March-Spanish Legend

 

THE BARON OF ESCRICHE

Once upon a time, a shepherdess called Malena. She left her home with the first rays of sunshine with her small flock of sheep. Recently, some neighbours had seen a terrible feast prowling around the nearby mountains.  

One day, Malena was walking when she saw a monstrous being coming towards her. In two strides, it had secretly reached her flock. She could not save even one of her sheep from the beast´s jaws.

The girl´s eyes were flooded with tears of bitterness and desperation. Pascual, a fugitive soldier who was hiding in the mountains, found Malena, he picked her up in his arms and accompanied her to Escriche.

The neighbours gathered around Malena and the smart soldier in the square. Other shepherds arrived in the village and were terrified. The beast had also attacked their flocks. The youngest and most daring men took their sticks and went out in search of the beast. They did not even get a glimpse of it.

The days went by and now nobody dared to take their cattle and sheep out to graze on the mountainside. They agreed to ask their King for help and for his soldiers to protect them.

The village was apparently calm for a few days. One day, the beast appeared again. The sharp weapons of the expert soldiers were useless.

Pascual, who was with Malena, left her in search of the King to put himself at his service and offer him a solution. The sovereign was near Teruel with his soldiers, trying to design new strategies to capture the beast. Pascual told him that he would put an end to the beast. He only needed a horse, a sword and a mirror. The monarch, accepted.

Pascual went secretly through the pine forests in search of the forest. When he came face to face with it. The beast was ready to attack him, when the young man took the mirror out of his bag and put it on his chest like a shield. When the beast saw its reflection, it became spellbound.

That distraction was its ruin. Pascual took advantage of that instance and rushed towards the beast with his sword. The beast died right there.

The soldier was received as the best hero and Malena received him as the very best man.

The King was quickly advised of the young man´s exploit. For his feat, the King granted him all the land that his horse could cross in one day. Furthermore, he granted him the title of Baron of Escriche, which he enjoyed with Malena.