Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Kweku Ananse and the Two Parties




Kweku Ananse and his family lived in a village called ‘Anyiber Mo’. One day the chief of his village decided to throw a grand party to thank God for enabling him to fulfill his promises. Ananse and his wife Aso were among the important people invited. This excited him because this was a good opportunity to drink the finest palmwine. 

The next day the chief of the neighboring village also sent Mr. & Mrs. Ananse an invitation to his wedding party. Ananse was happy to receive it but wasn't sure what to do because both of the parties were on the same day beginning at the same time with the same duration. Ananse sat down and thought very hard about what to do. Later he put on a tranquil smile as he went about his daily work after deciding what to do. 

Finally, when the much-awaited day arrived, Ananse asked his wife to wait for him at the wedding party. When she left, he went under his bed and brought out a new thick long rope he had bought for the sake of the two parties. After dressing up in his best Kente cloth and a pair of ‘ahenema’ sandal (native sandal), he called two of his sons (Ntikumah and Tikonokono). As soon as they saw the rope, they asked “Papa, what are you doing with that?”. Ananse replied, “ Keep quiet and listen. We shall go to the border between the two villages. I will then tie this rope around my waist. You’ll take one end of the rope each and go to where the parties are taking place”. Ananse exhaled deeply and concluded, “Now pay attention boys, the first person to see that the refreshment is being served should pull the rope very fast so that I can come there and enjoy myself OK?!!” The boys nodded and when they got to the border, they did exactly as planned. 

Unfortunately for Ananse, both parties began the refreshments at the same time so both sons started to pull the rope at the same time. People in both villages who saw the scene couldn’t help laughing and cheering. Due to the noise, the two sons could not hear Ananse’s wailing and pleas for them to stop so they pulled all day and he Ananse suffered all day for his greed. 

Monday, May 13, 2013

Lluvia de Peces (Rain of Fish) Honduras



Rain of Fish is a phenomenon that has allegedly been occurring for more than a century on a yearly basis in Yoro, Honduras.

Many people believe this phenomenon occurs because of Father José Manuel Subirana, a Spanish Catholic missionary and considered by many to be a saint. He visited Honduras from 1856-1864, and upon encountering so many poor people, prayed for 3 days and 3 nights asking God for a miracle to help the poor people by providing food. The Rain of Fish has occurred ever since.

The fish are all the same size—about 6 inches long—and are completely blind. But even stranger than the appearance of the fish is the fact that these particular fish are not found in any of the surrounding bodies of water.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Chica de Blanco (Girl in White) A Mexican Ghost Story



He was sulking a little, standing at the sidelines while all the other men danced with their pretty partners. His girl had not come to the dance that night. Her mother was ill, and so his girl had remained at her side. A fine pious act, he thought sourly, but it left him at loose ends.

His friend, Ernesto, came up to him between sets with a cold drink and some words of encouragement. “After all, Anita is not the only girl in the world,” Ernesto said. “There are many pretty girls here tonight. Dance with one of them.”

Bolstered by his friend’s words, he started looking around the dance hall. His eye fell upon a beautiful young girl standing wistfully at the edge of the floor beside the door to the terrace. She was dressed in an old-fashioned white gown and her skin was pale as the moon. Her dark eyes watched the dance hungrily from her position behind a tall fern, and he felt his heart beat faster. Such a lovely woman should be dancing!

He made his way through the bustling crowd and bowed to the girl in white. She looked startled by his addresses, as if she had not expected anyone to notice her that night. But she readily assented to dance with him, and he proudly led her out onto the floor for the next set, all thoughts of Anita gone from his mind.

Ernesto and some of his other friends gave him odd looks as he danced with the girl in white. A few times, the man opposite them bumped right into them as if he had not seen his partner at all. He was furious and wanted to stop the dance and make the man apologize to the girl in white, but she just laughed and hushed him.

When the dance was over, he hurried to get his fair partner a drink. Ernesto approached him at the refreshment table. “When I told you to dance, I meant with a partner,” his friend teased him.

