From Cuentos Populares en Chile (Chilean Folktales) – by Ramón A. Laval
Part 1 – Magnificent Stories, Stories of Animals, Anecdotes (Cuentos maravillosos, Cuentos de animales, Anécdotas)
016. Beauty of the World, or the Castle Made From Three Strikes of the Adze (Hermosura Del Mundo, O El Castillo De Los Tres Azuelazos)
(Told by Tránsito González, a 57-year old master carpenter from Choapa. He told me this story in Peñaflor in 1922.)
In a certain town lived a couple who had been married for many years; but God had not been kind to them for they were not able to conceive any child. They had numerous cattle and some money, and fearing that they would die soon and not knowing who to leave their wealth to, they adopted an orphaned boy who lost his parents soon after he was born, and they raised him with great diligence and affection. The little boy was called Nicomedes, but the name did not stick for he was a voracious eater: when he was a baby, no wet nurse could put up with him because he would leave their breasts dry in two or three sucks, so that the old couple had to raise him with cow milk, and it took two cows to barely satisfy his needs. When he started teething, he began to eat a rabbit and a hen everyday, then he would continue with a goat, then a sheep or a lamb, and when he was twelve years old he could eat an ox easily. Because of his voracious appetite no one called him by his name [anymore], and instead referred to him as Eatín, Eatón, son of the great Eator.
It so happened that due to the child eating too much, the old couple’s cattle started to get depleted, and they, on the other hand, were enjoying great health and seemed to be getting better by the day and that they were never going to die; they feared, then, that they won’t have enough to survive on, and in order to avoid this they asked Eatín to leave the house and go search for a job to support himself, since they could no longer afford to keep him by their side.
Eatín said goodbye to his adopted parents and went to a plantation whose owner took him into his service to care for an enormous flock of sheep that he had, and as the owner was also very sensitive to the cold weather, Eatín would have to light a fire at night at the hour that he requested for it. The salary that the owner paid him was good; but there was a rather strict condition, and it was that if there was a time when he did not have the fire lit, or if he was missing a sheep, which the owner would count once a week, then he would cut Eatín’s throat. Eatín accepted this deal, for he intended to eat to his liking all the sheep that his insatiable hunger would demand of him, even only for seven days, and then he would look for a new job before they counted the flock.
The plantation owner asked him to light a fire every night at different hours and Eatín always accommodated his request, so that he was never able to fault him. And as the sheep were only counted once a week, the owner couldn’t notice that he had eaten four or five every day.
He had been at the plantation for six days when in the kitchen, at meal time, he heard they said that the King of the Three Tips of Acacia (Tres Puntas del Aromo) offered to give his daughter, Beauty of the World, in marriage and one million pesos to whoever who could, in front of his castle and with three strikes of an adze, construct in three days another castle as beautiful or better as that of the King and in which the Sun and the Moon would shine, and he who showed up for the trial and not being able to do it would have to pay with his life. Eatín said to himself: –I am going to try my hand at this gamble: between getting my throat slit tomorrow when they see that so many sheep are missing and trying my luck in constructing a castle with three adze chops, whether I could do it or not, I prefer this latter adventure. And early morning the next day, after leaving with the flock and leaving it abandoned in the field, he changed his clothes and taking nothing along but a loaf of bread that he had saved for breakfast.
He was on the road for a few hours when he met an old man, who asked him with trembling voice for something to eat, if he could spare any.
Yes, I have a loaf of bread, my good old man, -Eatín said to him- take it all for yourself.
And you, what are you going to eat, my son?
Whatever God has in plan for me, papa; for with just a loaf of bread there’s not enough for me to even begin, so it is the same between eating and not eating for me.
Very well, my son, and where are you heading to?
I am heading out to win the hand of the Beauty of the World, daughter of the King of the Three Tips of Acacia, and also to grab the one million pesos reward.
And will you get them?
I don’t know, but that’s what I plan to do. They told me that the King would marry her to the one who, in three strikes of the adze and within three days in front of his castle, can construct another castle as beautiful or better than his own, and in which, moreover, one could see the Sun and the Moon; and he who tries and cannot have it done will lose his life.
And what are you counting on to accomplish these tasks?
With God’s help alone, because I don’t even have an adze to begin with.
I want to reward you for your kindheartedness, so take this adze -the old man said to him, while handing over a brand new adze that he took out from his poncho;- with it, on the first day you will strike once on the ground where you’d like to construct the new castle, and the foundations will immediately appear; on the second day you again will strike once with the adze on the foundations, and the walls will then appear; and on the third day you will strike once more with this same adze at the walls, and the castle will then be completely built, being more beautiful and better furnished than that belonging to the King. Also take this whistle with you; blow on it when you found yourself in some predicaments and you will escape them unscathed.
And saying goodbye to Eatín, the old man went one way and Eatín headed to another.
Shortly after, Eatín ran into a man who was lying on the ground and with one ear pressed against the earth.
What are you doing my friend? -asked Eatín.
I am listening to some Pygmies heatedly arguing over a race, and I’m very entertained with the dispute that they’re having over whether this or the other horse has won.
And what is your name?
Hearín, Hearón, son of the great Hearor.
Would you like to join me in my travel around the world?
No, sir, I’d like to stay here, for I am greatly enjoying the race being held by these pygmies.
It’s better for you to go with me to The Three Tips of Acacia, where there is a King who has a very beautiful daughter called Beauty of the World and he’d marry her to the person who can construct, in three days in front of his own castle using three strikes of the adze, a castle in which one can see the Sun and the Moon, and I’m heading there with the intention of building that castle and marrying the Princess. Why don’t you come along with me and provide me with your assistance? Moreover, there will be a reward of one million pesos as well.
Well then, I will accompany you because it is an unusual challenge and I am very fond of challenges.
They happily conversed with one another and were keeping each other company for some time when they ran into a man who was looking up at the sky very attentively.
What are you doing, my friend? -asked Eatín.
I am standing in wait for an eagle flying in the highest regions of the sky. -And he made aims with a carbine that he had with him, then pulled the trigger. Neither Eatín nor Hearín could see anything, no matter how hard they searched for it, but about fifteen minutes later they perceived a small black dot that gradually became larger, until at last, half an hour after the shot was made, they saw an eagle fell from the sky and landed at their feet.
