ROMANCE DE ISABEL (Spanish) En Madrid hay un palacio que le llaman de oropel y allí vive una señora que le llaman Isabel. No la quieren dar sus padres a ningún Conde o Marqués por más dinero que cuenten tres contadores al mes. Una noche muy oscura, al juego del alfiler la ha ganado un bello mozo, bello mozo aragonés. Para casarse con ella, mató a sus hermanos tres, mató a su padre y su madre, y luego con ella fue. En el medio del camino, llora la niña Isabel. ¿Por qué lloras niña mía, por qué lloras, Isabel? Si lloras por tus hermanos, por tus hermanitos tres, a tu padre y a tu madre, también muertos les dejé. -No lloro por mis hermanos, por mis hermanitos tres, que lloro por el puñal de oro, que quiero que me lo des. -Dime para que le quieres; dime cómo y para qué. -Para partir una pera, que vengo muerta de sed. Se lo ha dado del derecho, le ha cogido del revés, Si tú mataras a mis padres, yo también te mataré.

ISABEL'S ROMANCE/BALLAD In Madrid there is a palace that they call a tinsel/ostentatious palace And there lives a lady called Isabel. Her parents do not want to give her away to any count or marquis No matter how much money three accountants count each month. One very dark night, in a pin game, A handsome young man won her, a handsome young man from Aragon. To marry her, he killed her three brothers, Killed her father and mother, and then went with her. In the middle of the journey, young Isabel cries. "Why are you crying, girl of mine; why are you crying, Isabel? If you cry for your brothers, for your three little brothers, Your father and your mother, them too I left dead." "I'm not crying for my brothers, for my three little brothers, I weep for the golden dagger, which I want you to give me." "Tell me what you want it for, tell me how and what for." "To split a pear, for I'm very thirsty (lit. I'm dying of thirst)." He gave it to her forward, she took it backward, "As you killed my parents, I'll kill you too."

Lyrics and recording by Joaquín Díaz.


Another version:

EN MADRID HAY UN PALACIO (Spanish) En Madrid hay un palacio que le llaman de oropel, y en él vive una señora, cuyo nombre es Isabel. No la quieren dar sus padres ni a un Conde, ni a un Marqués, ni por dinero que valga a una corona de Rey. Estando un día jugando al juego del alfiler, pasó por allí un caballo un guerrero montañés. La ha cogido de la mano se la ha llevado con él, y en la mitad del camino llora la triste Isabel. ¿Por qué lloras, niña mía? ¿Por qué lloras, Isabel? Si lloras por tus hermanos, no los volverás a ver. No lloro por nada de eso, ni por ningún interés. Lloro por un puñal de oro. Puñal de oro, ¿para qué? Ya te lo traería yo, si me dices que has de hacer. He de cortar una fruta porque estoy muerta de sed. Él se lo ha dado al derecho, y ella lo toma al revés para clavarlo en su pecho, y así verse libre de él.

IN MADRID THERE IS A PALACE In Madrid there is a palace that they call a tinsel one, And in it lives a lady whose name is Isabel. Her parents don't want to give her away, neither to a count, nor to a marquis, Nor for any money worth, to a king's crown. One day playing the pin game, A horse passed by, a mountain warrior. He has taken her by the hand, he has taken her away with him, And in the middle of the trip/journey, sad Isabel cries. "Why are you crying, girl of mine? Why are you crying, Isabel? If you cry for your brothers, you won't see them again." "I don't cry for any of that, nor for any interest. I cry for a golden dagger." "Golden dagger, what for? I would bring it to you if you tell me what you have to do" "I have to cut a fruit because I'm dying of thirst." He has given it to her forwards, and she takes it backwards To stick it in his chest, and thus be free of him.

Note that in both translations, I hardly changed the verb tenses even if it sounds weird in English.
In some versions, it's not clear who was playing but in some others it's quite clear that she was gambled in some game (chess, "pin" or some gibberish name).

Recording by Joaquín Díaz along with the same recording and the lyrics on his website

Score on YouTube.

Cancionero de romances (Ballads songbook)

Rico Franco page on University of Washington Pan-Hispanic Ballad Project. Rico Franco/Ricofranco is the equivalent to Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight in languages that originated in the Iberic Peninsula.


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