Sung by Alicia Benassayag, Tetuán, 1956.

The classic ballad of the Reconquest. A young man sees a beautiful girl washing clothes in the fountain and assumes she is a Moor. When informed that she is a Christian he offers to take her away with him. As they enter his father's lands he discovers she is his long-lost sister enslaved by the Moors on Easter Sunday.

Passing through Casablanca,
I walked by the Moorish quarter;
I saw a girl washing clothes
In crystal clear waters.
I saw a girl washing clothes
In crystal clear waters.

"Step aside, beautiful Moor;
Step aside, lovely Moor.
Let my horse drink
From these crystalline waters;
Let my horse drink
From those crystalline waters."

"I am not a Moor, sir,
But a Christian captive;
The Moors captured me
On Easter Sunday.
The Moors captured me
On Easter Sunday."

"Would you like to come with me,
Mounted on my horse?"
"Yes, sir, fine gentleman;
Willingly will I go with you.
And the clothes that I wash,
To whom shall I leave them?"

"The linen and Holland cloth,
Take these with you;
And those of no value,
Throw them into the sea.
And those of no value

"And my honor, sir,
To whom shall I leave it?"
"I swear by the sword
Girded at my waist,
That I will not dishonor you
While you are not mine."

They rode through several fields,
The girl crying as she went;
"Why do you cry, beautiful Moor?
Why do you cry, lovely Moor?"

"I cry because in these fields
My father used to hunt,
With my brother, Moralejo,
And all his men."

"What are you saying?
Holy Virgin Mary!
I thought to bring a wife,
But instead I bring my sister.
I thought to bring a wife,
But instead I bring my sister.

"Mother, open the door,
The windows and galleries;
The rose has appeared
The one you cried for night and day.
The rose has appeared
The one you cried for night and day."

While her father kissed her,
Her mother cries and said:
"My daughter, for so long
Where did they hide you?

"In a Moors' cave
They kept me as a slave,
Washing clothes
In crystal clear waters.”

Armistead: Vol. I, pg. 277 (H3)

Sung by Alicia Benassayag, Tetuán, 1956.

Al pasar por Casablanca,
pasé por la morería;
y vi una mora lavando
en aguas claras y cristalinas.
y vi una mora lavando
en aguas claras y cristalinas.

"Apártate, mora bella;
apártate, mora linda.
deja beber mi caballo
en esas aguas cristalinas;
deja beber mi caballo
en esas aguas cristalinas."

"No soy mora, caballero,
que soy cristiana cautiva;
me cautivaron los moros
día de Pascua Florida.
me cautivaron los moros
día de Pascua Florida."

"Te quieres venir conmigo,
en mi caballo subida?"
"Sí, señor, buen caballero;
de buena gana me iría.
¿Y la ropa esta que lavo,
a quién se la dejaría?"

"La de hilo y de holanda,
contigo lo traerías;
y la que no vale nada,
a la mar la hecharías.
Y la que no vale nada,

"¿Y mi honra, caballero,
a quién se la dejaría?"
"Juro delante mi espada
de mi cintura ceñida,
de no tocarlo a tu honra
mientras que no séas mía."

Por unos campos pasaban,
la mora llorando iba;
"¿Por qué lloras, mora bella?
“¿Por qué lloras, mora linda?"

"Lloro porque en estos campos
mi padre a cazar venía,
con mi hermano, Moralejo,
y toda su cortesía."

"¿Qué palabras esas que oigo?
¡Sagrada Vírgen María!
Yo pensé traer mujer,
y traigo una hermana mía.
Yo pensé traer mujer,
y traigo una hermana mía.

"Madre, abra usted la puerta,
ventanas y galerías;
que ha aparecido la rosa
que llorabas noche y día.
que ha aparecido la rosa
que llorabas noche y día."

Mientras que el padre la besaba,
la madre llora y decía:
"Hija mía, tanto tiempo,
¿dónde has estado metida?"

"En una cueva de moros
por esclava me tenían,
lavándoles los pañuelos
en aguas claras y cristalinas.”