[Nguyen: what a gun!]
And what is your name?
Waitín, Waitón, son of the great Waitador.
Why don’t you join us on our adventure?
No, friend, I’d rather stay here, for I’m having a lot of fun hunting birds.
It’s better for you to go with us to The Three Tips of Acacia, where there is a King who has a very beautiful daughter called Beauty of the World and he’d marry her to the person who can construct, in three days in front of his own castle using three strikes of the adze, a castle in which one can see the Sun and the Moon, and I’m heading there with the intention of building that castle and marrying the Princess. Why don’t you come along with me and provide me with your assistance? Moreover, there will be a reward of one million pesos as well.
If that’s the case then I’ll accompany you, for this is a challenge that you don’t see everyday, and I’m dying for unusual challenges.
The three of them continued on, amicably chatting with one another, until they arrived at the bank of a large river, one which was very wide and of very fast current, and on its opposite bank they saw a man with goat’s feet forming a dam.
What are you doing there, my friend?
Gathering a little water, friend, to drink and quench my thirst.
And what is your name?
Drinkín, Drinkón, son of the great Drinkador.
Why don’t you join us on our adventure?
No, friend, I’d rather stay for there are so many rivers around here; look, I’m always thirsty and am constantly in need of water.
It’s better for you to go with us to The Three Tips of Acacia, where there is a King who has a very beautiful daughter called Beauty of the World and he’d marry her to the person who can construct, in three days in front of his own castle using three strikes of the adze, a castle in which one can see the Sun and the Moon, and I’m heading there with the intention of building that castle and marrying the Princess. Why don’t you come along with me and provide me with your assistance? Moreover, there will be a reward of one million pesos as well.
Since it is a wedding where there surely will be plenty to drink, I will accompany you; but if you are heading to the Three Tips of the Acacia then you’ll have to come over to this side.
Tell us if you know where the crossing bridge is.
What bridge are you referring to, friend; for to cross it you need no bridge other than my stomach, as you all are going to see;– and he sprawled out on his belly, made one or two slurps, such slurps, My Gracious! and left the river completely dry and Eatín and his companions were able to cross on foot to the other side, where they joined Drinkín and continued on their way.
A little later they arrived at a plain and saw a man running at an extraordinary speed.
What are you doing, my friend? -Eatín asked him.
Friend, I am here racing against the Wind.
And how is your race going?
Not too bad, friend: when we run uphill, we come out even, but when we run downhill, I have the upper hand against the Wind.
And what is your name?
Runnín, Runnón, son of the great Runnedor.
Why don’t you come with us? There will be no shortage of work for us: we are heading to The Three Tips of Acacia, where there is a King who has a very beautiful daughter called Beauty of the World and he’d marry her to the person who can construct, in three days in front of his own castle using three strikes of the adze, a castle in which one can see the Sun and the Moon, and I’m heading there with the intention of building that castle and marrying the Princess. Why don’t you come along with me and provide me with your assistance? Moreover, there will be a reward of one million pesos as well.
Well then, I’ll go with you all, because I suppose you’ll pay me well.
Of course! Once I marry the princess I’ll give you a lot of money. The million pesos that the King gives me will be for you.
And the five friends continued on until they ran into a person who had his pants down while breathing in air through his two cheeks.
[Nguyen: not sure how you breathe air through your cheeks…. but all these guys are talented in some way, so I should have any doubts that this is possible….]
What are you doing there, friend?
I am preparing the land on that mountain and that cliff over there, for I’m thinking of sowing seeds in them.
But how long is it going to take you to prepare, fence, and sow the land?
Just in a short time, not much longer than that; you are going to see how easily I do it.
He made them withdraw to one side, and after taking in more air he began to force it out through his rear end with such skill that the tree trunks and the cliffs flew away in all directions, and as they fell, they formed a perfectly made fence, and the ground was left completely clear, ready to be plowed.
And what is your name?
Fartín, Fartón, son of the great Fartorrón.
[Nguyen: the original text is “Peín, Peón, hijo del buen Peorrón”, so I think the literal translation should be “Badín, Badón, son of the great Badorrón.” But I thought Fartín sounds funnier, so I’m sticking with that here.]
Why don’t you come with us? We will pay you well. We are heading to The Three Tips of Acacia, where there is a King who has a very beautiful daughter called Beauty of the World and he’d marry her to the person who can construct, in three days in front of his own castle using three strikes of the adze, a castle in which one can see the Sun and the Moon, and I’m heading there with the intention of building that castle and marrying the Princess. Moreover, there will be a reward of one million pesos, which will be divided among you all.
If that’s the case, I’ll leave this work for another time and come with you all.
And the six of them continued on from their interrupted travel and finally reached the castle of the King, who received them in the presence of the Queen, the Princess and his entire Court.
Eatín, who was acting as the leader of the group, stepped forward, and respectfully said to the King:
After many days of difficult travel we arrive in the presence of Your Majesty to ask for the hand of your daughter, Beauty of the World, in which I promise to construct in three days, as Your Majesty has demanded, a castle as beautiful or better than the one that you have, using only three strikes of an adze, and I don’t want to construct it unless I know Your Majesty will keep your promise, and if that is the case, that you [should] show me the site where you’d like to have it built.
The Princess, who was sitting on the King’s left (the Queen was to his right), tapped him on the elbow and whispered in his ear:
Papá, I don’t want to marry that fellow even if he constructs the castle with three strikes of an adze; he is very fat and very coarse; do impose other obligations on him, too.
The truth is that up until then no suitors had shown up other than kings and princes, and that Eatín, when compared to those others, seemed to Beauty of the World a vulgar being; so the King found his daughter’s request to be reasonable, and as a consequence of what she asked, he replied to Eatín:
I find that my demands of constructing only one castle in exchange for the hand of my daughter is not sufficient, so I have decided recently to add six other tasks to this trial, so that there will be seven in all.
And would it be possible to know in advance what those six tasks are?
I will announce them one by one as the previous ones are completed.
That is fine, sir, I will submit myself to all the demands of His Majesty.
Think about it carefully, for if you don’t successfully carry out any of the tasks it will cost you not only your life, but also those of your companions, because I suppose you will [also] rely on their help to perform these tasks.
