MATANZAS.
Matanzas is at the present day one of the most populous andimportant towns of the island of Cuba: second to Havannah, it goeson ever increasing in commercial activity; it has a railroad and awell-sheltered harbour, and is surrounded by an extent of sugar andcoffee cultivation which promises, with a never-failing supply ofexports, to maintain and constantly increase its prosperity.
Nevertheless Matanzas has an ugly name; for, though euphonious enoughto our ears, its meaning is neither more nor less than "Slaughterings,"and the ugly name is connected with an ugly history, and, it wouldseem, an inseparable association of ugliness in every detail. Itssituation is flat and unpicturesque; the buildings--unlike, and indeedin strong contrast with the beautiful outlines which, imitating thoseprevalent in Spain at the time of her greatest colonial eminence, werespread by her all over the new world--are mean and bare, and, whiletoo solidly built of stone to offer any hope that the venerable-makinghand of time will ever clothe them with any even adventitious interest,they are yet altogether deficient in a grand or imposing character.
The following story of the circumstances of its origin may be takento account for the absence of those softening influences of familylife and home traditions, which in the other colonies reproduced manyof the most beautiful features of the old country.
There once lived, in a village of Castille, a man who thought onlyof enjoying himself, and who spent all his money without taking anyaccount of how much he had got left for the future; so that at lasta day came when he had nothing at all left, and not a bite of anything but his nails. When he came home without a maravedi, his wifeand children dinned him so for food that they drove him distracted;and he borrowed a rope of a neighbour, and went to an olive-tree tohang himself.
He had hardly fastened the rope to the tree, when a little spriteappeared, sitting astride on one of its branches, who called outto him, "What are you going to do? You, a Christian, going to hangyourself like Judas! Give up such an idea; here, take this purse,which is never empty, and go home."
So Perrico (that was the name of our man) caught at the purse to seeif such good fortune could be true, and drew out one duro [115] afteranother without stopping, like words out of a woman's mouth. When hesaw that the store was so bountiful, he untied the rope and coiledit up, and made the best of his way home. But passing by the way atavern where he had been accustomed to take refreshment, he couldnot resist the temptation of turning in; nor, when he was in, thetemptation of ordering the best drinks and viands, till at last hetook more than was good for him, and passed the night under the table,drunk, and as insensible as the dead in the churchyard.
The host, who had observed that he payed for every thing he ordered,duro after duro out of his little purse, and that there was alwaysa duro left, determined to possess himself of the treasure, and sotold his wife to make another exactly like it, and then changed itagainst the magic purse in Perrico's pocket.
In the morning Perrico woke, and suspecting nothing, ran home to hiswife as joyous as a holiday.
"No more hunger! no more misery!" he cried; "here's money enoughto last our lives--here's enough for every one; come, come all andbe merry!"
Then he pulled out his purse, and flung the one duro in it on thetable, but when he expected to find another, it continued empty;then he turned it inside out, and threw it up in the air, and flungit on the floor. But no more duros appeared. And his wife, thinkingit all a trick, grew more provoked than before, and rated him withan angrier voice than ever.
Perrico, now quite desperate, took up his rope again, and returnedto his olive-tree. No sooner had he tied the rope to the branch thanthe goblin appeared, and reproached him as before.
"But what am I to do?" pleaded Perrico; "I've nothing to eat."
"You ought to find work," answered the goblin; "nevertheless I'llgive you another chance. Take this table-cloth, and with it you'llnever want for a meal; for whenever you spread it, you'll find a mealready cooked, upon it." So saying, he disappeared.
Perrico took the cloth, and spread it out in the shade of theolive-tree, and immediately it was covered with dishes of choice food,and wine, and fruits, and flowers; so he made the best meal he hadever eaten in his life, folded his table-cloth, and started for home.
Meantime it had got late, and as he passed the tavern, the idea of acomfortable bed seemed more inviting than a long walk, so he turnedin and went to bed.
The host, who had made such a fortunate prize out of him the daybefore, suspected sagaciously that he might have brought some otherwonderful gift along with him this time; so while he was sound asleephe turned over his things, and finding the new table-cloth, easilyguessed this was what he was searching for, and so replaced it withanother like it, and carried Perrico's off.
