The Little Spanish Dancer

by Madeline Brandeis

  CHAPTER III

  IN OLD CADIZ

  (A LEGEND OF THE CASTANETS)

  Before the Moors came into Spain, Cadiz, or Gadir, as it was thencalled, had become famous for its dancers. Throughout the land they wereknown for their grace and beauty.

  Now there lived at this time one who had grown too old to dance anymore. So she wished to teach her little daughter the steps she had onceloved so well.

  But strangely enough, she was afraid to do this--afraid, because asavage race called the Visigoths (v[)i]z'[)i] g[)o]ths) were sweepingthrough Spain and were trying to destroy the art of the people. Theywere overrunning the country, smashing great statues and burning finebooks.

  CADIZ]

  What would they do if they were to discover that women were secretlyteaching their children to carry on the art of dancing?

  Although she feared the Visigoths, this mother, who had once been adancer, used to take her daughter to a cave far from the city. And hereshe would attempt to instruct the little girl.

  But young Lira did not want to learn to dance. She was plump and lazy.She disliked to exercise, except with a knife and fork. For eating wasthe only thing she really enjoyed.

  One day when the sun shone fiercely, Lira felt very sorry for herself.She was hot and twice as lazy as usual--which, I assure you, wasdreadfully lazy!

  She decided that she would not take her dancing lesson. Yet how was sheto escape it? Soon her mother would be leading her off to the cave andmaking her work.

  Lira bit into a large loaf of bread and thought furiously. Why, ofcourse! She would hide her mother's castanets and then say that she hadlost them. This was a splendid idea.

  So running off ahead of her mother, she made her way to the secret cave.Below her lay the city of Cadiz. It was so white that it made one thinkof chalk on snow. But to hungry little Lira, it looked like whippedcream!

  Cadiz points her long, white finger out into the azure blue bay. She hasa gleaming golden eye, which is the dome of her cathedral.

  When Lira's mother arrived at the cave, Lira ran up to her andexclaimed, "Oh, Mother, I have lost the castanets! And now there will beno lesson today."

  She then sat down and continued to chew contentedly upon her enormousloaf of bread. But her mother's face turned white.

  STREET OF THE SERPENTS]

  "What are you saying, child?" she cried. "Do you tell me you have lostthe castanets?"

  Lira nodded and took an unusually large bite out of the loaf. Her motherstood over her, her face a mask of fear.

  "Lira," she gasped, "do you know what you have done? If, indeed, youhave lost the castanets, then truly you have brought misfortune uponyour whole family."

  Whereupon, her mother recited this verse:

  "_Castanets, with magic spell, Never lose or give or sell; If you do, then grief and strife Will follow you through all your life._"

  Lira's eyes grew big. The loaf of bread dropped to the ground as shearose.

  Leading her mother to the rock behind which she had hidden thecastanets, she said, "Look, Mother. The castanets are not really lost. Iwas only fooling you. They are hidden in here and--"

  She pulled out the loose rock and looked behind it. The castanets weregone.

  Now, in those days, people believed in spells and charms, and Lira'smother was terribly frightened. She was also terribly angry with Lira.

  She hurried away toward home, leaving Lira standing alone, with thetears running down her plump little cheeks. She was afraid to go home,and so she wandered down to the wide beach.

  Here children were playing, while boys and girls with flashing eyes wereswinging along, clapping their hands and singing. Music sounded.Laughter rang. Night had begun to fall.

  A crescent moon hung in the sky. It was a moon that had been cut inhalf, and the other half was Cadiz. The air was full of dream dust, withgarlic in it.

  Lira did not feel the spell of night that had settled upon the rest ofthe world. She was too miserable. What had become of the castanets?

  Had some evil power removed them from behind that rock? And if so, whatfrightful thing would happen to her and to her family?

  Gradually the people began to leave the beach and finally Lira foundherself alone. She looked out across the bay--a bay that was to becomethe scene of historic battles during Spain's wars with England andFrance.

  Moonlight twinkled silvery upon the water. It was very quiet. And then,all at once, Lira heard a step behind her, and a mysterious voicewhispered: "Lira, Lira, turn around!"

  Her heart skipped like a pebble across a lake. She turned. There stoodher older brother, his figure looming straight and tall in themoonlight. Lira sighed with relief.

  ALCAZAR GARDENS, SEVILLE]

  But her brother did not move. He only stood, scowling down at her. Thenhe continued to talk in that low, frightening voice.

  "Do you know," he said, "that you have brought terrible misfortune uponus, Lira?"

  Lira felt the hot tears begin to sting her eyes again. So he, too, wasgoing to scold her for losing the castanets! But suddenly he took a steptoward her and, thrusting his face close to hers, said, "The Visigothsare coming to drive us away from our homes!"

  Lira began to tremble. Those terrifying savages! She knew that they hadbeen sweeping her country, destroying everything in their path. Now theywere about to descend upon her home. And it was all her fault--hers! Shesobbed and clung to her brother.

  "Oh, why did I do it?" she cried. "Why did I hide the castanets?"

  Her brother put his hand under her chin and lifted her head so thattheir eyes met.

  "Are you sorry, little sister?" he asked kindly.

  Lira's answer was a pitiful wail.

  "Will you ever tell another untruth?"

  "No, no, never, as long as I live!"

  "Will you remember the jingle about the castanets?"

  "Yes, yes! Always and forever!"

  "And will you work hard and learn to dance and carry on our mother'sart?"

  "Yes, yes! Oh, I will try so hard!"

  "Then--look, sister!"

  And to her amazement, Lira's brother held out the magic castanets. Hehad been watching when she hid them. And when she had gone into thecave, he had played a trick upon her by taking them away.

  It was a trick that Lira never forgot--never, though she lived to bevery old. All her life she treasured the magic castanets and neveragain did she lose sight of them.

  But something else she did lose, and that was her round little figure.Indeed, she became lovely and slender. She also became a famous dancer,and one day she taught her own children the dances of Spain.

  SEVILLE]