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For the purposes of the new edition, every poem has been assigned a unique short title. The original short titles, taken eclectically from a number of sources, are retained as alternative short titles.
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CSM Number : 371
Short name: The Woman who Survived a Shipwreck Alternative: Woman survives shipwreck
Incipit: Tantos vai Santa Maria/ eno seu Porto fazer
Refrain: Tantos vai Santa Maria/ eno seu Porto fazer/ de miragres, que trobando/ non poss’ os mẽos dizer.
Summary of narrative
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Setting: Sanlúcar de Barrameda near Jerez, and Santa Maria do Porto Protagonist(s): a woman

This miracle occurred recently at Sanlúcar de Barrameda, near Jerez, when King Alfonso X was colonising Santa Maria do Porto. He had had the church built, and had come to see how the colony was doing.

Many people were travelling to Santa Maria do Porto at that time. Some came on pilgrimage, others to settle. Still others came to work in the building trades. They came from many places hoping to obtain a portion of an estate and to improve their lives.

A ship loaded down with flour arrived from Seville, and some men and women boarded it. It was so overloaded however, that it struck some rocks and sank.

Everyone on board perished, except a woman who asked Santa Maria do Porto to save her. As she prayed she latched onto a sack of flour. Although it was very heavy, it did not sink.

In fact, it floated on top of the water like a skiff and carried the woman to Sanlúcar.

When the people on shore heard of her escape, they praised the Virgin and she went to Santa Maria do Porto to make offerings.

Metrical data
Stanza: 15 15 15 15 Refrain: 15 15
No. of Stanzas: 10
Rhyme scheme: AA | bbba Zejel: Yes
MS locations:
E371
Poncelet reference
None
Keywords
church (construction of) , drowning, flour, pilgrimage, shipwreck, builders
Discography
Click HERE for a list of recordings of this poem
BITAGAP ID
4123
Bibliography
Los orígenes del culto de Santa María del Puerto, 1255-1500
Hisan, Pedro (pseud.) [ = Sancho de Sopranís, Hipólito]
Alfonso X y las Cantigas a Santa Maria
Martínez Alfonso, Manuel
Historia del Puerto de Santa María
Sancho Mayi [Sopranís], Hipólito