In the morning Perrico woke, and, suspecting nothing, ran home tohis wife as joyous as a holiday.
"Come wife, come children!" he exclaimed, "no more hunger! no moremisery! here's food to last our lives."
And with that he spread the table-cloth out on the table; to hischagrin, however, instead of eatables, it was only covered withugly patches.
Then followed an outcry such as never had been heard before; motherand children set upon him without mercy, and glad enough he was toescape from them, his rope safely tucked under his arm.
Once more he secured the rope, and once more the goblinappeared. "Christian!" he exclaimed, "where is your patience?"
"All beaten out of me by my wife's blows," replied Perrico.
"That's no excuse," said the sprite; "nevertheless I'll help you oncemore. Here's a stick for you--take this, and when you're armed withit no one will venture to interfere with you."
Perrico caught at the stick, and walked home with as much importance asa beadle bearing his mace; and when the children came clamouring roundhim, as they had seen their mother do, he only said, "At them! goodstick!" and the stick flew out of his hand, and sent them all runninghelter-skelter. Then his wife came to the defence of her children,and Perrico had only to say, "At her! good stick!" and the stick soondisposed of her also.
But the neighbours, hearing her cries, sent for the Alcalde and hisAguaciles, who prepared to take him; but Perrico cried once more,"At them! good stick!" and straightway the stick sent them all flyingin every direction.
Then they sent an express messenger to the king, to tell him how hisofficers were being treated, and he sent a regiment of grenadiers. ButPerrico had one remedy against all: "At them! good stick!" he cried,and in a trice the stick belaboured away, leaving one with a brokenarm, another with his eye knocked out, the colonel sprawling in thedust, and every musket or side-arm rendered totally unfit for use,till the soldiers, thinking Lucifer had been let loose among them,were glad to get away as fast as their legs would carry them.
So Perrico was left alone, and was glad to rest after all theexcitement, but took care when he went to sleep to hide his stick inhis breast, that it might not be taken from him.
When he woke in the morning he found his hands and feet manacled, andan officer of justice standing over him, reading aloud the sentenceof death which had been passed upon him. Perrico said nothing, butas soon as they loosened his bonds on the scaffold he took out hisstick, and crying, "At them! good stick!" soon delivered himself ofexecutioners, guards, gaolers, and all who stood in his way.
"Leave the fellow alone!" cried the king, "or all my subjects will bekilled--only let's get rid of him." So to bribe him to go he promisedhim a large tract of land in America, and shipped him off to theisland of Cuba. Here he founded a town; but his stick did so muchexecution on the inhabitants, that people gave it the name of Matanzas.
THE END.
NOTES
[1] Colonial.
[2] The Story "Where One may Dine Two may Dine" is a particularillustration of this.
[3] Moorish palace.
[4] Good Cowherdess.
[5] Female pilgrim.
[6] Moorish castle.
[7] Silly Johnny.
[8] Mirandola esta mirando Que bien era de mirar; Blanca es como la nieve Y como lo claro cristal, Colorada como la rosa Y como rosa de rosal.
[9] If God so will, it may rain with a clear sky.
[10] It was completed 1364.
[11] Ornamented iron-work in front of the lower windows of Spanishhouses.
[12] A warm hunting-cap, with flaps to cover the forehead and ears,capable therefore of serving, in some sort, as a disguise.
[13] The Sevillians to the present day give a very bad character tothe Valencians.
[14] A spreading vine, trained along a horizontal trellis, so as toform a shady arbour; an unfailing adjunct to most houses in the southof Spain.
[15] Blunderbuss.
[16] A large covered waggon drawn by mules, in which luggageand passengers were conveyed together in Spain. Still in use inout-of-the-way places.
[17] The bell tolled a death knell.
[18] In some parts of Spain where there is no arena for the bullfights, they are held in some large open space, called a Cosa. TheCosa at Zaragoza is a broad open street of the best houses, plantedwith trees.
[19] Marriages are celebrated in the evening in Spain.
[20] Toll--for a funeral service.
[21] Every one smokes at all hours in Spain. It is the custom at manybarbers' and tobacconists' shops to have a piece of lighted mecha,or plaited tow, hanging outside the door for the convenience of theircustomers, who may want to light their cigars.
