Alfonso X (El Sabio)

Here you will find the Long Poem Cantiga de Santa Maria, No. 181 of poet Alfonso X (El Sabio)

Cantiga de Santa Maria, No. 181

Pero que seja a gente 
d'outra lei [e] descreuda, 
os que a Virgen mais aman, 
a esses ela ajuda. 

Fremosa miragre desto 
fez a Virgen groriosa 
na cidade de Marrocos, 
que é mui gran' e fremosa, 
a un rei que era ende 
sennor, que perigoosa 
guerra con outro avia, 
per que gran mester ajuda. 

Avia de quen lla désse: 
ca assi corn' el cercado 
jazia dentr' en Marrocos 
ca o outro ja passado 
era per un grande rio 
que Morabe é chamado 
con muitos de cavaleiros 
e mui gran gente miuda. 

E corrian pelas portas 
da vila, e quant' achavan 
que fosse fora dos muros 
todo per força fillavan. 
E porend' os de Marrocos 
al Rei tal conssello davan 
que saisse da cidade 
con bõa gent' esleuda. 

D'armas e que mantenente 
cono outro rei lidasse 
e logo fora da vila 
a sina sacar mandasse 
da Virgen Santa Maria, 
e que per ren non dultasse 
que os logo non vencesse, 
pois la ouvesse tenduda. 

Demais, que sair fesesse 
dos crishõos o concello 
conas cruzes da eigreja. 
E el creeu seu consello; 
e poi-la sina sacaron 
daquela que é espello 
dos angeos e dos santos, 
e dos mouros foi viuda. 

Wue eran da outra parte, 
atal espant' en colleron 
que, pero gran poder era, 
logo todos se venceron, 
e as tendas que trouxeran 
e o al todo perderon, 
e morreu y muita gente 
dessa fea e barvuda. 

E per Morabe passaron 
que ante passad' ouveran, 
en sen que perdud' avian 
todo quant' ali trouxeran, 
atan gran medo da sina 
e das cruzes y preseran, 
que fogindo non avia 
niun redea teuda. 

E assi Santa Maria 
ajudou a seus amigos, 
pero que d'outra lei eran, 
a britar seus eemigos 
que, macar que eran muitos, 
nonos preçaron dous figos, 
e assi foi ssa mercee 
de todos mui connoçuda. 


 English 


The Virgin will aid those 
who most love Her, 
although they may be of another faith 
and disbelievers. 

The Glorious Virgin 
performed a beautiful miracle 
illustrating this theme 
in the city of Marrakech, 
which is large and beautiful, 
for a king who was then its ruler. 
He was waging bitter war with another king 
and for this reason, he was in great need 

of assistance from anyone 
who could give it to him. 
He was besieged inside Marrakech, 
for the other king had already crossed 
a large river called Morabe 
with many knights 
and a great army of foot soldiers. 
. 

They ran toward the gates of the city 
and all they found outside the walls 
they took by force. 
Therefore, those of Marrakech 
advised the king to go out 
of the city with a few good, 
carefully chosen 
. 

men at arms and fight it out right there 
with the other king 
and to order the banner 
of the Holy Virgin Mary 
taken out of the city 
and to doubt not that he would defeat 
the enemy at once 
as soon as he had unfurled it. 

Furthermore, they advised him 
to have the Christian congregation go out 
with the crosses from the church. 
He took their advice 
and when they took out the banner of that One 
who is mirror of angels and saints 
and it was seen by the Moors 
. 

on the other side, they were so alarmed by it that 
although it was a powerful army, 
all were soon defeated. 
AThey lost the tents they had brought 
and everything else. 
Many people of that ugly 
bearded crew died there. 
. 

They fled back across the Morabe River 
and although they had lost 
all they had brought there, 
such great fright of the banner 
and the crosses seized them 
that none of them drew back 
on the reins as they fled. 
. 

Thus Holy Mary helped Her friends, 
although they were of another faith, 
to defeat their enemies, 
for although they were many, 
they did not give 
two figs about them. 
In that way was Her mercy 
made manifest to all.