| ROMANCE | BALLAD OF DOÑA ALDA |
| Anon. (15-16c.) | trans. Brian Cole |
|
En París está doña Alda la esposa de don Roldán, trescientas damas con ella para la acompañar; todas visten un vestido, todas calzan un calzar, todas comen a una mesa, todas comían de un pan, si no era doña Alda que era la mayoral. Las ciento hilaban oro, las ciento tejen cendal, las ciento tañen instrumentos para doña Alda holgar. Al son de los instrumentos doña Alda adormido se ha; ensoñado había un sueño, un sueño de gran pesar. Recordó despavorida y con un pavor muy grande, los gritos daba tan grandes que se oían en la ciudad. Allí hablaron sus doncellas, bien oiréis lo que dirán: '¿Qué es aquesto, mi señora? ¿Quién es el que os hizo mal?' 'Un sueño soñé, doncellas, que me ha dado gran pesar: que me veía en un monte en un desierto lugar; de so los montes muy altos un azor vide volar, tras dél viene una aguililla que lo ahinca muy mal. El azor con grande cuita metióse so mi brial; al aguililla con grande ira de allí lo iba a sacar: con las uñas lo despluma, con el pico lo deshace.' Allí habló su camarera, bien oiréis lo que dirá: 'Aquese sueño, señora, bien os lo entiendo soltar: el azor es vuestro esposo que viene de allén la mar; el águila sodes vos con la cual ha de casar, y aquel monte es la iglesia donde os han de velar.' 'Si así es, mi camarera, bien te lo entiendo pagar.' Otro día de mañana cartas de fuera le traen; tintas venían de dentro, de fuera escritas con sangre, que su Roldán era muerto en la caza de Roncesvalles. |
Doña Alda was in Paris the wife of Don Roland three hundred ladies with her to keep her company; all are dressed the same, their shoes are all the same, they all eat at one table, they all ate from one loaf, except for Doña Alda because she was their mistress. A hundred were spinning gold, a hundred weave fine silk, a hundred played on instruments for Doña Alda's pleasure. To the sound of the instruments Doña Alda has fallen asleep; and she has dreamed a dream, a dream of great importance. She remembered it with terror and with enormous fear, the cries she uttered were so loud that they were heard in the city. There her maidens spoke, and you'll hear what they said: "What is it now, my lady? Who was it hurt you so?" "I dreamed a dream, my maidens, that made me much distressed: I saw myself on a mountain in some deserted place; and over the highest mountains I saw a goshawk fly, behind it came an eaglet that harried it most sore. The goshawk in great panic hid underneath my skirts; the eaglet in great fury went to drag it out: with his talons he defeathered it, with his beak he ripped it open." Then her lady's maid spoke up, and you'll hear what she said: This frightful dream, my lady, I can explain to you: the goshawk is your husband who comes from across the sea; and the eaglet is yourself whom he is to marry, and that mountain is the church where you shall both be wed." "If that is true, my girl, I shall repay you well." Next day, in the morning, they brought letters from abroad; inside there came the ink, outside was written in blood. They said Roland had died in the hunt at Roncesvalles. |
Transl. Copyright © Brian Cole, 2003