[22] It is a common custom in Spain to receive friends, and eventransact business in your box at the theatre.
[23] Covetousness bursts the money-bag.
[24] Hato, a portion of provisions taken out with them by shepherdswhen they have to be absent from home in the mountains for severaldays together.
[25] Simancas is situated at the confluence of the Douro and Pisuergo,not far from Valladolid. The archives of Spain were kept there forcenturies, in a strong alcazar originally built by the Moors.
[26] An equivalent for our "Before you could say 'Jack Robinson,'"though I have never been able to make out the derivation of eithertilin or "Jack Robinson."
[27] "Nothing goes right with the unlucky."
[28] Little earthen pot.
[29] "May your worship live a thousand years!"--a common salutation,equivalent to "God grant you long life!"
[30] "More surely than the clock," i.e., as irrevocably as time aswe should say, "as sure as a gun."
[31] There used to be several sinecure offices in Spain, the symbolof which was a silver key slung over the pocket-flap on the left side.
[32] Large earthen pot, used by the Spanish peasants for cooking.
[33] Esparto grass is a fibrous plant which grows in great abundancein the south of Spain; it is imported into this country under thename of Spanish broom, and is used for making rope, canvas, mats,paper, and for many other useful purposes.
[34] Nice little children.
[35] The Carnation.
[36] Entre los arboles todos se senorea el laurel entre las mujeres, Ana entre los flores, el clavel.
[37] En enero no hay claveles porque los marchita el hielo en tu cara los hay siempre porque lo permite el cielo.
[38] El encarnado clavel viene publicando agravios porque no le han hecho a el hermoso como tus labios.
[39] El clavel que tu mi diste el dia de la Ascension no fue clavel, sino clavo que clavo mi corazon.
[40] En una teja de su casa crio mi nino un clavel y quando a su vera pasa le da un besito en la sien.
[41] Tengo un clavel encarnado a la sombra y bajo llave para que el sol no lo vea y con mirarlo lo aje.
[42] Pipkin.
[43] A name employed in Andalusia to designate a person who wearsthe national costume with great ostentation of correctness, and isaltogether what we should term showy.
[44] See p. 68 and note.
[45] On is the Spanish augmentative.
[46] A tall fibrous plant, which covers whole plains in the southof Spain, so called because its spreading leaves give it a certainresemblance to dwarf palms.
[47] The Sierra Almagrera is near Cartagena. The mine whose richeshave been thus celebrated in a popular tale for many a century,is just now being vigorously worked by an Anglo-French company.
[48] Literally, a saw. Spaniards call a ridge of mountains so, fromthe resemblance of the outline to the teeth of a saw.
[49] "In the season of figs no one remembers his friends." In otherwords, though when in want men gladly remember their acquaintancethat they may apply to them for assistance, in prosperity they areas anxious to forget them, that they may not be called upon to spendfor them.
[50] "In the frying, you shall see." Equivalent to our "The proof ofthe pudding's in the eating." The following is told as the originof this Spanish proverb:--A good housewife having frequently hadoccasion to find fault with the quality of the charcoal the villagedealer sold her, was highly delighted when another one set up whoprofessed to sell a better kind. "But how am I to know yours is anybetter?" inquired she. "Al freir, lo vereis" ("when you come to frywith it you will see if it doesn't give a clear fire"), he replied,for as his wares were good they needed only to be proved: taberna viejano necesita rama: good wine, or, more literally, an old establishedtavern, needs no bush.
[51] A short wooden column supporting an alms-box in Spanish churches.
[52] The name given to a boy serving as guide to a blind man.
[53] The Spanish sprat found in great abundance in the Mediterranean,called sardina, much larger than ours, those selected for fryingbeing generally five or six inches long.
[54] Sister.
[55] A vine trained so as to make an out-door sitting-room.
[56] "More certain than the clock, man."
[57] Large folding dagger-knife.
[58] Little town.
[59] Bank of wild thyme.
[60] "While in my arms I hold thee, I ask myself alway, What fate I leave thee to, child, If call'd by death away."
[61] Aunt. It is also a title of respect and endearment, much in usebetween intimate friends, especially among the lower orders in Spain.
