Sung by a member of Ester Cadosh Israel's family. Tetuán, 1956.

A sargeant admits having an affair with the youngest of three girls He goes to her house and demands the mother hand her over. When she refuses, he breaks down the door, and carries her away. The mother warns her daughter to protect her honor. One the road when she resists his advances, he cuts out her tongue. The ballad ends with a condemnation of this cruel and inhuman act.

There in the plaza of Algiers
A great multitude was assembled;
So many soldiers
They overflowed the plaza.

Said the sergeant to the lieutenant,
"Let's patrol the road."
"You do it, my sergeant,
I have just made the rounds."

From the top of a hill,
To the bottom, at a corner,
They saw three girls
Coming from mass.

One dressed in green,
And the other in fine scarlet cloth,
And the youngest of them
Was dressed in white.

Said the sergeant to the lieutenant,
"Which of them is the prettiest?”
"The one in white, sergeant,
So my eyes tell me."

"Seven years, it is, seven
That she is my lover."
And just about midnight
The sergeant went for the girl.

Gently he knocked at the door;
Who would answer
If not her mother,
Who watched and did not sleep.

"Who is it or what is it
That beats at my door?"
"It is the sergeant, madam,
Who comes for your daughter."

"She is not here, sergeant, sir,
She went to her aunt's house;
She went to her aunt's house
To celebrate Easter Sunday."

With a dagger he had brought,
He broke down the door
And found the girl lying down,
Undressed and in her nightgown.

"Wait, sergeant sir,
I will put on her skirt."
"My cape is long enough;
With it I will cover her."

As they went out the door,
Three words she said:
"Protect your honor, my daughter;
For your sake more than mine."

"I will protect myself, mother,
Though it may cost my life."
They had traveled three leagues,
And he had said nothing to her.

At the beginning of the fourth,
She resisted his advances:
"Stop, stop, sargeant;
Don't be so bold."

He unsheathed his sharp knife,
And cut out her tongue;
A man who loses such a jewel,
What punishment does he deserve?

Let his feet and hands be tied,
That he be dragged along the road.
Let his feet and hands be tied,
That he be dragged along the road.

Vol. II, pg. 125 (Q2)

Sung by a member of Ester Cadosh Israel's family. Tetuán, 1956.

Allá en la plaza de Argél
hacen gran capitanía;
tantos hombres los soldados
que en la plaza no cabían.

Dijo el sargento al alferez,
"Vamos a rondar la vía."
"Rondala tú, mi sargento,
yo rondada la tenía."

A la subida de un monte,
Y a la bajada, una esquina,
Vieron venir tres mocitas
que de la misa venían.

La una vestida en verde,
y la otra en grana fina,
y la mas chiquita de ellas
de blanco iba vestida.

Dijo el sargento al alferez,
"¿Cual de ellas es la mas linda?”
"La de lo blanco, el sargento,
que a mis ojos parecía."

Siete anos hacían, siete
que la tengo por amiga."
y a eso de la medianoche
sargento fué por la niña.

Golpecitos dió a la puerta;
nadie que le respondía
si no era la su madre,
que velaba y no dormía.

“¿Quién es ese o cual es ese
que a mi puerta combatía?"
“Sargento soy, mi señora,
que vengo yo por la niña."

"No está aquí, señor sargento,
se fué a casa de su tía;
se fué a casa de su tía
que tiene Pascua Florida."

Con un puñal que ha traído,
la puerta desquiciaría
y encontró a la niña hechada,
desnudita y en camisa.

"Espere, señor sargento,
pondré la su sayita."
"La capa traigo yo larga;
con ella la cubriría."

A la salida de la puerta,
Tres palabras la decía:
"Guarda tu honra, mi hija;
Más es tuya que no mía.

"Yo la guardaré, mi madre,
Aunque me cueste la vida."
Tres leguas habían andado,
Y nada la decía.

A la entrada de las cuatro,
amore le retenía:
"Tate, tate tú, el sargento;
no tengas tal osadía."

Sacó navajita aguda,
la lengua le cortara;
y hombre que tal prenda pierde,
“¿Qué castigo merecía?

Que le aten pies y manos,
y le arrastren por la vía.
que le aten pies y manos,
y le arrastren. por la vía.