“I was dancing with a partner,” he replied, irritated by his friends remark. “The loveliest girl in all of Mexico!”

“You’ve had too much to drink, my friend,” Ernesto replied. “You were dancing by yourself out there!”

He glared at his friend and turned away without answering him. Making his way back to the girl in white, he handed her a glass and asked her to stroll with him along the terrace. The night was beautiful, the sky full of stars, and he stared at the girl in white with his heart in his eyes as they stood looking out over the beautiful scene.

The girl in white turned to him with a sigh and said: “Thank you for the dance, Senor. It has been a very long time since I had such pleasure.”

“Let us dance again, then,” he said infatuatedly. But she shook her head.

“I must leave now,” she said, catching up her skirts with one hand and drifting toward the stairs at the side of the terrace.

“Please don’t go,” he pleaded, following her.

“I must,” she said, turning to look at him. Her eyes softened when she saw the look on his face. “Come with me?” she invited, holding out a pale hand.

His heart pounded rapidly at the thought. More than anything in the world, he wanted to go with this lovely girl. And then his mind registered the fact that he could see the stone wall of the terrace through the girl’s hand. His desire melted away before the shock of that realization. He looked into her face again, and realized that she was fading away before his eyes.

At the look of horror on his face, the girl gave a sad laugh and dropped her hand, which was nearly transparent now.

“Goodbye,” she said, her body becoming thin and misty. “Goodbye.”

Then she was gone.

He gave a shout of terror when he realized he had been dancing with a ghost. He bolted from the premises, leaving his horse behind, and ran all the way home.

When Ernesto came the next day to bring him his horse, he told his friend the whole story. Ernesto whistled in awe. “You saw the spirit of Consuela, my friend,” he said. “She was the daughter of one of the local aristocracy who lived in this region more than a hundred years ago. She died of consumption the night before her first ball and they say her spirit sometimes attends the local dances, hoping to claim one of the dances that she missed.”
He shuddered at the thought of his dance with the ghost. “I will not be visiting that dance hall again,” he told Ernesto. “From now on, all my dances will be with Anita!”
And he kept his word.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Canción de Armadillo (Armadillo's Song) from Bolivia


This story is about the Churango, a Bolivian instrument made from an armadillo hide.

There once lived an armadillo who loved music more than anything else in the world. After every rainfall, the armadillo would drag his shell over to the large pond filled with frogs and he would listen to the big green frogs singing back and forth, back and forth to each other in the most amazing voices.

“Oh,” thought the armadillo, “Oh how I wish I could sing.”

The armadillo would creep to the edge of the water and watch the frogs leaping and swimming in a frantic green ballet, and they would call back and forth, back and forth in beautiful, musical tones. He loved to listen to the music they made as they spoke, though he didn’t understand their words; which was just as well - for the frogs were laughing at this funny animal that wanted so badly to sing like a frog.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” sang the frogs as they played. “Armadillos can’t sing.”

Then one day a family of crickets moved into a new house near the armadillo, and he was amazed to hear them chirp and sing as merrily as the frogs. He would creep next to their house and listen and listen all day, all night for their musical sounds.

“Oh,” sighed the armadillo, “Oh how I wish I could sing.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” sang the crickets in their dulcet tones. “Armadillos can’t sing.”

But the armadillo could not understand their language, and so he just sighed with longing and listened to their beautiful voices laughing at him.

Then one day a man came down the road carrying a cage full of canaries. They were chirping and flittering and singing songs that were more beautiful even than those of the crickets and the frogs. The armadillo was entranced. He followed the man with the cage down the road as fast as his little legs would carry him, listening to the canaries singing.

“Oh,” gasped the armadillo, “Oh how I wish I could sing.”

Inside the cage, the canaries twittered and giggled.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” sang the canaries as they flapped about. “Armadillos can’t sing.”

