The Little Spanish Dancer
Page 9
CHAPTER VIII
FIESTA
Fiestas (fy[)e]s'taes) (festivals) and fairs are the joy of the Spanishpeople. Some are held upon saints' days. In Spain one celebrates thebirthday of the saint for whom one is named.
Tonight there was a fiesta in Triana, which is across the bridge fromSeville. It is where the gypsies live.
Pilar was on her way to Triana with a group of her friends. She wasdressed in her dancing costume. She wanted to dance and use her magiccastanets. This would be the last time she could do so. For of all hermother's souvenirs, only the castanets were now left. And tomorrow--
PILAR IN HER COSTUME]
But Pilar did not like to think about that tomorrow. Juan had soldeverything else out of the wooden chest. Everything else had gone, eventhe wooden chest itself--gone to pay for food and medicines.
He had sold the very old bottle of sherry wine, which had come from awell-known cellar of Jerez (h[+a]-r[=a]th'), once called Scheriz.
In this cellar there is a cluster of huge barrels, upon which arewritten noted names, such as the Prince of Wales' and our ownPresident's. They contain wines made in the year of each person's birth.
A family of well-trained mice lives in this cellar. When the attendantrings a bell and scatters bread upon the floor, these tiny creatures runout from behind the barrels.
Juan had also sold the small dagger of Moorish design. It had come fromthe town of Cordoba (kor'd[+o]-vae), once an important center. The famousMosque of Cordoba, with its striped arches, was built by the Moors. Butit has since been made into a Christian church.
King Charles V is supposed to have said to the Christian builders, "Youhave built what can be found anywhere, but you have spoiled what cannotbe found anywhere else.
THE MOSQUE, CORDOBA]
Cordoba is a white city of twisting streets. There are golden knobs uponsome of the doors; ragged beggars fill the streets; and children seem togrow in doorways.
One sees in Cordoba those broad-brimmed hats which belong to that partof Spain called Andalucia (aen'dae-l[=oo]-th[=e]'ae).
ANDALUSIAN HAT]
A legend tells how Andalucia received its name. Every saint in heavenhad been given a spot over which to rule--every one, except poor littleSaint Lucia. So she searched the world for a country, but most of theworld had already been taken by other saints.
One day, however, she came to a land of sunshine and flowers, with whichshe was delighted. She asked if she might have it for her own, and amysterious voice answered and said to her, "Anda, Lucia! (Go there,Lucia!)"
And that is why, the legend tells, this sunny part of Spain is calledAndalucia.
Seville, too, is in Andalucia; and now let us go back to Seville and toPilar.
Tonight Pilar had left her grandfather for the first time in manyevenings. A neighbor had kindly offered to stay with him while she wentto the fiesta. Pilar's heart had been crying out for music and dancing.
Across the bridge, over the Guadalquivir (gwae'd[)a]l-kw[)i]v'[~e]r)River, went the crowd of young people. They passed the Torre del Oro(tor'r[+a] d[)e]l [=o]'r[=o]) (Tower of Gold), where treasure once wasstored.
In Triana there are many pottery shops; also there is a large Americanolive factory. It is said that the best olives are grown in sight of theGiralda Tower, which is in Seville.
At the fiesta, music and song filled the air. Lanterns were strung frompoles. Booths lined the square. Nuts and fruits and cakes were sold.There were small wagons where men fried long, golden cakes like thedoughnut.
A FIELD NEAR CORDOBA]
Shawls, laces, paintings, toys, and fans for sale. Merry-go-rounds,sideshows, dancing, and more dancing. Pilar and her friends whirledabout, kicking their legs, pointing their toes, rolling their eyes, andrippling their castanets.
At last, tired, but filled with rhythm and harmony, the group startedfor home.
After Pilar had left the fiesta, however, somebody asked about her. Thatsomebody was a great dancing master.
He asked, "Who was that little beauty in the white costume trimmed withgreen? She played a pair of golden-voiced castanets. Where does shelive? I should like to have her as my pupil."
A DOUGHNUT STAND]
But nobody in Triana knew where Pilar lived, and, of course, her name isa common one in Spain.
On the way home, Pilar's spirits began to fall. She began to think ofhaving to part with her precious castanets. How she wished that theremight be some other way of--!
Suddenly she remembered Tony--Tony, the boy who had played bullfightwith Juan years ago. It was weeks now since Juan had sent the old redcape to America and had written to Tony.
Juan had said that Tony was rich and generous and that he would helpPilar and her grandfather because he would remember Pilar's mother. ButPilar had begun to wonder whether Tony really would.
When she reached home, all the excitement of the fiesta had worn away.She was very unhappy. Tomorrow she must give up the castanets. Juan hadsaid that he could sell them to a dancing master, who paid handsomelyfor antiques.
Pilar started to undress. She unpinned the brooch that fastened hercostume at the throat. And all at once, her face lit up with a wonderfulnew idea.
She would take this brooch to Juan tomorrow. It was her own, part of herdancing costume. But she would far rather part with it than with hermother's castanets.
The brooch was a small painting called a miniature. It was the likenessof young Prince Alfonso, the brother of Queen Isabella of Spain.
Pilar hurried off to bed. And while she sleeps, let us listen to the"Mystery of the Young Prince."