Sung by An Unknown Singer, Tetuán, 1956.

Julia lives in a castle with her Moorish lover, a kind and generous man, with whom she plays forfeit games, and always wins. One day, as he sleeps in her lap, a wild-looking young man appears in the bushes. He assures her that he is not a savage but a young page in search of Julia, betrothed to him before her birth by her father, King Juglar. Later, she was kidnapped by Moors. Awakened from his nap, the Moor rushes to Julia’s defense but she castigates him for trying to harm a country boy — and runs away with her betrothed. Loyalty to her Christian faith outweighs the material advantages of life with a Moor.

Julia in the castle
With that gallant Moor;
They were throwing the dice
To have a good time.

When Julia plays,
She wins a city or more;
When the Moor loses,
She lets him kiss her hand.

And in Julia’s lap
Lies the sleeping Moor.
Through the brambles above,
She sees a page appear.

Barefoot he comes, barefoot,
Blood runs from his fingernails;
With hair down to the waist
He looked like a savage.

“I am not a savage, Madam,
Nor am I one by lineage;
It has been seven years, seven,
I have wandered these brambles.

It has been seven years, seven,
I have wandered these brambles;
Eating green grass,
Drinking water from puddles.

Eating green grass,
Drinking water from puddles,
In search of Julia,
Daughter of King Juglar.

In search of Julia,
Daughter of King Juglar;
Her father promised her to me
While yet in her mother’s womb.

“Her father promised her to me
While yet in her mother’s womb;
Moors took her from me
Easter Sunday in the afternoon.

The Moors took her from me
Easter Sunday in the afternoon,
As she gathered roses and flowers
From her father’s garden.”

When Julia heard this,
As she sat at breakfast,
Tears from her eyes
Fell en the Moor’s face.

“What’s the matter, Julia?
Who has done you harm?
If the Moors have done you harm,
I will order them killed.

“If Christians have done you harm,
I will order them captured;
If Jews have done you harm,
I will order them exiled.”

“The Moors have done me no harm,
Do not order them killed;
Christians have done me no harm,
Do not order them captured.


Christians have done me no harm,
Do not order them captured;
No Jew has done me harm,
They are people who do no harm.”

Through the brambles above,
She saw the page appear;
Barefoot he comes, barefoot,
Blood runs from his fingernails.

When the Moor saw him,
He reached for his weapon;
“I am amazed at you, Moor,
I am amazed at your arrogance.

“I am amazed at you, Moor,
I am amazed at your arrogance
Against a country yokel
You took up arms.”

When Julia understood
That the Moor was going to kill him,
The page lift her in his arms
And carried her to her own land.

Armistead: Vol. IV, pg. 46 (MP61/132)

Note: In another version, Julia kills the Moor, then returns to her own land and marries the page.

Sung by An Unknown Singer, Tetuán, 1956.

Juliana en el castillo
con ese moro galano;
jugando iban a los dados
por mejor gusto tomare.

De que Juliana juega,
gana una ciudad o mase;
de que el morito perdía,
la mano le da a besare.

Y en haldas de Juliana
el moro vencido yace.
Por aquél jarál de arriba,
y a un paje vido asomare.

Descalzo viene, descalzo,
de sus uñas corre sangre;
cabello a la cintura
que parecía un salvaje.

“No soy salvaje, señora,
ni lo traigo de linaje;
siete años hacían, siete,
que ando por estos jarales.

Siete años hacían, siete,
que ando por estos jarales;
comiendo la hierba verde,
bebiendo agua de un charcale.

Comiendo la hierba verde,
bebiendo agua de un charcale,
busquedad de Juliana,
hija del rey Don Juglare.

Busquedad de Juliana,
hija del rey Don Juglare;
me la prometió su padre
desde el vientre de su madre.

“Me la prometió su padre
desde el vientre de su madre;
me la cautivaron moros
día de pascua, una tarde.

Me la cautivaron moros
día de pascua, una tarde,
cogiendo rosas y flores
de las huertas de su padre.”

Como eso oyera Juliana,
a sentar a desayunare,
lagrimas de los sus ojos
en faces del moro caen.

“¿Qué tienes tú, Juliana?
o quién te ha hecho male?
Si te han hecho male los moros,
los mandaré yo a matare.

“Si te han heche mal cristianos,
los mandaré a cautivare;
si te han hecho mal judíos,
los mandare a desterrare.”

“Ni me han hecho mal los moros,
ni los mande a matare;
ni me han hecho mal cristianos,
ni los mande a cautivare.

Ni me han hecho mal cristiano,
ni los mande a cautivare;
ni me han hecho mal judío,
gente son que mal no hacen.”

Por aquél jarál de arriba,
un paje vide asomare;
descalzo viene, descalzo,
de sus uñas corre sangre.

Como eso oyera el morito
armas se fuera a tomare;
“Me maravillo de tí, el moro
y de la tu hombredade.

“Me maravillo de tí, el moro,
y de la tu hombredade
por un salvaje del campo
armas fuistes a tomare.”

Como eso oyera Juliana
que el moro le iba a matare,
la alzó el paje en sus brazos
y la llevara a su lugare.