TWELVE

Marcos and María

There lived a widower in a faraway land who had two exceedingly beautiful and gifted children, Marcos and María.

It so happened these were very difficult times. There was a drought in the land, and invasions of locusts devoured what little vegetation the earth gave forth. Prophets roamed the land, predicting the end of time.

This man wanted to save his children, so he built a large underground room and filled it with provisions. There was enough food and water to last seven years. He kissed his children goodbye and buried them in the room.

At the end of seven years Marcos and María dug their way out of the subterranean room. Like Adam and Eve banished from the Garden, they found themselves alone in a desert.

The city they had known was gone. No trace of their father or neighbors remained. Only the blinding sun overhead warmed their bodies. They were innocents coming out into a brave new world.

—We must find a place for shelter, Marcos told María, and he led her to a mountain where they found a cave.

The two had spent so much time together that they promised never to leave each other. They would remain together forever, come what may.

The cave became their home, and they lived quite comfortably for many years. Marcos hunted rabbits and birds to sustain them. One particular day he climbed to the crest of the mountain and discovered a magnificent castle. He was about to venture in when he saw the giant who lived there. He crept away in fear and never climbed that path again.

A year later when Marcos was out hunting he found three cubs: a lion, a tiger, and a bear. He took them home and raised them, and when they were grown, they helped him hunt for food.

One day when Marcos was gone, the giant who lived on the mountain came down and found the cave. He looked inside and spied the lovely María. She was startled and asked him who he was.

—I am the ruler of the mountain, the giant replied. I live in a castle on the peak. I hold fiestas every night and invite my friends. We eat and dance all night.

María was intrigued. She remembered vaguely the fiestas her father had held when she was a child. Those were the fondest memories she had.

—What do you do here? asked the giant.

—I live with my brother. He hunts and I cook for him.

—A very boring life, said the giant. Come with me to my castle. I will marry you and provide you with all the pleasures of the world.

—I can’t come with you, she replied. I promised my brother never to marry.

—So I will slay him, and you will be free of your promise. Ask your brother what path he will take tomorrow, and I will wait there to kill him.

María felt two emotions. One was the temptation of the pleasures the giant offered. He was a ruler who would care for her the rest of her life. She would sit like a queen by his side. The other emotion was fear. What would the giant do if she didn’t do as he ordered?

—Very well, she finally said. I will do as you say.

The following day as Marcos was about to leave she asked which path he was taking. His animals had already warned him that she had told the giant what path he planned to take.

—Why do you ask me? You have never asked me before?

—I told the giant I will marry him, she replied.

—Ungrateful sister! roared Marcos. After all these years of taking care of you this is how you repay me! Very well, go with your giant. I am leaving, never to return.

He called to his animals and left.

The next day the giant arrived at the cave and asked María which way her brother had gone.

—I don’t know, she replied. He was very angry and went away.

—No matter, said the giant. I’ll find him.

He followed the trail until he spied Marcos. The giant attacked, but he was no match for the lion, the bear, and the tiger. They turned on the giant and killed him.

Sadly, Marcos looked back at the mountain that held the cave that had been his home. He loved his sister, but he knew he could never return. Their life would never be the same; she had betrayed him.

He traveled through many lands with his animals, until they came to the land of a great king. That morning as they walked down a canyon they found the king’s daughter tied to a post.

—Why are you tied here, most beautiful lady? asked Marcos.

At first the princess was startled by the handsome man speaking to her, and equally afraid of the large tiger, bear, and lion that sniffed her shoes and the hem of her dress.

—There is a giant serpent that came to threaten my father’s kingdom, she replied. It will destroy the kingdom and all its people unless my father offers me as hostage. Tonight the serpent will come for me.

—I will set you free, Marcos said.

—I warn you, the seven-headed serpent is enormous. It will kill you.

—I have very powerful friends, he said, pointing to his animals.

—If you free me, you will be my hero, said the princess.

Marcos turned to his animals.

—Go up into the canyon and wait for the serpent. You must kill it.

They went up the path and waited for the serpent. When the serpent arrived its loud cries echoed down the canyon, driving fear into all who heard it.

But the lion, the bear, and the tiger weren’t afraid of the seven-headed serpent, whose mouths had razor-sharp teeth and long tongues that dripped with poison.

The bear, lion, and tiger attacked from all sides, clawing at the serpent’s belly until they killed it. Then they returned to Marcos and told him the serpent was dead.

—You are free to return to your father, Marcos said to the lovely princess, but you must tell no one who freed you.

When the king’s men found the princess they were overjoyed she was alive. They immediatedly took her to her father.

—Did the serpent come? he asked.

—It came, but a brave man killed it.

