Serrana. Marques de Santillana (1398-1458). Spain: Finojosa. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. 1876-79. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes. Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV-XV

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79.

Spain: Finojosa

Serrana

Marques de Santillana (1398–1458)


Translated by J. H. Wiffen I NE’ER on the border
Saw girl as fair as Rosa,
The charming milk-maiden
Of sweet Finojosa.

Once making a journey	5
To Santa Maria
Of Calataveño
From weary desire
Of sleep, down a valley
I strayed, where young Rosa	10
I saw, the milk-maiden
Of lone Finojosa.

In a pleasant green meadow
Midst roses and grasses
Her herd she was tending	15
With other fair lasses;
So lovely her aspect,
I could not suppose her
A simple milk-maiden.
Of rude Finojosa.	20

I think not primroses
Have half her smile’s sweetness,
Or mild, modest beauty;—
I speak with discreetness.
O, had I beforehand	25
But known of this Rosa,
The handsome milk-maiden
Of far Finojosa,—

Her very great beauty
Had not so subdued,	30
Because it had left me
To do as I would!
I have said more, O fair one,
By learning ’t was Rosa,
The charming milk-maiden	35
Of sweet Finojosa.