[62] Ochavo, a coin about equal to a farthing.
[63] Clergyman of the parish.
[64] Man. An ejaculation with which the Spaniard frequently interlardshis conversation.
[65] As we should say, "like winking."
[66] Your worship.
[67] "I should think she did know how to cook indeed!"
[68] Earthen pots.
[69] Something like our forcemeat-balls.
[70] A sweetmeat in as general adoption in Spain as our toffy.
[71] Sweetmeat composed of pounded almonds and honey.
[72] There is so little trace of flesh meat in it that it was allowedon fast-days.
[73] Tamano como del codo a la mano.
[74] "... Su dotrina asi alumbro Que hace ver a los ciegos."
[75] Dumas has indulged his wit at the expense of the unfortunateriver, and tells us that his son, being overcome by heat one dayat the opera, the bystanders brought him a glass of water; but herefused it with admirable self-sacrifice, exclaiming, "Take it tothe poor Manzanares, its necessities are greater than mine."
[76] A long, thin, pointed stick.
[77] Melena is used to signify shaggy hair, when peasants or othersleave it uncut and uncombed.
[78] Though neither of the persons in this piece are Spanish, nor thescene laid in the Peninsula, it is thoroughly Spanish in character,and the subject of one or two popular ballads, and several dramas,by the best authors.
[79] Dark green (lit. black-green).
[80] A small coasting-boat, carrying only a boom sail.
[81] A word borrowed from the Turkish, to signify a dungeon, and usedwhen speaking of a Turkish prison.
[82] Moorish palace.
[83]
A Spanish game, forming a sort of mock tournament, the combatantsbeing armed with canes instead of lances.
[84] A Spanish game, consisting in pelting each other with alcancias,or round earthen pots, in which flowers and other things were enclosedbefore they were baked (in the sun), and which fell out when brokenagainst the shield of those at whom they were thrown. I do not knowif these games were also in use in Venice, or if their introductionhere is a vulgar error.
[85] A common practice of Spaniards, even in street fights, to thepresent day.
[86] A formidable leader of the Moors in Spain of the tenth andeleventh centuries.
[87] Como el sandalo que perfuma el hacha que le hiere.
[88] La confianza en Dios y los pies en la calle.
[89] "Un convidado convida a ciento."
[90] Cork-trees.
[91] "La fortuna es por quien la encuentra y no por quien la busca."
[92] A kind of notary or attorney, who is spoken of in the popularlanguage of Spain with as much abhorrence as the "publican" inthe Gospel.
[93] Agacho las orejas--a metaphor which readily suggests itself ina country where donkeys and mules are so much in use.
[94] The soil of the bed of the Tagus is a yellow sand, which givesits water rather a muddy appearance. Poets, however, see things witha different eye from ordinary mortals, and have turned it to goldin their verses: "el dorado Tajo," the golden Tagus, is their commonappellation for it.
[95] Majorca.
[96] La Sierra Nevada traverses the centre of Granada.
[97] The noise and tumult of the Moors' war-cry.
[98] Foreign.
[99] Dear little ring.
[100] Good little shepherd.
[101] Sir Country-bumpkin.
[102] Little princess.
[103] Child.
[104] Proud little thing.
[105] Small leathern bottle, hung from the saddle in travelling.
[106] Santon is a term used in Spanish for a person professing a lifeof austerity among the Moors.
[107] The letter F in Spanish is pronounced fe, and fe is the Spanishfor faith.
[108] Baptism and Extreme Unction, taken to typify the Christian law.
[109] Now Hayti.
[110] Large jars.
[111] Puren distinguished himself so much by his courage in these wars,that Alvarez de Toledo, a captain in the Spanish army in Araucania,composed a poem on him, entitled, "Puren indomito."
[112] It is possible Don Ercilla here celebrates some feat of his own.
[113] Palio, a banner of bright-coloured silk or cloth, hung across theend of the race-course among Spaniards, and given to the winner. DonErcilla, all through the story, seems to fill up his incidents fromSpanish manners and ideas.
[114] The Adriatic.
[115] A dollar.
Patrañas; or, Spanish Stories, Legendary and Traditional Page 54