I

Rio Verde, Rio Verde!
  Many a corpse is bathed in thee,
Both of Moors and eke of Christians,
  Slain with swords most cruelly.

And thy pure and crystal waters
  Dappled are with crimson gore;
For between the Moors and Christians
  Long has been the fight and sore.

Dukes and Counts fell bleeding near thee,
  Lords of high renown were slain,
Perished many a brave hidalgo
  Of the noblemen of Spain.