A charitable women dies after helping another woman pregnant with an illegitimate child. Then, appearing to her own daughter in a dream, she claims she cannot rest easy in her grave unless she, too, has a child.out of wedlock. Mission accomplished, the mother at peace, the daughter is finally is married to the father of her child, a prince. Does this indicate sympathy for all women in such a predicament and that they should be helped rather than scorned, even one’s own daughter?
In a certain Spanish city, there lived a wealthy man with his daughter and his wife, a gracious and charitable woman. One day, a beggar woman appeared at the door asking for money for her daughter. Is she the one who had an illegitimate child?" asked the lady. "Yes," replied the beggar woman, "but, thank God, she is to be married now." "Here take this money," said the lady, handing her some coins, "and give it to your daughter." The beggar woman thanked her and left.
A few days later, the lady suddenly took ill with a high fever, and died within a few days. Her husband and daughter were grief-stricken. To make things worst, even after burial, the body remained uncovered. Every day, the husband returned to the cemetery to throw earth on the grave, but to no avail. No matter how much earth was thrown, the body remained uncovered.
One night the mother appeared to her daughter in a dream. "My dear child," she said, "do you know why I got sick and died? It's because I gave the beggar woman money for her daughter and her illegitimate child. Now I lie uneasy in my grave. The only way for me to have peace, is for you to become a bad woman.” With those words, she disappeared.
The next morning, the daughter awoke with a heavy heart, and told her father about the dream. "Unless I do my mother's bidding, her grave will remain uncovered for everybody to see. Dear father, if I have to be a bad woman I will do it for my mother's sake. But I do not wish to further dishonor our family name. I will leave, and fend for myself. If God wills, I will see you again, if not, I won't. "The father wept disconsolately. Before parting, he gave her enough food and money to last her and her maidservant an entire year.
The daughter moved to another town, and rented a house. After a while she removed the black mourning drapes from the windows, and hung bright cheerful ones in their place. She bought new furniture and luxurious rugs, and hung up a sign which read, "Welcome, all who enter here."
A few days later, a ship arrived in port, and many of the passengers stopped at her house. Among them was the prince, the king's son, who immediately was attracted by her beauty and gracious manner. Seated on a sofa, surrounded by luxury, perfumed and dressed in the latest fashion, she looked like an angel. Her servant set the table with wine, salads, and other tasty dishes for herself and her guest.
When dinner was over, the prince sat close to her, clasped her hand in his, and said courteously, "My dear lady, we can't sit here forever Come, let's go to bed.' "Willingly," she said, "but first give me the medallion you wear.' He placed the medallion around her neck, and they went to bed. The next day, the same thing happened. This time, she asked for his watch. The following day, when the ship was ready to leave with all its passengers, she asked him for a going away present He gave her his gold belt.
As soon as everyone had left, she removed the bright furniture and rugs, and hung up the black mourning drapes as before. Then she returned to her mother's grave. Just as her mother had promised in the dream, it was now properly covered with earth. That night her mother appeared again in a dream, and thanked her for her good deed. When she saw her father, she told him what had happened since they had last seen each other. "Father," she said, "but now I am pregnant, and must go on a journey to find the prince, who is the father of my child."
After a long and arduous trip she arrived in Madrid, and went straight to the king's palace. Painters and gardeners were everywhere. All the neighboring houses were being white-washed, and huge plants placed in front of each door. "What's going on here?" she asked. "We are preparing for an important celebration," the workmen told her, "the prince is getting married." When she heard these words, she turned pale with worry. "Perhaps, I am too late," she thought, and hurriedly knocked at the palace door. A servant appeared, "I have just been told that the prince is getting married. Perhaps you need some help?" "Wait here," said the servant, "I will call the queen." When the queen saw the pretty girl, now well into her pregnancy, she took pity on her, and gave her work in the palace.
A few months later, just before the baby was born, the queen prepared everything for the new arrival. She ordered a canopy and a baby basket, and all the clothes needed for mother and child. When her labor pains began, the midwife was called in, and she was delivered of a handsome baby boy.
When the queen saw the newborn infant, she cried out, "What a beautiful child! I must show him immediately to the prince." The young mother put the baby in the basket, and while the queen was not looking, hid the medallion, the watch, and the gold belt in the baby's clothes.
As soon as the prince, who loved children, saw the tender little infant, he held him in his arms, and rocked him back and forth. Suddenly, the medallion, the watch, and the gold belt fell out of the baby's clothes. "Mother," he exclaimed, "this is my own son, and his mother is my wife." Then he told her all the whole story.
The wedding was held exactly as planned, but with a different bride -- the baby's mother.
And everything turned out for the best.
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