The poor tired armadillo couldn’t keep up with the man and the cage, and finally he fell exhausted at the door of the great wizard who lived in the area. Realizing where he was, the armadillo decided to beg a boon of the man.

Timidly, the armadillo approached the wizard, who was sitting in front of his house and said: “Great wizard, it is my deepest desire to learn to sing like the frogs and the crickets and the canaries.”

The wizard’s lips twitched a little in amusement, for who had ever heard of an armadillo that could sing. But he realized that the little animal was serious. He bent low to the ground and looked the creature in the eye.

“I can make you sing, little armadillo,” he said. “But you do not want to pay the price, for it will mean your death.”

“You mean if I die I will be able to sing?” asked the armadillo in amazement.

“Yes, this is so,” said the wizard.

“Then I want to die right now!” said the armadillo. “I would do anything to be able to sing!”

The wizard and the armadillo discussed the matter for many hours, for the wizard was reluctant to take the life of such a fine armadillo. But the creature insisted, and so the wizard finally killed the armadillo, made a wonderful musical instrument from his shell, and gave it to the finest musician in the town to play.

Sometimes the musician would play his instrument by the pond where the frogs lived, and they would stare at him with big eyes and say: “Ai! Ai! The armadillo has learned to sing.”

Sometimes the musician would play his instrument by the house where the crickets lived, and they would creep outside to stare at him with big eyes and say: “Ai! Ai! The armadillo has learned to sing.”

And often the musician would visit the home of his friend who owned the cage full of canaries - who was also a musician - and the two men would play their instruments together while the little birds watched with fluttering wings and twittered in amazement: “Ai! Ai! The armadillo has learned to sing.”

And so it was. The armadillo had learned to sing at last, and his voice was the finest in the land. But like the very best musicians in the world, the armadillo sacrificed his Life for his Art.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Las Campanas (The Bells, a Mexican Ghost Story)



There once was an evil priest who did not fear God or man. His duties for the church included counting the offerings and ringing the bells to summon people to Mass. But his heart was filled with greed, and he began to take advantage of the good people of his parish. The priest stole money out of the offerings to keep for himself, and when he had filled a chest full of gold, he killed a man and buried him with the chest so the murdered man’s ghost would guard it. Anyone who tried to dig for the treasure would be devoured by the skeleton of the murdered man.

The evil priest planned to return to Spain with his ill-gotten treasure, but he fell ill with a fever a week before his ship was scheduled to leave. On his deathbed, the priest repented of his crime. He swore to his confessor that his soul would not rest until he returned the gold to God. The priest died before he could reveal the place where the treasure was buried. As he gasped out his last breath, he said: “Follow the bells. They will lead you to the treasure.”

The Padre who attended the dying priest did not heed his words. But the sweeper who was working in the hallway at the time of the evil priest’s death was struck by the notion of buried treasure. He was very poor and wanted a better life for himself and his family, so the sweeper determined to take the treasure for himself. Each night for a week, he took a shovel and dug in the monastery gardens, searching for the priests treasure. He found nothing.

One night the sweeper was awakened from his dreams by the sound of the parish bells ringing out loudly in the darkness. He leapt to his feet, fearing some emergency, and then realized that his wife and children had not stirred in their beds. Remembering the evil priest’s last words, the sweeper felt sure that the mysterious ringing of the bells was for his ears alone, to lead him to the treasure.