—Who?

—I do not know his name.

—I want to meet this brave man, and for saving your life I will give you to him as a wife.

It so happened that the next day a carbonero, a man who burns wood to make charcoal, found the dead serpent.

—They say the king will marry his daughter to the man who killed the serpent, he said to himself. I will claim her.

He cut the seven heads off the serpent and took them to the king.

—Ipa! he shouted. I am the man who killed the serpent!

—Then you shall marry my daughter, replied the king.

The princess grew sad. The carbonero had not saved her, and she did not want to marry him, but her father had made a promise that couldn’t be broken. And she had promised the young man with the animals not to divulge his identity.

That day Marcos and his animals had found lodging with an old woman who lived on the outskirts of the village. She told Marcos a carbonero had killed the serpent and the king was marrying his daughter to the man. Lords and ladies and friends of the king would come from everywhere to attend the wedding.

—Would you like to eat the food of the fiesta? he asked her.

—Yes, but the poor are not invited.

Marcos turned to his tiger.

—Go to the dance and greet the princess. Don’t return until she tells you to return. And don’t bite anyone.

The tiger did as he was told. When he entered the dance hall everyone fled except the princess. Recognizing the tiger, she ran to him and stroked his head. Realizing he was hungry, she prepared a sack of the best meats and tied it to his neck. Then she told him to return to his master.

The tiger delivered the package and they all sat down to eat.

—Grandmother, would you like to sample some more of the wedding foods?

—Of course, my son. I am very hungry.

This time Marcos sent the lion with the same instructions he had given the tiger. As before, when the lion entered the dance hall everyone fled, including the carbonero.

The princess greeted the lion with great affection and sent him back with an even bigger package of food. Marcos, the old woman, and the animals ate every morsel.

—Grandmother? asked Marcos, are you still hungry?

—Oh yes, I could eat dessert.

Marcos sent the bear to the wedding feast, and the bear, who was a good dancer, even danced a waltz with the princess. He returned with an even larger package filled with cakes and sweets.

—Father, said the princess to the astonished king, have you seen the three animals that came to the fiesta?

—Yes, sputtered the king. But I don’t know why they are so friendly to you.

—The man who is sending his animals to me is the one who saved me from the serpent, not the carbonero. Sending his animals to me means I can reveal him. The bear told me he stays in the hut of an old woman at the edge of the city.

—Go and bring this young man to me, the king told his guards. As for the carbonero, tie him to a wild horse and exile him from my kingdom.

The king’s guards brought Marcos before the king.

—You saved my daughter and therefore she is yours to marry tomorrow.

—Will you have me? Marcos asked the princess.

—With all my heart, she replied.

The dancing continued all night and a happy Marcos and princess danced every dance together.

As it turned out, María was a serving maid working for the king. When she learned Marcos was to marry the princess she grew mad with jealousy. Hadn’t Marcos long ago promised never to marry? The brother and sister had vowed to stay together.

And Marcos had killed the giant who had promised her many worldly pleasures. Why should he marry and enjoy life while she had no future?

She waited until he was alone in his room, knocked on his door, and entered. Marcos was overjoyed to see his sister. He invited her in, embracing and kissing her with love. He wanted to hear everything that had happened to her since he had left the cave.

After hours of listening to her story, he laid his head on her lap and fell asleep. Then María drew a large, magical pin she had hidden in her skirt and drove it into his skull. When she saw what she had done she was overcome with grief. She ran out of the castle, down to the river, crying out the name of her brother.

The next morning the king found Marcos dead, but he couldn’t see the pin so he didn’t know how the young man had died. When the princess heard the news she cried the entire day. Then she ordered a wake to be held so everyone would come and say goodbye to her savior, the man who was to be her husband.

In the stable the lion, bear, and tiger could be heard weeping for their master.

—It is time to take Marcos to church for his funeral, said the king. Release the animals so they can go up into the mountains. In a royal litter of gold we will carry Marcos to church.

When the animals were freed, instead of running for the mountains, they followed the funeral procession. When the princess sat with head bowed, the bear, lion, and tiger wept and licked Marcos’s face, so great was their loss.

The bear held Marcos’s head in his paws and stroked it. As he caressed his friend he discovered the head of the pin. He drew it out and Marcos opened his eyes.

—Thank you, kind friends, he said and rose from the gold litter. The animals cried with joy.

The princess ran to Marcos and embraced him.

The wedding was held and Marcos and the princess lived a long and happy life. Marcos took good care of the bear, lion, and tiger, his three magical friends.

María was never seen again, although often workers coming home late at night say they hear her weeping mournfully along the riverbank. Some say María is doing penance for betraying the love of her brother.