That is indeed true, sir.
But each test can only be performed by one person, and all six of you are responsible for the outcome of each one.
As I have said, I respectfully submit to all conditions set out by Your Majesty.
If that’s the case, you can begin; the castle must be erected in that square in front of my palace: you have three days to do it and you cannot perform more than one strike of the adze each day.
Eatín arrived at the site indicated to him by the King and raised the adze that the old man had given him, then he gave the first strike; and the King, Queen, Beauty of the World and the Court saw with astonishment what until then they had not seen before: the adze touched the earth and the foundations for the castle were instantly made.
Papá, this brute is going to be able to do it; I won’t marry him in a million years.
Don’t you worry, daughter of mine, for even if he were to build the castle, he’d still have to complete six other tasks, which will be more [and more] difficult, and for which we will be counseled by your godmother, who, being a witch that she is, will come up with things that will be impossible to do.
I hope that is the case, papá, because I’m not marrying this potbelly of a brute.
The 24 hours in a day went by, the sun rose when it had always risen and the time for Eatín to deliver the second strike of an adze had come, and he did so in front of the royal family and the Court with the same success as that of the first, he touched the earth with the adze and the castle walls were raised up simultaneously.
Everyone was left with their mouth wide open.
When they came back to their senses, Beauty of the World said to the King:
Papá, I have already told you, I will not marry that man for anything in the world.
Yes, I already know what you want, my daughter; don’t you worry, trust your father here.
But the Princess’s fears grew the next day: Eatín gave the third strike of an adze and the castle was fully constructed. And what a castle it was, gentlemen! You have to see it! Compare to Eatín’s, the King’s castle was nothing but a mess. My friends, everyone, everyone without exception, fell on their backs upon seeing that marvelous castle.
Once they had returned to their senses, Eatín said:
Why don’t we go tour the castle?
And they all went inside the castle, headed by the King himself.
You should see the admiration of everyone when they saw the decorations, the tapestries, and the furniture! Only words of praise came from the people’s lips and the King, being in love with the beautiful fortress, decided to stay and live there and leave the other palace to his servants. But in spite of everything, the Princess was unwilling to give her hand to fat Eatín.
Sir, -he said, once the King and his companions had toured the palace- what test will Your Majesty have me do tomorrow?
I will let you know later this afternoon -replied the monarch. (The King wanted to have time to consult with his friend, the witch, and it was what he did when Eatín and his companions retired from the castle.)
Friend, what should we do to keep the castle and Eatín also does not marry Beauty of the World?
Ask him to build another castle in the air which is as good as, or better than, the current one.
That’s true, friend, he won’t be able to accomplish this for sure.
Meanwhile, Hearín heard what the King and the Witch talked about and he said to Eatín and company:
We are done for. On the advice of the Witch, the King is going to order Eatín construct a castle in the air that is as good as or better than the one made from the three strikes of the adze. But an idea occurs to me that may just save us all: Eatín offers to build the castle, telling the King that we will provide the foremen, while he will provide the workers and the materials; the foremen will be the three parrots that I hear talking seven leagues away from here, as if they are true human beings. We will have to go search for them, teach them what they should say and put them in the air, very high above so that no one would see them and from there they will ask for the materials [and provide instructions to the workers].
But who’s going to search for them?
Runnín can go look for them.
Runnín left and in a quarter of an hour he was back with the three parrots.
They taught the birds what they had to do, and as the birds were very intelligent, they learned the lesson in just a short time.
Very early the next day, the parrots flew high up in the air, placing themselves at a certain distance from one another; and this turned out marvelously, because at dawn a fog so thick rolled in that not even with high-power glasses could they have seen the birds.
The time of the trial arrived and everyone was prepared: the stonemasons with the carved stones for laying the foundations and building the walls; the bricklayers, with the [concrete] mixture; the carpenters, with the doors and windows; and the remainder with tools of their trades.
When they had all gathered, the voice of the master carpenters was heard asking for the materials high above in the air:
We are already late! Bring up the stones so we can lay the foundations! Why don’t you bring the concrete mixture up here? Quick, quick, for we cannot afford more delays!
And they were shouting from all sides to hurry up, that they were already losing time. But the workers could do nothing more than looking up as they could not find a way to climb up; until someone chosen by them went to the King and told him that they did not know how to bring up the materials that the foremen had requested from so high above; that even if there were ladders that could reach where the foremen were, no one would dare climb that high, for they all were afraid of falling under the weight of the materials, or that they would faint and land on their heads. The King found their reason to be valid and ordered that the test be discontinued, and to Eatín he said that in the evening he would tell him what he had to do the next day.
When they were alone, the King asked the Witch:
Friend, what work will we give Eatín tomorrow?
Have them bring forty trays of food, of the largest type that they can find, and order him, or one of his companions, to eat everything in a single day, and if he doesn’t finish, order them to be shot, and the castle will be yours and the Princess will not marry the potbellied man.
Hearín heard everything and he said to his companions:
We are done for, friends; the evil witch advised the King to have forty trays of food ready tomorrow, for which only one of us can eat and must finish in a day, and if not he’d have all of us shot.
And Eatín, whose superpower his friends did not know about, then said:- Friends, why am I here? it’s been a long time since I’ve had any food, so I can take care of these forty trays in an instance; I have the appetite of a devil!
Since before dawn, the King’s chefs had begun to prepare the forty trays of foods. They threw in a lot of meat! Twenty calves and twenty lambs had to be skinned and gutted. And the potatoes! and beans! and corn! and onions! they emptied a bag of each on each tray, apart from the rice, cilantro, mint and cumin! And as if all of this were not enough, they emptied a large basket of bread on the side of each tray. There was enough to feed an entire army!
Eatín, who saw the food preparations, rubbed his hands with glee. It had been a long time since he had eaten to his satisfaction!
When the castle clock struck 12, the Principal Chef announced that the food was ready and asked the one who would participate in the eating trial to come forward. Eatín stepped forth and asked if he could begin now.
Whenever you want -replied the Principal Chef- as you have until 5 in the evening to finish everything.
Until 5? -said Eatín- you’re going to see that I’ll clean out the trays before 2.