Taking his shovel, the sweeper followed the sound of the church bells up and up into the hills. He was gasping for breath when he reached the source of the sound. He was on a wide ledge overlooking the valley. Two trees guarded the spot, and it was beside these trees that the glowing, ghostly church bells hovered. Taking his shovel, the poor sweeper dug a deep hole among the roots of the trees. After several moments, his shovel hit something hard! Eagerly, he swept the dirt away from the object and found a small chest. He hauled it out of the ditch with trembling hands, placed it on a rock, and broke the lock with the edge of his shovel. when he opened it, piles of yellow gold met his dazzled eyes. He gathered up a handful of coins, reveling in the weight of so much money. The coins were cool to his touch, and he felt the smoothness of the metal as he rubbed the coins between his fingers. And that was when he heard the moaning...
Looking up, the sweeper saw the skeleton of the murdered man whom the evil priest had buried with the treasure. It was rising out of the pit under the trees, eye sockets glowing with blue flames. “Mine,” the skeleton intoned, stretching its bony arms toward the sweeper. “Mine!”
The sweeper screamed in terror and leapt away from the box of treasure, dropping the coins that he held in his hands. He ran down the hill as fast as he could go, the skeleton in hot pursuit. Behind him, the bells began to ring again as he fled for his life from the ledge.
The sweeper kept running long after the sounds of pursuit ceased, and did not stop until he reached his home. It was only then that he realized he had left his shovel back with the buried treasure on top of the hill. it was an expensive shovel and he could not afford to lose it.
Waiting until daylight, the sweeper went reluctantly back up into the hills to retrieve it. When he reached the ledge, there was no sign of the skeleton, the chest of money, or the hole he had dug the night before. He found his shovel at the top of a tall tree whose first branches began nearly twenty feet above his head. The skeleton must have placed it there after it chased him down the hill, he decided grimly, knowing that there was no way he could retrieve it.
Turning sadly away, the sweeper’s eye was caught by a gleam in the bushes near the rock where he had placed the treasure chest the night before. Carefully, keeping his eye on the place where the skeleton lay buried, the sweeper felt around the rock until his hand closed on two gold coins that the ghost had missed. Casually he put the coins in his pocket and hurried from the ledge. When he got home, the sweeper put the coins into a sock and hid it under the floorboard for safekeeping.
The sweeper never went back to the ledge to retrieve the evil priest’s buried treasure, though sometimes he was still awakened by the mysterious sound of the bells. He knew it would take someone more pious than himself to banish the ghost of the murdered man and reclaim the money for God. But he did use the gold coins to send his eldest son to school, and with the left-over change, he bought himself a new shovel.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

El Principe Oso (the Bear Prince) from Mexico



Once upon a time there was a very poor woodcutter who had three beautiful daughters. Of the three girls, the youngest was the most beautiful. One day the woodcutter went into the forest and was chopping down an oak tree when a very large and horrible bear wrenched the axe from his hands.“Who gave you permission to cut the wood in my forest?” growled the bear. “You have been stealing my timber and now you must pay for it with your life.”

“Please forgive me, Senor Oso,” said the poor woodcutter, “I was only cutting the wood to sell it and thus support my three little daughters. If you kill me, my little girls will starve.”

The Bear remained thoughtful and then said, “There is only one way in which you life may be saved. You have to give me one of your daughters in marriage.”
The woodcutter didn’t know what to say or do. Finally the thought of dying and leaving his daughters destitute forced him to agree to the Bear’s proposal.

The woodcutter returned home and told his daughters what had happened. “Father,” said the two eldest girls, “we would rather die than marry that Bear.” Ninfa, the youngest, said. “Father, I will marry the Bear.”

Next day Ninfa and her father went into the forest where the Bear was waiting for them. After seeing the beautiful maiden, he was satisfied. Ninfa, however, said to the Bear, “If I must marry you, I want to be married according to the Catholic rites.”

The woodcutter went in search of a priest and soon returned with one. Ninfa and the Bear were then married.

The Bear took Ninfa to his cave, and when it grew dark he chanted:
“Bear so hairy, Bear so alarming,
Change into a prince handsome and charming.”

In an instant the Bear changed into a handsome prince. He then told Ninfa, “I am an enchanted prince, cursed by a witch into being a bear by day and a man by night. You do anything you want around here but you must never reveal that I am an enchanted prince.” Ninfa, happily promised that she would never reveal the secret.

The next morning they arose from bed, and the prince said:
“Prince so handsome, Prince so charming,
Change into a bear, hairy and alarming.”
In an instant the prince had changed back into a bear.

