My post today is about: The Spring of Rosemary (a Spanish fairy-tale)
I've become really fond of Spanish fairy-tales and I'd like to share a new one with you that I recently discovered.
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A man made his only daughter work very hard. One day, he sent her to collect firewood. She went and plucked a sprig of rosemary as well. A handsome young man appeared and asked her why she came to steal his firewood. She said that her father sent her and the youngster led her to a castle and told her that he was a great lord and wanted to marry her, so they married.
The old woman who looked after the castle gave her the keys, but warned her that if she used one, the castle would fall to pieces. After a time, curiosity overcame her and she opened a door and found a snakeskin. Her husband, a magician, used it to change shape. Then the castle fell to pieces. She cried, broke off a sprig of rosemary and went to search for him.
She found a house of straw where they gave her work, but she grew sadder by the day. When her mistress asked her about it, the young woman told her her story and her mistress sent her to the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind, to ask for help. The Sun could not help her, but gave her a nut and sent her on to the Moon; the Moon could not help her but gave her an almond and sent her on to the Wind; the Wind did not know how to help her, but promised to look around. He learned that her husband was hidden in the palace of the king and would marry the king's daughter the next day, as he had lost his memory.
The young woman implored him to put it off if he could and after giving her a walnut, the Wind blew on the tailors sewing for the wedding and destroyed their work. The young woman cracked the nut and found a fine mantle. She sold it to the princess for a great sum in gold. Then the almond held petticoats, which she sold again. Then the walnut held a gown, and for this she demanded to see the bridegroom. The princess finally agreed, and when the young woman went in, she touched her husband with the rosemary, which brought his memory back, and they went back to her home.
You can read the story HERE.
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2 comments:
Cool story. I feel like I've read ones with memory loss before so it's interesting how that reoccurs in fairy tales.
How many versions in different countries are there of this story? But I do like it :)
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