And it was as he said; because it could not be said that that man ate, nor swallowed, nor gobbled, nor devoured everything that was in front of him and the enormous pieces of meat and the ladlefuls of potatoes, beans, and onions and the breads, as if by magic, would disappear upon reaching his mouth, and they came continuously [without a single pause].
At 2 in the afternoon there were not a trace left of that enormous stew, and the Master Chef and his assistants saw with astonishment that it was not necessary to clean the trays, because Eatín had left them so clean that they shone like patens.
Eatín then said to the Principal Chef:
Mister Principal Chef, didn’t you also make a tray of alcayota sweet (dulce de alcayota) or manjar blanco? Look, I’m used to drinking de-greaser. And I also need a barrel of coffee, of the most intense type, to settle my tummy.
[Nguyen: not sure what the de-greaser part is about. Perhaps it’s a way for him to say that he had never drunk good drinks nor eaten good foods? Original text is “mire que estoy acostumbrado a tomar desengraso”.]
The Principal Chef went with Eatín to where the King was.
Sir, -said the Chef- this barbarian had eaten the forty trays of food, and still he asks for a tray of dessert and a barrel of coffee.
The King admiringly asked Eatín:
And how were you able to get through so much food?
It was as easy as pie, sir, -replied Eatín.
And you still want to have dessert and coffee?
If Your Majesty deigns to give them to me, then I’ll take them.
The King gave order to provide them to Eatín, and he also told him that early the next day he would give him a new test.
The King then sent for the Witch.
Friend, what work should we give these barbarians tomorrow so that I can keep the castle for myself and Beauty of the World won’t marry Eatín?
Your Majesty should have one of them drink, in one day, forty barrels of aguardiente and wine, twenty of each type, and if he cannot do it, which he won’t be able to, have all of them shot and you will have the castle to your self and the Princess will remain single.
The advice seems good to me, friend.
Hearín, who heard everything, said to his friends:
We are lost, friends; the evil witch had advised the King that tomorrow they’d make one of us drink 40 barrels of aguardiente and wine, twenty of each type, in a single day, and if he doesn’t drink all of that, he’d have us all shot.
And why am I here? -said Drinkín.
But friend, your guts will get burnt from all of that aguardiente.
Don’t you worry about that, friend, for my guts are armor-plated.
The next day the King said to Eatín.
I am going to lock one of you in the wine cellar and before 5 in the afternoon you must finish drinking twenty five barrels of aguardiente and twenty five of wine that are in it, and if not, you all know what will happen to you. (The King added ten more barrels, just in case of what might happen).
And Drinkín stepped forward:
It’s my turn, Your Majesty, to perform this trial. Your Majesty can lock me in the wine cellar anytime you want, and I assure you that your wishes will surely be fulfilled.
And indeed, when the King opened the wine cellar at 5 in the afternoon, he saw with amazement that the barrels were completely dry.
But, friend, my God, how could you have drunk so much?
Sir, it’s just that I only drink on two occasions: when I am thirsty, and when I am not.
I understand it then; although I [still] don’t find it to be very clear.
Friend, -he said to the Witch once they were alone by themselves,- I’m not doing well by relying on your advices; if things continue like this, I’ll have to throw away a million pesos and let Eatín marry my Beauty of the World; so you must come up with something more difficult, something that none of those barbarians can do.
Look, friend, this time we’ll get it right for sure: tell Eatín that one of them has to enter a bet with me on who would be the first to get to Rome with a letter from Your Majesty, and if I am the first to come back with the reply, they would lose, Your Majesty will send orders for them to be shot and the Castle will remain with you and Beauty of the World won’t marry Eatín.
Friends, -said Hearín to his companions- we are doomed; the King, on the advice of that cursed Witch, is going to make one of us bet against the Witch on who would return first with the reply for a letter that has to be carried to Rome, and if the Witch wins then they’re going to have all of us shot.
And for what am I doing here -said Runnín- if not to run against whoever that challenges me?
Very early the next day, the King sent for Eatín and his companions.
One of you and my friend are going to each take a letter to Rome, and if my friend returns first with the reply, the six of you will be shot without fail. Who is it that’s going to take on this challenge?
I, sir, -said Runnín.
And the King handed a letter to Runnín and another to the Witch, then made them stand side by side, as when horses were positioned to run in a race, and when he finished saying “one, two, three”, they set off like flying arrows, and the Witch still had not left the city when Runnín was already out of sight and no lights could touch him (e.g. faster than the speed of light). When Runnín was on his way back with the reply, the Witch still had not made it past the midway point; the Witch saw him from afar and seeing that she was losing, she transformed herself into a beautiful girl and sat waiting for him on a rock, under the shade of a tree.
Where are you heading to in such a hurry, sir, in this overbearing heat? Sit down here for a while to rest and help yourself to these quinces to cool yourself off; -and she showed him two beautiful quinces, which gave off a fragrant smell.
Runnín could not resist the temptation and sat down next to the young woman. They talked for a while and he then said to her:
I am going to take a short nap, as I still have time to complete my errand; -and he laid back on the Witch’s lap, who, as soon as Runnín fell asleep, put opium poppies on his head so that he would not wake up until much later. Then she took the letter that he had brought back from Rome out of the bag and returned to the castle with it, leaving Runnín with his head resting on the rock on which he had just been sitting.
But everything said in the conversation between Runnín and the Witch transformed into the young girl was heard by Hearín, and he told his companions about this:
We are doomed, friends; the Witch had done such and such, she has stolen the reply from Runnín, to whom she had placed opium poppies on the head, and that had left him sleeping and the cursed old woman will be back here, with the letter, in a couple of hours.
That’s not a problem, -said Waitín- from here I can see Runnín sleeping and I am going to wake him up, and at the same time I will punish that cursed Witch.
And first making aim with his carbine, he broke a leg of hers and left her lame so that she couldn’t even move her foot; and with another shot he pierced Runnín’s ear, who then woke up and ran back at full speed, until he encountered the old woman and, taking the reply from her, in two long strides he was back at the palace and handed it to the King.
Eatín asked the King what would be the next test; and the King, still waiting for the Witch to return, told him that he was giving them the week off to rest.