Days followed days and Ninfa felt a desire to go and visit her family in the village. “I wish you would let me go to the village to see my father and sisters. It isn’t far, and if I leave early enough I will be back before it gets dark.”

The prince finally consented. However, he made her repeat her oath never to reveal the prince’s secret.

Next day Ninfa dressed herself richly and went to see her father and sisters, who welcomed her joyously. However, the sisters began to poke fun at Ninfa, jealous of the fact that she was wearing rich jewels and costly garments.

“You married a bear, what shame!” the sisters repeatedly told her.

So many times did the sisters repeat this, that finally Ninfa lost her temper and revealed her husband’s secret. The sisters were deeply amazed to hear Ninfa’s tale. The eldest one then said:
“Look, Ninfa, why don’t you disenchant the prince? When he goes to sleep, tie him up and gag him. As soon as day breaks and the prince wakes up, he will not be able to say the magic words. Then you will have a husband with a human form forever.”

Ninfa returned to the bear’s cave and that night did everything her sister had suggested. The prince awoke the next morning, and imagine his surprise at finding himself tied and gagged! He could not say the magic rhyme and the enchantment was broken.

“Wife,” the prince later said to Ninfa, “you have broken your promise. To break the enchantment and live happily ever after, we two had to live happily married a year and a day. Since you have disobeyed me, you are going to have to look for me. You will not find me until you locate the Castle of Faith.”

Saying this, the prince vanished and Ninfa was left alone. She cried and was sorry, for she truly loved the prince. Then, determined to be reunited with her husband, Ninfa decided to go and look for the Castle of Faith. Tying a few belongings together, she left on her search.

She walked and walked and finally arrived at a forest where a wizard lived.“Nina,” said the wizard, “what do you want here in this forest?”

“I am looking for the Castle of Faith,” answered Ninfa, “do you know where it is?”

“I do not know.” said the wizard, “but follow this road until you reach my father’s house. He may know where the castle is. Take this nut and if you ever find yourself in trouble break it.”

Ninfa thanked the old man, and left, finally reaching the house where the wizard’s father lived. The old man didn’t know either but said: “Walk along this road until you come to the house of my eldest brother. Perhaps he can tell you where the castle is. I am going to give you another nut just as my son did. If you find yourself in trouble, break it and it will help you.

Ninfa walked and walked and finally came to the house of the third wizard. He also didn’t know where the castle was. He said: “The Moon probably knows. Follow this road and soon you will come to her house. But be careful, the Moon may be angry. I am also going to give you a nut. If you find yourself in trouble, break it.”

Ninfa left. The poor girl was very, very tired, but at last that night she arrived at the moon’s house. She knocked on the door and a little old lady, who was the moon’s housekeeper, came out.

“Merciful God! Daughter, what are you doing here?” asked the old lady. “Don’t you know that if the Moon finds you here she will eat you?”

Ninfa tearfully told the old woman all that had happened. “Look,” said the old one, “you hide, and when the moon comes, I will carelessly ask her if she know where the castle is.”

At dawn the moon came in, and said, “Human flesh I smell here. Give it to me or on you I will feast.”

“Go on,” said the old woman, “you’re crazy. Just because there is a roast in the oven, you think it’s human flesh. Sit down and eat so that you can go to bed. You are very tired.”

The moon sat down to eat and the old lady began to talk. “The other day an owl went by, and I got to talking with her. She told me she had heard about the Castle of Faith. You, who know so many things, surely know where this castle is.”
“I don’t know, the one who probably knows is the Sun.”

The moon went to bed and the little old lady whispered to Ninfa, “Quickly, leave before the Moon wakes up. Go along this road and you will find the house of the Sun.”
Ninfa left and finally came to the Sun’s house. She knocked on the door and another little old lady answered.
“Valgame Dios, nina!” she exclaimed, “What are you doing here?” Don’t you know that if the Sun finds you here he will burn you?”

Ninfa began to cry, and between sobs told her story to the little old lady. They were both gloomily taking when the house suddenly filled with light and the Sun came in. Poor Ninfa. She crossed herself and prepared to die. But the little old lady yelled.

