Cristofol and Eulalia | The Legend of the Cuca Fera
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Cristofol and Eulalia - The tale of the giants of Begues
Once upon a time, in a little town in the mountains, which you all know well, there lived a big, strong giant called Cristofol, who liked nothing more than walking with the help of a pine tree which he used as a walking stick.
Often Cristofol, walking just like you or I would, went to visit his friend Marta, who lived in the neighbouring town. On the way he was always careful that none of the people of that town saw him because he knew that those people would not be happy about this friendship.
One day however, and we still don't know how, the people of that town found out that Cristofol and Marta were together at that very moment and they all went running together to chase Cristofol and run him out of the town. Enraged, men and women took onions and garlic from the gardens to throw at poor Cristofol. “Get out of here! Giants out!”, they all cried cruelly.
Cristofol was hiding behind a pine tree, and when he saw that the gang of villains had gone, he sat down on a big rock beside the stream and caught his breath.
The oldest people of the town say that to this very day you can still find a huge rock shaped like a chair halfway between the two towns. What is more, they say that if you look closely enough you can even make out the mark left by the walking stick and the giant's two footprints.
Now that he was more relaxed, Cristofol felt the need to pee. So he dropped his trousers right there and peed a river so long and flowing that it crossed the road between the two towns no less than nine times.
The next day Cristofol was feeling so sad that he didn't want to see anybody. He just wandered up and down the roads around Begues with his walking stick in his hand.
He went from les Solius to Montau, from Sotarro to la Penya de Moro, from la Clota to les Agulles and from Puig Castellar to Pou de Glaç. He didn't leave a single corner, no matter how small, unvisited.
One day, when Cristofol was taking a stroll to Can Pau, he saw a very pretty and elegant girl who was picking flowers on top of a hill. She was Eulalia, a girl from Barcelona who had come to the town just a few days earlier to stay there and live.
From the first moment he laid eyes on Eulalia Cristofol did everything he could to get to know her.
On day he waited on the hill where she picked flowers until he got the chance to talk to her. From that moment they became good friends. So much so that Cristofol showed her all the corners and secrets of the town. They became inseparable.
Ever since that day, Cristofol and Eulalia go out through the streets of the town like the patron saints of Begues accompanied by many friends, as well as drummers and pipers.
And so, all I can say to you is: if you come here, you won't be able to believe what you are going to see.
The Legend of the Cuca Fera
Legend has it that, in the mountains of Begues, an enormous monster was born in a deep cavern at Ferla.
This was our beloved Cuca Fera who, despite having a ferocious appearance, was by no means a cruel or fierce beast, but rather a sweet and gentle little soul, who was just bored and lonely. He spent his days watching the people of Begues coming and going, as they worked, as they farmed the land, and so on.
On top of a tall hill there was a castle, where the lord and master of these lands lived, the Baron of Eramprunya, with his daughter, the fair maiden Rosaclara.
One night, the young maiden was kidnapped by an arrogant knight who stole her away on horseback through the mountains of Garraf, while the fair maiden Rosaclara cried “Help! Help! Someone save me!”
The Cuca Fera, who was half asleep, heard the fair maiden Rosaclara's cries and left his cavern running as fast as he could, he roared and used his fiery eyes to frighten the young knight who quickly let the fair maiden go.
“Feet don't fail me now!” cried the young knight upon seeing the Cuca Fera.
The fair maiden Rosaclara was trembling with fear when she saw this huge, fierce beast, with his huge fangs. But the Cuca Fera said
to her sweetly:
“Rosaclara, don't be afraid of me, I'm just a dragon who lives a quiet and lonely life in the mountains of Garraf. If you climb up onto my back, I'll take you back to your castle in no time at all.”
News of this deed travelled so quickly that the the Cuca Fera became known as the saviour of all the boys and girls of the village, and so it was that the Baron of Eramprunya declared him the “Guardian of the village of Begues”.
Meanwhile, a wicked demon, filled with envy and jealousy, tricked the Cuca Fera and trapped him far away from the village, in the cavern at Can Sadurni, a deep and dark hole in the mountain they call Montau.
Poor Cuca Fera! He stayed there trapped and all alone for a very, very long time. Years passed before the Cuca Fera was finally able to escape from the cavern at Can Sadurni. He made a big hole in the rock with his sharp fangs and pointy tail.
When he saw the the light of the sun, he ran straight down to the village to tell all the men and women of Begues the good news.
The people of the village were so pleased to see him again that they decided to throw a big party in his honour with all the children and all the grown ups, too.
The wicked demon couldn't believe it. How could it be that the people of Begues loved this ugly and fierce monster who was born in the depths of the earth so much?
On the day of the celebration, the wicked demon changed his mind, he realised that he had clearly been mistaken, and he stood up in front of the whole village and said:
“People of the village, fair Rosaclara and Baron of Eramprunya, I stand here before you because I need to explain something to you. I have realised that I was completely mistaken, you truly love this monster. You have shown that it doesn't matter to you what he looks like and that you love him for his gentle heart. Please forgive me, and let me join in with your party”
From that day on, when Festa Major comes around, they organise a big fireworks night where the Cuca Fera, with his huge fangs and fiery eyes, accompanied by a number of demons, comes out of his lair and takes to the streets of Begues, while the people cheer him on and sing:
“Cuca Fera, what a joy to see you again Above ground, you'll never be a stranger, Above all else, we always know That you'll save a girl in danger”