After seven days, the Witch arrived back at the castle limping, and as she was upset with Eatín and his companions, to ruin them once and for all, she advised the King to send the six friends alone to fight against the large army of the Moors that had declared war on the kingdom, and since they were so few fighting against the many, surely they’d be killed, or at least taken prisoners, and then the King would have the castle to himself and the Princess would remain single as she had been until then. It seemed to the King that this advice was the best that he had received from the Witch, and he could see himself being free from Eatín and his companions; but Hearín, who never neglected his duty, heard everything and communicated to his friends:
We are doomed -he told them;- the Witch advised the King to send us to fight, by ourselves, against the enormous army of the Moors that had declared war on our kingdom; what will happen to us now?
We are well prepared, friends -said Eatín.- When we are facing the Moors and while we are still very far away from them, Waitín will snipe them with his carbine; and when the enemy’s army has come much closer, Fartín will shoot at them with his fart and with this we’ll be victorious.
So they agreed to this and the plan was executed the next day in all its parts as it had been drawn up. First, Waitín took care of a great number of the Moors, but he only did this to give Fartín time to prepare, and so well did he prepare himself that he breathed in lots of air when the Moors had advanced to within a league distance, then lowered his pants and turned his butt toward them, and finally let out a terrible volley of farts which lifted them all to great heights whereupon they fell dead in the distance. This was the first battle in which asphyxiating gases were used.
Despite the benefit that such a splendid victory had brought to the kingdom, Beauty of the World did not give in, and she asked the King to demand the completion of the remaining task to round out the required seven. And here was the seventh test, which, as always, was advised by the Witch:
The King had a beautiful rabbit hutch populated with fifty beautiful rabbits of the finest breeds. The Witch said to him:
Give Eatín the fifty rabbits and order him to bring them to the mountain each day for three days and release them there, and that in the evening he will have to round them up just as if they were a flock of lambs, and if he does not return with all fifty, without missing even a single one, then you will have them all shot.
And so this was done.
Eatín carried the rabbits in two sacks and released them in the mountain, and the little animals, as soon as they were free, ran away in all directions. Eatín then thought to himself:
Now for sure the King will have our arms and legs, for how am I going to gather all of those loose rabbits when the time comes to return with them? Surely I will come back without any of them.
Eatín remained sad and pensive for a moment and laid back on the moss, over his left side; after a while, feeling tired, he turned to the other side and felt something hard was pressing against him; he thought it was a rock and got up to remove it, but he could not find anything on the ground; then he searched to see what could be bothering him and found in a pocket of his pants the whistle that the old man had given him, and he said to himself, remembering a verse that he had heard sung before leaving his hometown:
When one sings, his misfortune will retreat,
When one cries, his misfortune will increase;
I’m not going surrender myself; let’s spend this trying time playing the whistle and this will perhaps alleviate my sorrows; -and he put the whistle to his mouth and as soon as he played it, all the rabbits began to arrive, some on one side, others on another and they danced in front of him to the tune that he was playing. Imagine how much pleasure the distressed Eatín derived from this, because no matter how hard he tried to deceive himself, the fear was eating him alive; so much was the joy that flooded his thought that he could not contain himself and began to dance with the little animals, all the way until he felt tired from so much dancing. He then said to the rabbits:
You all should stop eating and go run around now while I take a little nap, and when it’s time I’ll then call for you.
And with this the little animals ran away and disappeared from sight in a blink of the eyes.
While Eatín slept, the King talked to the Witch:
Friend, I have a feeling that this devil Eatín is going to return with the fifty rabbits, why don’t you go see if he has freed them and buy one from him [if he still has any], no matter the price that he may ask?
I will go, friend, and do everything within my power to take at least one away from him.
And the old woman went to see Eatín, but half way there she transformed herself into the same beautiful girl who stole the letter from Runnín. Fortunately, Eatín had spotted her from far away, before her transformation, and he prepared himself for the attack and shortly before the Witch arrived he blew on the whistle, and the rabbits, appearing from all directions, formed a circle in front of Eatín, as if waiting for his orders. The Witch arrived having transformed into a beautiful girl, and while it was true that he was tempted, Eatín did not forget what had happened to his companion a few days earlier when he was returning with the reply of the letter that he had carried to Rome, and barely had the disguised young woman sat next to him and asked with flattering words if he could sell her a pair of those beautiful rabbits, of which she’d like to have for breeding purposes, and that she was prepared to give him anything that he’d ask for, when Eatín said to her:
Missus, it’s very cool here, so don’t imagine that I’m all hot and thirsty and offer me quinces as refreshment, for I won’t be the fool that Runnín was just a few days ago, allowing himself to be easily tricked by you. Go feed that bone to another dog.
What are you saying there, for I really don’t understand a word that you said? Who is this Runnín and what quinces are you talking about?
Look, evil witch, I won’t be a fool for you! It’d be better if you go back to your friend, the King, so he can see that you have gotten nothing from me. Go now, or I’ll send you limping back.
This man must be crazy -said the Witch- it’d be better for me to leave now.
And she went back to the King.
Sir -she said- this rogue Eatín has tamed the rabbits, as if he had raised them up since when they were born. Worse, he recognized me and I could not take any away from him.
So what do we do, friend? You have noticed that your god-daughter does not want to marry him.
Friend, have my trusted friend, the Queen, go there tomorrow, and perhaps she would be able to buy us a bunny.
That we will do, friend; she is very shrewd and perhaps with her intelligence she will be able to do it; although I doubt that will be that case.
When the Sun was setting, Eatín arrived with the fifty rabbits that had been handed over to him, not one more nor one less; and the next day he again left with them and allowed them to roam free without a worry in the world. A little later the disguised Queen arrived, having put on lots of make up and with much primping, but despite all that Eatín recognized her, so he blew on the whistle and the little animals came running back and congregated around him.
What beautiful bunnies you have there! Are they for sale [by any chance]?
They are not for sale, missus; they belong to the King and I have to give all fifty of them back to him in the afternoon, because if any is missing they would have me and my friends shot; with that you can see why I won’t be able to sell even one to you.
Not even one?
Don’t you understand what I had just told you? If even one of these fifty rabbits that they had handed over to me is missing, they would send me and my five companions to the other world.
And if I give you 5,000 pesos for one?
I won’t sell even if you give me 10,000.
