El Vino de Bretaña or The Wine of Britanny is the story of a pious devotee of Our Lady who is surprised one day by the King stopping
to rest at her home. She dutifully offers meat, fish, bread and barley, but finds that she has only a small portion of wine.
She goes to purchase more, only to find there is a shortage in the province. Finally she has recourse to prayer, beseeching Our Lady for a way to provide for her royal guest.
As at Cana, the wine cellar is miraculously filled with wine of the highest quality.
El Vino de Bretaña is number 23 of the 420 poem-songs – Cantigas de Santa Maria – written under the aegis of King Afonso X the Wise in honor of Our Lady. Written in the 13th century, these cantigas are sung in the Galician dialect, which is still to be found in some areas of the Northwest Spain and Northern Portugal.
It is here sung by the Cantigas Celtas.
Listen to El Vino de Bretaña
Lyrics:
Como Deus fez vo d'agua ant' Archetecro,
Ben assi depois sa Madr' acrecentou o vinno.
Desto direi un miragre que fez en Bretanna
Santa Maria por ha dona mui sen sanna,
En que muito bon costum' e muita bõa manna
Deus posera, que quis dela seer seu vinno.
Como Deus fez vo d'agua ant' Archetecro,
Ben assi depois sa Madr' acrecentou o vinno.
Sobre toda-las bondades que ela avia,
Era que muito fiava en Santa Maria;
E porende a tirou de vergonna un dia
Del Rei, que a ssa casa vera de camino.
Como Deus fez vo d'agua ant' Archetecro,
Ben assi depois sa Madr' acrecentou o vinno.
A dona polo servir foi muit' afazendada,
E deu-lle carn' e pescado e pan e cevada;
Mas de bon vo pera el era mui menguada,
Ca non tia senon pouco en un tonelcino.
E dobrava-xe-ll' a coita, ca pero quisesse
Ave-lo, non era end' en terra que podesse
Por deiros nen por outr' aver que por el désse,
Se non fosse pola Madre do Vell' e Meno.
Como Deus fez vo d'agua ant' Archetecro,
Ben assi depois sa Madr' acrecentou o vinno.
E con aquest' asperança foi aa eigreja
E diss' Ai, Santa Maria, ta mercee seja
Que me saques daquesta vergonna tan sobeja;
Se non, nunca vestirei ja mais lãa nen lo.
Como Deus fez vo d'agua ant' Archetecro,
Ben assi depois sa Madr' acrecentou o vinno.
Mantenent' a oraçon da dona foi oyda,
E el Rei e ssa companna toda foi conprida
De bon vinn', e a adega non en foi falida
Que non achass' y avond' o riqu' e o mesqo.
Como Deus fez vo d'agua ant' Archetecro,
Ben assi depois sa Madr' acrecentou o vinno.
English translation:
Just as God made wine from water before the Archetecro [master of Cana],
Likewise, His Mother added wine [to the woman's cellar].
And so I will tell you about a miracle that She made in Brittany
Holy Mary made it for a lady who was very discouraged,
And following a very good custom and tradition,
God allowed her to have her own wine.
Just as God made wine from water before the master of Cana,
Likewise, His Mother added wine.
The greatest goodness that she had,
Was that she trusted much in Holy Mary;
And so Mary saved her from shame one day.
Before the King, who asked her hospitality as he travelled.
Just as God made wine from water before the master of Cana,
Likewise, His Mother added wine.
The lady was very anxious to serve him,
And gave him meat and fish and bread and barley;
But she was very short on good wine to give him,
For she only had a small cask.
The poor lady was afflicted because
as much as she wanted it
There was no one on earth who could help her,
Except for the Mother of Our Lord.
Just as God made water before the Master of Cana,
Likewise, His Mother added the wine.
And with this hope she went to the Church
And told Holy Mary:"Through your mercy,
Save me from such a great shame;
Or else I will never dress in wool or linen again."
Just as God made water before the master of Cana,
Likewise, His Mother added the wine.
While she was praying her prayer was heard,
And the King and his court were all well served
With good wine, and her wine cellar never failed
So that you could not find a more exquisite or better wine.
Just as God made water before the master of Cana,
Likewise, His Mother added the wine.
Medieval manuscript depicting the Wine of Brittany miracle. For a website with high resolution scans of the manuscript click here.
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