Sung by Flora Benamor, Tetuán, 1956.

A married woman, offended by a young man’s advances, grabs him by the throat and tosses him into the sea. Regretting her unkindness she rescues him, takes him home, and revives him with loving care. Inexplicably, he resists her tender advances. Perhaps you heard gossip about me, she says, or are worried my husband or brothers will appear. She assures him that she makes her own decisions. Moreover, they do not live in her vicinity.

I arose on a Monday,
On a Monday before dawn;
Carrying my water jug,
I went down to the sea.
(like that)

Refrain
And to the sound of the hare
I shall go to sleep.

I met a young man
Who tried to seduce me;
I grabbed him by the throat,
And I threw him in the sea to drown.

Refrain

And after I had thrown him in,
I sat down and I cried;
Pain, my heart pains me,
Pains me to see him drown.

I took hold of my braid
And with it went to save him;
I caught him by the hand,
And carried him to my house

I laid him on a bed of roses,
With a pillow of orange blossoms;
A quilt to cover him
Oh! of leaves of a lemon tree.

I bathe and bathe his face
With the leaves of a lemon tree
I combed his hair
With a crystal comb.

I took him by the hand
And lifted him to my bed;
Half the night has passed,
And he turns his face away.

“What have they told you, Adelino?
Who has spoken badly of me?
If it is about my husband,
He is very far from here.

“If it is about my brothers,
They live very far from here.”
The far becomes near
For whoever wants to come.

The far becomes near
For whoever wants to come;
The near becomes far
For whoever wants to go.


Armistead: Vol. IV, pg. 118 (MP781 M1)

Sung by Flora Benamor, Tetuán, 1956.

Yo me levantara un lunes,
un lunes antes de albor;
cogiera bashía en mano,
y a la mar fuera yo.
(mira así)

Refrán
Y al son de la liebre
y me iré a dormir.

Me encontré con un mancebo
que de mí quizo burlar;
le he cogido del pescuezo,
y a la mar le echara a ahogar.

Refran

Y después que lo había echado,
tomé y me senté a llorar;
duele, mi corazón duele,
duele de verlo ahogar.

Cogí mi trenza de pelo
y con ella me fui a salvar;
le he cogido de la mano,
y a mi casa lo llevé

Le puse cama de rosa,
cabecera de ahazar;
cobertor con que se tapa,
ay! de hojas de un limonar.

Le lavo y lavo su cara,
con hojas de un limonar;
le peinara su pelo
con un peine de cristál.

Le he cogido de la mano
y a mi cama le subí;
media noche ya es pasada,
y la cara no vuelve a mí.

“¿Qué te han dicho a ti, Adelino?
quién te ha hablado mal de mí?
si será por mi marido,
muy lejos está de aquí.

“Si te da por mis hermanos,
muy lejos viven de aquí.”
Si lo lejos se hace cerca
para él que quiera venir.

Si lo lejos se hace cerca
para él que quiera venir;
y lo cerca se hace lejos
para él que se quiera ir.