“Wait, Sun! Wait! this poor child is looking for the Castle of Faith.”

“Ah!” exclaimed the Sun, “so you are looking for the Castle of Faith.”

“I know where the castle is,” said the Sun. “But it is very far from here. I could take you, but I am not allowed to go out after dark. But near here lives my good friend, El Aire, the Wind. He can take you. When you get to El Aire’s home, you tell him that it was I who sent you.”

Ninfa arrived at the Wind’s house. She knocked and the Wind screamed, “Come in whoever it is!”

Ninfa entered and told El Aire that the Sun had sent her with a request.

“Granted,” said El Aire, “no matter what it may be.”

She told Senor Aire all that had adversely happened to her and that she wanted to go to the Castle of Faith.

“Do not worry,” said El Aire, “I myself, will take you.” Ninfa straddled El Aire’s back, and in less time than it takes to wink an eye, they arrived at the castle. “Look,” said El Aire, “it seems that there is a fiesta in the castle.” “I have to leave,” he told Ninfa. “With the help of God, everything will come out all right.” And turning into a whirlwind, he rushed away.

Ninfa knocked on the door of the castle, and a servant come out. “In what may I serve you?” asked the servant.
“I would like to see the prince.”

Ninfa entered the castle and saw her husband, the prince, eating at a table and surrounded by his guests. Ninfa tried so hard to get the prince’s attention that the bride saw her. She was an evil witch who with her magic had put a spell on the prince and made him marry her.

The prince then saw Ninfa and recognized her immediately. He yelled at the servants, telling them to bring Ninfa to him, but with the noise nobody heard him.

The witch screamed at her servants, “Run that beggar out!”

The servants were about to lay their hands on Ninfa when the girl broke one of the magic nuts the wizards had given her. In an instant Ninfa turned into a little rat. When the witch saw this, she turned into a huge cat which began to chase the rat. The rat sprang atop the prince’s table, and onto his plate. There Ninfa broke another nut and turned into a grain of rice which became lost among many on the prince’s plate. The cat also jumped on the table, turning instantly into a chicken which began to eat the rice. Ninfa then broke the other nut and turned into a coyote which ate the chicken in one bite.

Ninfa then was transformed back into human form to be reunited with the prince and both lived happily ever after.

Monday, May 6, 2013

El Conejo Sonriente


          Here is the second piece along with the story.

          El Conejo Sonriente 
(The Smiling Rabbit) from Mexico

An old man and his wife lived in a little house made of straw. They were very poor and all they owned were a rabbit and a young jaguar. When the old couple used up their last ear of corn, they decided to eat the rabbit and started heating water to cook him. When he saw that, the jaguar said to the rabbit:

“You won’t get out of this one. The old people are going to eat you and they will give me a piece.”

“No, my jaguar friend,” said the rabbit- “the old folk are heating water to make hot chocolate for breakfast.”

“That’s not true. They are heating the water to cook you.”

“Not at all. What’s more, I can prove it. Get into my cage and you’ll see; they’ll give you the first chocolate.”

The trusting jaguar went into the cage, the rabbit closed it and ran off. A long time went by and the jaguar tired of waiting for the old people to bring him his chocolate. When he realized that the rabbit had tricked him, he broke the cage and went after him.

After walking and walking, he found him in a cave. He was very angry and he showed his teeth as he said: “I caught you, rabbit! I’m going to eat you.”

“What’s the matter, my friend? What are you talking about? I don’t know you. I have lived here for a long time. Now excuse me, can’t you see I am very busy? My house is falling down.”

“Oh, so you are not the one who tricked me?”

“Of course not! But, please help me. Lean against this wall while I go get a log to hold it up and keep it from falling. And don’t let go or it might crush you. So the jaguar stood on his hind legs and held up the wall.”

A long time went by and the jaguar was tired. When he saw that the wall didn’t fall down, he realized that he had been tricked again. He took off after the deceitful rabbit, even angrier than before.

