Good and evil are pitted against each other in this long rambling drama. The principal players are painted in many shades of gray, and events reveal a world ruled more by illusion than reality .. But the twisted emotions do not blur the central theme: the malevolence of a Moorish girl, the author of the story's main conflicts.
Once there was a king whose only son was so melancholy that he never laughed. The king worried about him, and was afraid that he might sicken and die. His ministers told him to hire clowns and other comical folk, but the prince didn't like them at all. Time and time again, tumblers, actors, and magicians strutted their stuff before the prince, but he didn't smile, not even once.
Finally, one of the ministers said to the king, "Let's try something new, something nobody has seen (or even thought of) before?" "And what might that be?", inquired the king. "Why not make three fountains," said the minister, "one of honey, another of oil, and a third of butter? People will come from all over the world to see them. They will wear curious costumes, and do bizarre things that will surely make the prince laugh."
The king thought about it, and finally decided it was an idea worth trying. He had three fountains made of honey, oil and butter. Just as his minister had predicted, people came from all over the world to see them. But the prince hardly looked at their costumes or antics; he was bored by it all. Just when his father had given up hope, an old lady appeared carrying three eggshells in her hand. She filled them with a secret substance, and balanced them carefully on top of her head. The prince who was watching her from his balcony collapsed with laughter. He laughed and laughed until his sides hurt.
The old lady looked up, and saw the prince. She said, "Good prince, you will have no peace of mind until you find the three grapefruit." The prince had her brought up to his balconv. "Old lady, explain what you mean, or I'll have your head cut off." "My lord," she said, "I don't mean you any harm. The grapefruit I mentioned are not really grapefruit; they are three enchanted princesses. The person who finds them will be able to cast off the spell that has kept them imprisoned for so long." "Tell me how to get there, and I will reward you with money and presents," said the prince After the old lady showed him the route to take, the prince filled her pockets with money, and set her free.
Along the way, he met an old man who guided him, but warned, "Do not turn around when you hear noises, or you will be turned to stone." Heeding the old man's advice, the prince put cotton in his ears. Even so, he still could hear voices; they insulted him, and called him vile names. But the prince did not turn around, and proceeded on his way. Finally, after a tiresome journey along twisting roads, he reached his destination. There, in the distance stood the grapefruit tree the old Lady had described, heavy with big yellow fruit. As soon as he drew near, he plucked the three grapefruit from its branches. Taking out his knife, he cut the first one in half. Out stepped a beautiful princess, just as the old woman had promised. Curtsying before the prince, she said:
Son of the king
I want bread and garlic
If you don't give them to me
I will return to the grapefruit.
Since the prince had neither bread or garlic, the princess, sad with disappointment, put herself into the grapefruit, and rolled back to the tree. Taking out his knife, he cut the second grapefruit in half. Out stepped another princess, even more beautiful than the first. Curtsying before the prince, she said:
Son of the king
I want bread and garlic
If you don't give them to me
I will return to the grapefruit.
The prince left her there, and went to buy bread and garlic, but found none. When he returned, the girl had disappeared into the grapefruit, and rolled herself back to the tree. "Well," he said, "I better not open the third grapefruit until I have bread and garlic." After a long search a kind innkeeper gave him what he needed. This time when he cut open the grapefruit, a princess, the most beautiful of the three, stepped out. Curtsying before the prince. she said:
Son of the king
I want bread and garlic
If you don't give them to me
I will return to the grapefruit.
He gave her bread and garlic, and soon they fell in love with each other. He took her to a little house in the forest, there they lived together until a child was born.
Although they were very happy the prince was troubled. One day he said, "Neither your parents nor mine know where we are, or that we are married, and have a child. I must return to my country, and prepare everyone for your arrival. Then I will come for you. Although the princess agreed, she was apprehensive about her husband's plans. "Don't let anyone touch you while you are away," she warned, "because that will make you forget me for a whole year." He promised. After a last embrace, he left.
Upon arrival at the palace, his parents and his brother welcomed him, overjoyed at his return. When they tried to embrace him, he backed away. "It is better," he warned, "not to come near me for that will make me forget what I have to tell you." His dog, however, who was nearby, licked his hands. Instantly, he forgot about his wife and child.
Time passed and time passed, but the prince did not return. Sadly, the princess concluded that her worst fears had been realized someone had embraced her husband, and he had forgotten about her. But she was a patient woman and waited for him to return. Meanwhile, in the forest, near the princess, lived a dark-skinned Moorish woman and her ugly daughter. One day, the mother sent the girl for water from a well that was directly underneath the princess window. Just as the Moorish girl bent over to fill her pitcher, the princess appeared in the balcony above. Seeing the beautiful face reflected in the water, the foolish Moorish girl thought it was her own. As fast as her legs could carry her, she ran home to tell her mother. "Mother, you always say I am dark and ugly," she cried, "but it's not true. I just saw my reflection in the well-water, and I am really white and beautiful." The mother regarded her daughter with disbelief, and merely asked, "Did you bring back the water?" "No, I didn't", she said, tossing her head. "I am much too beautiful to waste time doing servants' work." The mother, who was a sensible woman, picked up a mirror, and held it up to her face. But the daughter refused to look, and in anger broke the water-jug.
Again the mother ordered her daughter to go for water. As before, the princess leaned over the balcony, and the Moorish girl thought the reflection in the well her own. Furious, she smashed the second water-jug. This time, however, the princess saw the angry girl from her balcony. "Come up, ' she said kindly to the girl, "keep me company. I am alone all the time. Soon they became close friends.
One day, the girl said to the princess, "Oh, your hair is so pretty, let me give you a good shampoo. As soon as she touched her head, the treacherous girl plunged a needle into her scalp. Almost instantly, the princess turned into a dove, and flew away.
When a year had passed, the prince suddenly remembered his wife and child. Quickly, he gathered together his most trusted courtiers. and set out to find the princess.
As they neared the forest, the Moorish girl came out to meet them. "Where is my wife?" he asked her with alarm. Don't you recognize me?" she said, "I am the woman you left behind. It is true that when you left I had white skin, but the sun has darkened it. Look, here is our son." Although the prince readily recognized his child, he was baffled by his "wife's" strange appearance. But he blamed himself for his forgetfulness, and took them both back to the palace.
Time passed and time passed. One day, a dove flew into the prince's garden. She spoke to the gardener (who understood bird language), and said, "How goes the prince and his Moorish princess?" "Very well," said the astonished gardener. "And the child?" "Very well, indeed."
The gardener rushed to tell the prince his conversation with the dove. The wise man urged him to catch the bird. All day long, the gardener scanned the skies waiting for the bird to return. Sure enough, the dove alighted on the gardener's arm, and asked the same questions as before. But this time, he gave it so much bird food that it swelled up, and could not fly.
The gardener took the dove to the palace. When the "princess" saw the bird she became suspicious. "This creature," she thought narrowing her eyes, " is going to cause me trouble." But the prince was charmed by the bird's beauty. As he caressed her, he found the needle in her head. "Who did this dastardly deed?" he cried, and pulled out the needle. To his astonishment, the dove became a princess again. He recognized her, and they embraced again and again.
The Moorish girl tried to escape, but the prince caught her and made her tell the truth. She was executed, and the princess and the prince lived happily ever after.
Y colorin, colorado
este cuento se ha acabado
|