Not even for 20,000 pesos?
Not even for 50,000; my life and those of my friends are worth more than that.
Look, I’ll give you 100,000 pesos.
Let it be 100,000 pesos, and also an embrace and a kiss and a hickey on the neck.
Everything that you asked for, except for the hickey.
No hickey, no sale.
If that’s the case, you can also have the hickey, but don’t overdo it.
The Queen gave him 100,000 pesos, allowed herself to be kissed and embraced, and had to put up with a formidable hickey from that voracious eater, who tore off [bruised] half of her neck with his teeth; but the Queen, despite the intense pain caused by her wound, from which she almost fainted, was very happy and satisfied when Eatín gave her a rabbit, which she carried back [to the castle] well wrapped in her expensive silk dress. Eatín remained waiting for it, and when he saw the queen was arriving at the palace, he blew on the whistle and on hearing it the rabbit tore a hole in the cloth that it was wrapped in and ran back at full speed to join its other companions, who were waiting in front of Eatín. The Queen did not notice that the little animal had run away, and only when she spread her dress before her husband to show him what she had managed to obtain did she realize that she had lost the rabbit. And of course, she only told the King of the 100,000 pesos that she had to pay, and as for the neck wound, from which she could not move, she attributed it to having happened when she was passing under a broken branch.
The next day, also by the Witch’s advice, Beauty of the World disguised herself and went to buy a rabbit. And as Eatín knew her very well, he sold her one for another 100,000 pesos, a kiss, an embrace and who knows what else, as the Princess was willing to do anything except for marrying Eatín. But Beauty of the World also went through the same thing as did her mother, that, despite wrapping the bunny with great meticulousness and securing it with safety pins, the little animal, obeying the call of the whistle, managed to escape its confinement without Beauty of the World knowing about it, and came back to reunite with the other rabbits.
Eatín said to the King:
I suppose that Your Majesty will not subject me and my companions to impossible tasks all of our lives, and that some day this will have to end. I believe that I have more than won the hand of your daughter by carrying out the seven tests that were imposed on us, and I hope Your Majesty will stay true to your words on this very day.
But the King, who had been counseled by the Witch, replied to him:
It’s true Eatín that you and your companions had successfully carried out the seven tests that we demanded of you, although one is yet to be completed, and so I will impose another one on you all, and it will be the last: Beauty of the World is worth this and much more.
And what will be the last test, sir?
Take this sack and fill it with truths.
Not a problem, sir, and if you want I will fill two such sacks. Can I start now?
You can start now.
The Court was reconvened, with the King sitting on his throne; the Queen, with her nape of the neck all wrapped up, sat to the right of the King; Beauty of the World, to his left; the Witch, at the side of the Princess; and on either side of the large throne room were the nobles of the Court and main dignitaries and officials. Eatín stepped forward, took the designated sack and began:
Is it true, sir, that in order for you to bestow the hand of Beauty of the World, Your Majesty previously only asked that a castle as good as or better than your own be constructed from three strikes of an adze in three days, and in which the Sun and the Moon can be seen? And that at this time, at the request of your daughter, the Princess – Beauty of the World, who found me to be potbellied and very ordinary, Your Majesty had obligated me to perform many other tasks, which were of extraordinary difficulties?
Yes, that is true.
And this very big truth will now enter the sack. -And pretending that he was throwing something into the sack, he continued thus:
Is it true, sir, that we have accomplished all the tasks to Your Majesty’s satisfaction, which you had by counsels of that terrible Witch, who arranged for me to be given fifty rabbits [in the morning] which then must be freed in the mountain and brought back in the afternoon, that I had to do this for three days without missing a single rabbit, or my life and those of my five friends will be forfeited, and that this same Witch, having transformed into a beautiful girl, had tried to take a rabbit away from me so Your Majesty could have me and my five companions shot; but I knew her and neither her offers nor her temptations and other tricks that she had up her sleeves were enough for me to part way with one of my rabbits?
That is also true.
Another truth into the sack, and now there are two. Next I am going to reveal other truths that are so fat that each one is enough to fill a sack by itself.
And facing the Queen he asked:
Isn’t it true, ma’am, that Your Highness, disguised as a lady of the Court, went to buy a rabbit from me on the second day with the same intent as that of your evil Witch friend, and that after many offers I agreed to give you one in exchange for 100,000 pesos, a kiss…
Look, -the Queen said to the King,- we were only fooling around; it’s best if the two of them get married; don’t you see that it is useless to fight against him as we would always lose?
The Queen was still speaking when the old man who had given Eatín the whistle appeared by his side, without anyone knowing where he came from, and he faced the Princess and said:
Beauty of the World, marry this man and you will forever be happy.
And he touched Eatín with the stick that served as his walking cane, upon which Eatín was transformed into a gallant young man, where not only his body figure was changed but also his manner of speech as well.
They got married, and Eatín stopped being the voracious eater that he used to be; but his companions, who continued to serve him, retained the magical powers that they had and were powerful defenders of the kingdom. Beauty of the World, as the old man had predicted, was very happy with her spouse and never remembered that he had been a potbellied lad with coarse manners. They had many children, all good-behaving and intelligent, and the kids were a true crown to them, much more valuable than the one placed on Eatín’s forehead when the King passed away.
And here the story ended and the wind carried it away, and it passed by a broken shoe where some of the children stayed to listen to another story of mine.
