The word "esparto" used in English always reminds me of an essay I wrote once comparing three different English translations of Federico García Lorca's Bodas de sangre (translated as Blood Wedding). In this wonderful dark story of love and fate, the Bride lives on a barren, desolate plain, where esparto (Spanish "esparto", used as a tough fiber for weaving) is the only crop that can be grown. Faced with a potential cultural gap, the different translators approached it in very different ways.

One of them used (English) "esparto", braving a possible lack of familiarity on the part of the English-language readers. Another one changed the reference over to (English) "alfalfa", though this translation overlooked the connotations of aridity for the Bride's lands, and the Bride's existence. But the third one translated "esparto" as "hemp"! There are apparently two different forms of hemp, one which yields a tough fiber, and another one which is used to produce the opiate marijuana. I am certain the translator had the first one in mind when producing his/her version, but depending on which form is more familiar to the reader, the image of the Bride's plentiful hemp harvest certainly transforms the story!