De Francia vengo
This song was already wide-spread in the Spanish speaking world in the 1600's. It's also known as "Hilitos, hilitos de oro", "Hebritas de oro", "De Francia vengo", "La Embajada busca novia", "A la cinta, a la cinta de oro"… among other titles.
De Francia vengo
From France I Come
Canción infantil
Children's Song
(Spanish)
(English)
De Francia vengo, señores,
de por hilo portugués
y en el camino me han dicho
lindas hijas tiene usted.
Que las tenga o no las tenga,
Ninguna será para usted.
Con el pan que yo comiere
Comerán ellas también.
A Francia vuelvo, señores,
a los palacios del rey
que las hijas del rey moro
no me las dejaron ver
Vuelva, vuelva, caballero,
no sea tan descortés
de las tres hijas que tengo,
tome la que guste usted.
A esta tomo por esposa,
a esta escojo por clavel
que me parece una rosa,
acabada de nacer.
Por Dios pido, caballero,
que me la cuide usted bien.
Ella será bien tratada,
como la hija de un rey
del pan que yo comiere
ella comerá también.
From France I come, gentlemen*,
To buy Portuguese yarn
And on my way I was told
You have fine daughters.
Whether I have them or don't have them,
None will be for you.
Of the bread I'll eat,
They'll eat too.
To France I'll go back
To the king's palaces
Because they didn't let me see
The Moorish king's daughters.
Come back, come back, gentleman,
Don't be so discourteous,
Of the three daughters I have
Take the one you like.
I take this one for a wife,
I choose this one for being like a carnation
To me she looks like a rose
That's just sprouted.
For God's sake, gentleman, I ask
That you treat her well.
She will be treated well,
Like a king's daughter,
Of the bread I'll eat,
She'll eat too.
Notes
*A better translation might be "Sir and Madam" or "My Lord and My Lady" as "señores" in the plural may refer to men only but also to a man and a woman, in this case it refers most likely to the girls' parents.
Comments
We'd like to add more versions of this song to Mama Lisa's World. Please email us the version of this song that you know and let us know which country you're from. Thanks! Mama Lisa
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Contribution and translation: Monique (translated with Lisa)
¡Muchas gracias!
