo/maja was a 18th-19th century term for lower-class citizens of Madrid who distinguished themselves through elaborate outfits (including folding fans, veils, and capes) and impertinent behavior.

This text was added to the website: 2016-02-13
Line count: 8
Word count: 76

No quiero tus avellanas, 
tampoco tus alelíes,
porque me han salido vanas 
las palabras que me diste.

Las palabras que me diste yendo 
por aqua a la fuente,
como eran palabras de amor 
se las llevó la corriente.

Se las llevó la corriente 
de las cristalinas aguas
hasta llegar a la fuente 
donde me diste palabra,

Donde me diste palabra 
de ser mía hasta la muerte.

I don’t want your hazelnuts, 
nor your alhelí flowers,
because I found to be empty 
the words you said to me.

The words you said to me as I went 
for water at the spring,
since they were just words of love
carried away by the current.

They were carried away by the current 
of the crystal-clear waters
down to the fountain 
where you gave me your word,

Where you gave me your word 
to be mine until death.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Translator's note for line 2: "alhelí" - a small biennial plant sometimes called Aegean wallflower

This text was added to the website: 2016-02-13
Line count: 14
Word count: 79

Cómo quieres que adivine 
si estás despierta o dormida,
¡como no baje del cielo un ángel 
y me lo diga!
¿Cómo quieres que adivine?
Alegría y más alegría,
     hermosa paloma cuando serás mía,
cuando serás mia, ¡cuando vas a ser,
     hermosa paloma, remito laurel!

Cuando voy por leña al monte 
olé ya mi niña y me meto en la espesura,
y veo la nieve blanca, ole ya mi niña,
     me acuerdo de tu hermosura. 
Quisiera ser por un rato anillo
     de tu pendiente,
para decirte al oído
     lo que mi corazón siente.

Las estrellas voy contando, ole ya mi niña,
     por ver la que me persigue. 
Ne persigue un lucerito, olé ya mi niña,
     pequeñito  pero firme, 
Alegría y más alegria, 
     hermosa paloma cuando serás mia.
¡Cuando serás mia, cuando vas a ser,
     hermosa paloma, ramito laurel!
¡Cómo quieres que adivine!

How can you expect me to guess
if you’re awake or asleep?
An angel isn’t dropping down from heaven 
to tell me!
How can you expect me to guess?
Joy and more joy,
     beautiful dove, when you’re mine,
when you’re mine, when you will,
     beautiful dove, honor me!

When I go for firewood, up the mountain
oh yes, my girl, and I get tangled in the thicket,
and I see the white snow, oh yes, my girl,
     I remember your beauty. 
I’d like to be a ring (just for awhile)
     in your earring,
to whisper in your ear
     what my heart feels.

The stars are counted by me, oh yes, my girl,
     to see which one pursues me. 
It’s not Venus, oh yes, my girl,
     but a tiny one, that shines steadily, 
Joy and more joy, 
     beautiful dove, when you’re mine,
when you’re mine, when you will,
     beautiful dove, honor me!
How can you expect me to guess?

Text Authorship:

• Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Translator's notes:
Line 1-9: "honor me" - laurel can refer to a wreath of bay leaves, a triumphal garland, or the verb Laurear ( to honor)
Line 3-3: "Venus" - lucerito refers to the brightest “star" in the sky, which could be Venus, a morning star, or an evening star

This text was added to the website: 2016-02-14
Line count: 26
Word count: 158

Mañanita de San Juan,
levántate tempranito
y en la ventana verás 
de hierbabuena un poquito.

Aquella paloma blanca
que pica en el arcipiés, 
que por dónde la cogeria,
que por dónde la cogeré;
si la cojo por el pico 
se me escapa por los pies.

Coge niño la enramada, 
que la noche está serena
y la música resuena 
en lo profundo del mar.

Morning on St. John’s Day,
wake up very early
and in the windowsill 
a little bit of mint.

That white dove
which pecks among the leaves, 
where might I catch it?
Where shall I catch it?
Even if I catch it by the beak 
it can escape me by foot.

Boy, take that flowering branch, 
for the night is calm
and the music resounds 
deep in the sea.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
  Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in Spanish (Español) from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
  • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2016-02-13
Line count: 14
Word count: 68