This time he found him hanging from an elastic vine that made him go up and down. The rabbit was so happy thinking of how he had fooled the jaguar that he didn’t notice when the latter took a great leap, pulled on the vine with all his strength and then suddenly let go. The rabbit went up and up through the air holding his belly and laughing, and finally he reached the moon. That is why on nights when the moon is full and red you can still see the rabbit bending over holding his stomach with laughter. 




Saturday, May 4, 2013

La Camara Prohibida (The Forbidden Chamber) Mexico


This is from a new series of paintings based on folklore from Latin America.


Once there was an evil wizard who, dressed as a beggar, would go from house to house asking for alms and would steal the prettiest girls he could find. 

One day he knocked on the door of a house where lived a man with three beautiful daughters. The eldest opened the door and gave him a piece of bread.

When she gave it to him he touched her arm and hypnotized her. Then he made her enter the basket that he always carried on his back and took her to his house. Everything there was magnificent, and she had everything she could wish for.

After a few days the wizard told her that he had to go on a journey, that he would leave her the keys to all the house, and that she could enter every room except one. If she should enter that room she would surely die. Also, he gave her an egg and asked her to take good care of it.

As soon as the wizard was out of sight, the girl looked into every room and found beautiful things that delighted her. At last she approached the prohibited chamber and after a moment’s indecision, her curiosity won and she entered the room.

What she saw made her tremble. There were hundreds of girls that had been kidnapped and all looked as if they had fallen asleep. The girl, frightened at the sight, went running out of the room as fast as she could.

In her haste she dropped the egg that she carried in her hand, but it did not break. When she picked it up she noticed that the egg had turned red, and althought she tried to clean it, the egg stayed red.

After some time the wizard came back. He noticed what had happened to the egg, struck the girl, and dragged her into the prohibited chamber, where he left her with the others.

The wizard then went back to the same house and stole the second sister and the same thing happened to her.

He went back a third time and kidnapped the younger sister, but this sister was very wise. When the wizard gave her the keys and the egg, she took the egg and deposited it in the cupboard. Then she took the keys and went into the prohibited chamber. She was amazed at seeing so many girls lying as if in a profound sleep. Amongst them she recognized her two sisters.

She left the room and closed the door. When she heard the wizard returning, she took the egg and the keys and went to meet him.

“You shall be my wife because you have resisted curiosity,” he exclaimed.

As the girl had broken the spell, the wizard had lost his power and she could do with him as she pleased, so she went to the prohibited chamber and awoke

She took a great big basket and in it she hid her two sisters covering them with pieces of gold. Then she told the wizard to take the basket but not to stop on the road because she would be watching him from the window. The man took the basket and started walking but soon was worn out by fatigue. He sat down to rest, but immediately heard a voice which said “I am watching you from my window.” Thinking it was the voice of his future wife, he got up and walked a while longer. Everytime he tried to rest, the same thing happened, until finally he reached the house where his fiancée’s parents lived. There he left the basket.

In the meantime, his future wife took a piece of cardboard and made a head which she placed on the window sill of the second floor, making it look as if someone was watching from the window. Then she went and let out the other victims and invited them all to her wedding. Finally, she covered her whole body with feathers, disguising herself as a rare bird so that no one could recognize her, and left the house. Soon she met some of the guests that she had invited to the wedding and they asked her:

“From where do you come beautiful bird?”

“From the house where the wizard is being 
wedded.”

“And please tell, what does the beautiful bride do?”

“After being all dressed up in her beautiful wedding gown she leans out of the window looking down.”

When the wizard returned home, the window of the second floor was open, he looked towards it and saw the head there. He thought it was his future wife and he ran excitedly into the house, but upon entering he encountered all the family and sisters of the girl, who dragged him into the chamber, locked the door and set fire to the house.

And this was the end of the wizard and his 
prohibited chamber.

original  $1600.00 
limited edition giclee prints (11x18) 
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