—– VOCABULARY —–
Azuelazos – strikes of the adze
Carpintero – carpenter
Siquiera – (if only) even if; at least; (in negative phrases) even
Esmero – care, great care, diligence
Aguantar – (to withstand) to bear, to take, to support, to hold, to hold up; (to tolerate) to put up with, to endure, to stand, to bear; (to stifle) to hold (breath), to hold back
Gozar – (to take pleasure) to enjoy oneself; (to take pleasure in) to enjoy
Hacienda – (property) estate; (farm) (Latin America) ranch; (estate) plantation
Friolento – sensitive to the cold
Degollar – (to slay) to slit the throat of, to cut the throat of, to slaughter (animals); (to decapitate) to behead
Pillar – (to grab) to catch, to get; (to capture) to catch; (to surprise) to catch
Aromo – (botany) acacia, wattle
Puntas – (hair) ends; (extremity) tip, side, corner, end; (nib) point, tip, end, pointed; (small amount) bit, drop, touch, pinch
Bastimento – (supply) provision, supply
Guardar – (to place) to put away, to put; (to reserve) to save, to keep
Tembloroso – (quivering) trembling, shaking, shaky, tremulous, shivering; (fluttering) flickering
Taita – (father) (Latin America) daddy, dad
Azuela – (tool) adz, adze, hatchet
Cimiento – (architecture) foundation; (bedrock) foundation
Amueblado – (with furniture) furnished
Pito – whistle; horn
Acaloradamente – heatedly, passionately
Por tratarse de – as, is, because it is, because, as it is
Aguaitar – (to await) to wait for; (to snoop) to watch, to spy on; (to keep an eye on) (Chile) (Peru) to watch
Percibir – (to detect) to perceive, to notice, to sense; (to get paid) to receive
Agrandar – (to make larger) to make bigger, to enlarge, to let out (sewing); (to overstate) to exaggerate
Raro – (unusual) weird, strange, odd; (scarce or exceptional) rare
Departir – to converse, to talk, to chat
Correntoso – strong-flowing, rapid, torrential
Margen – (space) margin; (opportunity) room, occasion, scope; (finance) margin
Opuesto – (location) opposite; (of contrasting quality) conflicting, different; (contrary) opposed
Represa – (construction) dam, weir; (water source) reservoir, millpond
Guata – (stomach) (Andes) (Southern Cone) belly, paunch; (batting) wadding, padding
Sorber – (to drink in small quantities) to sip, to suck up, to slurp; (to sop up) to soak up, to absorb; (to suck down) to swallow up; (to listen attentively) to drink in
Enjuto – (skinny) lean, gaunt
A pie enjuto – on foot
Llano – (smooth) flat, level, even; (direct) straightforward, natural, simple; (easy) plain, simple; (humble) ordinary
Apostar – (to gamble) to bet; (to station) to station, to post, to position
Cuesta arriba – uphill
Aspirar – (to take into body) to inhale, to breathe in, to sniff (a substance)
Carrillo – (anatomy) cheek
Rosar – rub, get a serious rash
Risquería – (colloquial) (Chile) vulgar act; craggy place
Trasero – (at the back) rear, back; (colloquial) (buttocks) backside, bottom, butt, bum
Tino – (common sense) sound judgment, good sense, good judgment
Risco – (geography) crag, cliff
Cerca – (not far) close, near, nearby; (enclosure) fence (of wood or wire), wall (of stone or brick)
Terreno – (geography) land, soil, terrain, ground; (parcel of land) land, lot, plot of land, plot; (area) field, sphere
Arar – (agriculture) to plow
Penoso – (miserable) pitiful, sorry, sad; (arduous) laborious, hard, difficult; (horrible) terrible, awful; (very bad) pathetic
Codo – elbow
Despreciable – (worthy of contempt) despicable, contemptible; (insignificant) negligible
Someterse – (to go through; used with “a”) to undergo, to be subjected to; (to concede) to bow to, to comply with
Contar con – (to depend on) to count on, to rely on; (to foresee) to anticipate, to expect; (to possess) to have
Sois – you are (ser)
Solidario – (sympathetic) supportive, caring, of solidarity; (legal) mutually binding (obligation), jointly liable (person)
Desempeño – (execution) performance, carrying out; (reclamation) redemption
Roto – (trabajador) (Chile) worker; (in pieces) broken; (ripped) torn; (damaged) broken
Ocurrir – (to take place) to happen; ocurrirse – (to come to mind) to occur to, to have an idea, to think of
Ojalá – hopefully; if only; I hope so
Guatón – (someone who has a big belly) (Chile) potbellied man, paunchy
Temor – (feeling) fear, dread
Mamarracho – (ugly thing) mess, sight, monstrosity
Estupor – (amazement) astonishment; (medicine) stupor
Alcázar – (castle) fortress, palace; (nautical) quarterdeck
De balde – (with no charge) for free, for nothing; (purposelessly) in vain
Pondremos – we will put
Maestro – teacher, schoolteacher; (skilled person) master
Loro – parrot; (talkative person) chatterbox; (ugly woman) old bag, hag, dog; (in robbery) (Chile) lookout man
Neblina – mist, fog
Anteojos – (corrective eyewear) glasses, spectacles; (instrument for seeing far) binoculars
Cantero – (quarry worker) quarryman; (stone-carver) stonemason;
Labrada de piedra – stone carving
Albañil – construction worker, builder, bricklayer (who lays bricks)
Comisión – (board) commission, committee; (job) assignment, task
Vahído – dizzy spell, dizzy turn, blackout
Sobrado/a – plenty of
Sobrar – (to remain) to be left over; (to exceed requirements) to not be needed, to be too many, to be too much, to be more than enough
Disponer – (to place) to arrange, to set out, to dispose; (to determine) to stipulate, to decree; (to make ready) to get ready
Despachar – (to solve) to deal with, to take care of, to see to; (to direct) to send, to dispatch, to ship; (to conclude) to finish; (to make a sale) to sell
Diacho – (botany) (Chile) giant rhubarb; diablo
Aclarar – (to make clear) to clarify, to explain, to clear up; (to grow light) to get light, to dawn
Puchar – to push; to speak, say;
Puchas – a lot of
Ternero – (animal) calf
Descuerar – (to remove the skin of) (Latin America) to skin, to flay; (to criticize harshly) to tear to pieces, to rip to shreds
Destripar – (to eviscerate) to gut, to disembowel; (to open by tearing) to rip open; (to ruin) to spoil
Poroto – bean
Choclo – corn
Cebolla – onion
Yerbabuena – (herb) mint, spearmint
Comino – cumin
Canasta – basket, hamper
