Legends+of+Spain

=Legends of Spain= __Ellen Stadelman__

Legends and myths abound everywhere, and serve many purposes. They are often times told to convey morals, but at their heart, they are used to tell how things came to be. How did the mountains get there? Why do we have these traditions? Why does the wind sound like it's moaning? Many places have similar stories and myths explaining these natural phenomena around them. These stories get told and retold person to person, place to place, so it is not surprising to see such similarities between different places and times. Spain has many legends wether they be in Castallano, Catalan, or any other language. The Lovers of Teruel, The Death of Roland, Ma'de'ella, Olvena Bridge, The Devil's Well, and The Baron of Esriche are but a few.

Lovers of Teruel
Diego de Marcilla, second son of a noble family, and Isabel de Segura, daughter of a wealthy family, loved each other as children and as they grew up their love remained undiminished, but when they were both at an eligible age to wed, Diego's family had fallen on hard times. Isabel's father, being the most wealthy in all of Teruel, forbade the marriage. Diego, however, was able to make an agreement with the father in which he would leave Teruel for five years to try to build his fortune. If Diego was able to gain wealth within those five years he would be able to marry his love, Isabel. During those five years her father pestered her to marry someone. She replied to him by saying that God wished her to remain a virgin until she turned twenty, saying that women should learn how to manage the household before getting married. Because her father loved her dearly and wished for her happiness, he agreed and for five years, they waited for Diego's return. Diego was not heard from in those five years and so on the day of the five years' close Isabel's father married her to Don Pedro de Azagra from Albarracin. Right after the wedding ceremony there was a commotion at the Zaragoza gate. The watchmen informed the village that Diego Marcilla had returned with great riches and with the intent of marrying Isabel. Diego had not counted the day in which he petitioned Isabel's father whereas the Seguras had. That night, Diego sneaked into the bedroom of Isabel and her husband and gently awoke her. He pleaded to her, "Besame, que me muero," (Kiss me for I am dying) and she refused, saying "No quiera Dios que yo falte a mi marido," (God does not wish me to deceive my husband) "Por la pasion de Jesucristo os suplico que busques a otra, que de mi no hagais cuenta. Pues si a Dios no ha complacido, tampoco me complace a mi." (For the love of Jesus Christ I beg you to find another, and to stop caring about me. If you can't please God, then it won't please me either.) He begged one last time, saying that he was dying and wished for a final kiss. But still she refused. Upon hearing this Diego could not bear the separation between himself and his love, and with a sigh he died on the feet of his beloved Isabel. When she realized that he died, she shivered. She woke her husband, telling him that his snoring scared her and she wished to hear a story. And he did, and in return she told him her own story. She told him of Diego and how he lay dead beside the bed. "Oh, you wretched! Why did you not kiss him?" "To not deceive my husband." She replied. "Of course," he groaned. "You are a woman to praise." They agreed on secretly burying him in the local church because the husband feared that he would be blamed for his death. The next day, during the funeral for Diego Marcilla, Isabel showed up dressed in her wedding dress. She proceeded to walk to the front of the church and place a kiss on the man whom she had refused but in doing so Isabel died, falling prostrate on the body of the man whom she loved.

This legend has many common themes, and resembles very closely the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet. It's possible Shakespeares genius for Romeo and Juliet stemmed from tales originating from this very legend.

Sources: http://www.caiaragon.com/en/arbol/index.asp?idNodo=66&idNodoP=38