The Little Spanish Dancer
Page 8
CHAPTER VII
FOUR OLD PAINTINGS
The Moors said, "Three times three things a woman must have: white skin,white teeth, and white hands; black eyes, black brows, and black lashes;rosy lips, rosy cheeks, and rosy nails."
Little Pilar had all of these. She was a Spanish beauty. But she was notonly beautiful; she was also useful. She could sew and cook and takecare of a house.
If you had asked Pilar how she had learned to sew and to cook and totake care of a house, she would have shrugged her shoulders andanswered, "I did not learn. I just knew."
She just knew, as she knew how to dance.
PILAR]
But poor Pilar had not been able to join her dancing companions in thegardens or the squares for many a day now. Her grandfather's health hadnot improved very much, and Pilar could seldom leave him.
As time went on, Pilar watched the money which Juan had given hergradually disappear, and at last there was no more left. But fortunatelythere were still souvenirs left in the chest, and these Pilar took toJuan. Four of the remaining souvenirs were old paintings.
When Juan saw them, he remarked, "These paintings are of four famouspeople. Let me tell you their stories."
These are the stories he told:
_Luis de Leon of Salamanca_
In the Middle Ages, when the University of Salamanca(s[)a]l'[.a]-m[)a]ng'k[.a]) was one of the finest in Europe, there liveda man named Luis de Leon. He was a friar. He was also one of Spain'sgreat poets and a professor at the university.
One day as Fray Luis de Leon was teaching his class, he was seized andthrown into prison. This was during the time of the inquisition, whenpeople were arrested for their religious beliefs.
Fray Luis remained in prison for many years. When he returned toSalamanca, everybody welcomed him, and all the important townspeoplecame to the university to hear him make a speech.
But Fray Luis did not make a speech. He faced the schoolroom full of hispupils and others who had come to hear him, and, taking up the dailylesson, he remarked simply, "As we were saying yesterday--" just as ifhe had never been away!
Salamanca sits upon the banks of the River Tormes (tor'm[=a]s) across anold Roman bridge. It is a city of domes and spires, of quiet memories ofart and culture.
_St. Teresa of Avila_
Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived in the town of Avila(ae'v[+e]-lae) a little girl named Teresa. Often Teresa would read storiesto her brother. These stories were not about fairies, kings, and queens,nor even robbers. They were about saints.
Little Teresa wished very much to become a saint and to live in heaven.So one day she and her brother set off for the country of the Moors.Their reason for doing this was because they thought that they might bebeheaded.
But this great pleasure was to be denied them. An uncle found them onthe road and brought them home. It is a blessing that he did and thatyoung Teresa was allowed to grow up. For she became a very holy woman,who did much good in the world.
The city of Avila seems to breathe the holiness of St. Teresa. It issurrounded by a treeless desert and giant rocks. Its perfect Roman wallsclasp it tightly as if to safeguard its mystery and charm.
SALAMANCA]
Do you hear the ding-donging bells of the many churches? They carry oneoff to dreamland. Do you hear the clink-clinking hoofs of the tinydonkeys? They carry hens and roosters to market in crates upon theirbacks. Avila is an old-fashioned town.
_The Cid of Valencia_
"Godfather, please give me a colt. You have so many. You will never missone."
Rodrigo de Bivar (r[+o]-dr[=e]'g[=o] de bevaer') stood in the paddockbeside his godfather, Don Pedro, a priest of Burgos (b[=oo]r'g[=o]s).They were watching the horses, mares, and their colts running wild.How free and beautiful they were, with their lovely manes flowing inthe breeze!
"You may choose the best for yourself, godson," said Don Pedro.
Young Rodrigo's keen eyes followed each graceful young horse as itpassed. But he said nothing. He said nothing until an ugly, shaggylittle animal came by.
Then he cried out, "This is the one I want, godfather!"
His godfather gave him a look of disgust.
"Babieca! (babie'ca) (Foolish one!)" he scolded. "This is indeed astupid choice!"
ST. TERESA CONVENT, AVILA]
Rodrigo was not dismayed. Smiling, he said, "Babieca shall be my horse'sname!"
It was this same Babieca, or Booby, who carried Rodrigo de Bivar throughhis many famous battles. It was Babieca, too, who is supposed to havewept over his master when the great warrior-lord died.
For young Rodrigo became Spain's most celebrated hero, the Cid, aboutwhom songs have been sung and tales have been spun. Many of these are,of course, only romance and legend. But the Cid did indeed live andtriumph.
One of his greatest victories was the conquest of that rich andbeautiful city, Valencia (v[.a]-l[)e]n'sh[)i]-[.a]), which is stillcalled Valencia del Cid.
_Columbus of--Where?_
"Please, a little food and shelter. We are very hungry and tired!"
The man was Christopher Columbus, and the child, Diego, his son. Wearyand discouraged, they had arrived at the monastery of La Rabita.
For a long time, Christopher Columbus had been trying to interest theSpanish court in his scheme to sail across the unknown ocean. Hethought that by sailing west he would reach Asia.
But the King and Queen were busy with their struggles against the Moors,and they would not listen to him.
The kind monks at the monastery of La Rabita sheltered Columbus and hislittle son. They also gave heed to his eager hopes and plans, and atlast Prior Perez of the monastery wrote a letter to Queen Isabella.
As we well know, Queen Isabella made it possible for ChristopherColumbus to sail across the ocean and discover America. But nobody yethas really discovered Christopher Columbus.
Where was he born? Some say in Italy, others, in northern Spain. PerhapsColumbus was a Jew who changed his religion and nationality. This couldwell have been, because at that time the Jews in Spain were beingtortured and sent away from their country.
When Columbus returned from his famous voyage, he was received inBarcelona by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. They made him Lord HighAdmiral of the Ocean Sea and Hereditary Viceroy of the New World.
But after the death of the Queen, Columbus was badly treated by KingFerdinand, and he died in poverty and despair at a miserable inn.
* * * * *
When Juan had finished telling the stories about the four paintings,Pilar asked, "Will you buy them from me, Senor Juan?"
Juan answered, "Yes, if you really must sell them, Pilar. But I wishthat you might keep them, for they are very fine."
"I need the money," said Pilar simply.
"Then why not let me sell those ugly castanets?" inquired Juan. "Thedancing master will willingly pay for them."
"No, no!" cried Pilar. "They shall be the last to go."
So Juan took the four paintings and gave Pilar money for them. And nowthere remained in the wooden chest only three souvenirs. One was abottle of old wine, one a small dagger, and one the magic castanets.