Refregar – (to touch) to rub; (to clean) to scrub; (to gloat) to rub it in
Pelar – (to remove the outer covering of) to peel, to shell; (to flay) to skin; (to remove feathers from) to pluck; (to rob) to clean out, to fleece
Engullir – (to devour) to gobble (food)
Alcance – (grasp) reach; (extent) scope, reach; (significance) importance; (resources) means
Presas de carne – pieces of meat
Cucharón – ladle
Patena – (religious) paten
Alcayota – fig-leaf gourd, Malabar gourd, marrow squash
Manjar – (pleasing food) delicacy, delicious; (delight) food; (culinary) (Chile) dulce de leche
Desengrasar – to degrease, to remove the grease from
Cargado – (full) loaded; (intense) strong; (weaponry) loaded; (weather) overcast, close
Asentar – (to establish) to set up, to lay down; (to locate) to place; (to stabilize) to secure
A fuerza de – as a result of; by dint of
Dignarse – to deign to, to condescend
Aguardiente – (strong alcoholic beverage) liquor, aguardiente
Soltero – (unmarried) single person, single
Blindado – (protected by armor) armored, armor-plated; (electricity) shielded
Desempeñar – (to execute) to carry out, to hold (a position), to play (a role); (to retrieve valuables) to redeem
Largar – to pay out, to let out, to unfurl; (to deliver) to give
Remisión – (forwarding) sending, dispatch; (mention) reference; (legal) remission; (religious) remission, forgiveness; (medicine) remission
Membrillo – (fruit) quince; (preserve) quince jelly; (botany) quince tree
Recostar – (to put against) to lean, to lay back, to lean back
Recostarse – (to recline) to lie back, to lie down
Falda – (clothing) skirt
Adormidera – (botany) poppy, opium poppy
Puntería – (act of aiming) aim; (line of sight) aim; (skill) marksmanship, aim
Quebrar – (to smash) to break, to snap; (legal) to break
Coja – (anatomy) back of the knee; lame
Zancajo – heel; dwarf, runt
Zancajear – to rush around
Cojear – (to walk lamely) to limp, to hobble, to be lame
Picada – (crankiness) (Southern Cone) bad temper; (wound) bite, sting
Embromarse – (to get mad; used with “con”) to get angry; embromar – (to tease) to make fun of; (to pester) to annoy; (to spoil) to ruin
Trasero – (at the back) rear, back; (buttocks) backside, bottom, butt, bum
Andanada – (military) volley, broadside (from a ship); volley, barrage
Ventosidades – flatulence, wind
Asfixiante – (which prevents one from breathing) asphyxiating, stifling, suffocating
Conejera – (hole) burrow; (area where rabbits breed) warren; (pen) rabbit hutch
Arriar – (to round up) (Southern Cone) to drive, to herd; (to haul down) to lower, to strike; (to slacken off) to loosen; (to release) to let go of
Orujo – (pomace brandy) orujo; (grape skin) marc
Miéchica – (used to express indignation) (Chile) shoot!
Musgo – (botany) moss
Costado – (of an object) side; (anatomy) side
Incorporarse – (to raise one’s body) to sit up; (to unite) to join; (to show up) to report for work
Compás – (rhythm in music) time, beat, rhymth, meter; (mathematics) compass; (nautical) compass
Atribulado – (aggrieved) distressed, afflicted, anguished; atribulados – (aggrieved people) the afflicted, the suffering, the sufferers
Tinca – (intuitive feeling) feeling
Tentación – (impulse) temptation; (something tempting) temptation
Halagüeñas – (praising) flattering; (favorable) promising, encouraging, rosy
Fresco – (not frozen) fresh; (recent) fresh, wet (paint), latest (news); (moderately cold) cool (pleasant), chilly (unpleasant), cold (drink); (rested) fresh; (young and natural-looking) fresh; (freshening) refreshing; (insolent) nerve
Leso – (fool) stupid, dumb
Embaucar – to trick, to con, to deceive
Moledera – millstone; grinder
Sacar – (to remove) to take out, to get out, to get off; (to expel) to remove; (to produce) to take (a photograph), to make (a photocopy); (to receive) to get; (to draw out) to extract
Chueco – (not straight) crooked; (with bow legs) bow-legged, bandy-legged; (with the feet pointing inwards) pigeon-toed
Manso – (domesticated) tame, docile; (mild) meek, gentle, calm, peaceful; (placid) calm; (tremendous) (Chile) huge
Guacho – (without parents) orphaned; (parentless) abandoned; (unpaired) odd
Habiloso – shrewd, astute (Chile)
Retozar – (to frisk) to frolic, to gambol, to romp, to cavort; (to fool around with) to make out
Empolvar – to powder; empolvarse – (to put powder on) to powder; (to gather dust) to get dusty
Colorete – (make-up for the cheeks) rouge, blusher, blush; (make-up for lips) lipstick
Rededor – (outskirts) periphery
Despachar – (to solve) to deal with, to take care of, to see to; (to direct) to send, to dispatch (merchandise), to ship; (to conclude) to finish
Mordisco – (act of biting) bite; (taste) bit; hickey
Pescuezo – neck
Aguantar – (to withstand) to bear, to take, to support, to hold, to hold up; (to tolerate) to put up with, to endure, to stand, to bear
Cogote – nape of the neck, neck
Desmayarse – (to lose consciousness) to faint
Aguaitar – to wait for
Atribuir – (to consider as the author) to attribute, to put down; (to assign) to confer
Quebrar – to break; to go bankrupt
Prolijidad – (excessive length) long-windedness; (thoroughness) meticulousness
Gancho – (tool) hook; (object to hang clothes) hanger; (botany) branch; (clip for clothes) clothespin, peg
Alfileres de gancho – safety pins
Desprenderse – (to be removed) to come off, to become detached, to come away; (to dispose of) to get rid of
Sobradamente – amply, all too well, long enough
Entrapajar – to tie with rags
Infernal – (intolerable) terrible, hideous, unbearable; (from hell) infernal, hellish
Bastar – (to be sufficient) to be enough; bastarse – (to get along) to manage, to be capable of
Argucia – sophistry, chicanery
Valerse – (to take care of oneself) to manage; (to make use of, with “de”) to use
Fin – (conclusion) end; (objective) aim, purpose
Tontear – to fool around, to flirt
Gozar – (to take pleasure) to enjoy oneself
Guatón – potbellied man
Semillero – (place for cultivation) seedbed, nursery; (container for storing seeds) seed box; (source) hotbed, breeding ground
Ceñir – (to don) to wear; (to fit tightly) to cling to, to hug, to be tight on; (to enclose) to surround, to encircle