La reina tiene dolores (La mala suegra)

The opening verses of this romance, depicting the pains of a pregnant woman, are the reason for its singing during the days and nights preceding the circumcision. This romance follows the prototype of the evil mother-in-law who slanders her daughter-in-law and manipulates her son against his wife. The queen has unbearable birth pains and wishes to be at her father’s palace, with her own mother at her side to pray for her when she is in labor (Armistead 1978: topic L4).