Teodoro and the three ingredients.

Tales of Portugal: Teodoro and the three ingredients.


One was once, long ago, they were living in a Portuguese small town through a very close (united) marriage that was waiting for the birth of its first daughter.
Teodoro was lumberjack and worked all day away from home looking for logs to distribute throughout the village. He did not like very much its work but how of youngster I cannot study; he did not have any more remedy than to dedicate to it to be able to help its parents to maintain its seven brothers. Adelaide its wife was devoting herself with a lot of devotion to realize the house works and was doing some works as seamstress. It was a poor marriage but they were very satisfied and enjoyed everything what they could of its time together.
Unfortunately, Adelaide had some problems during childbirth and when she gave birth to her small Fatima a few days died because of an infection.


From that moment, Teodoro changed. It was no longer vital, energetic and courageous boy who had been. Now without Adelaide felt empty and looked with great sorrow in his heart despite the presence of Fatima, after which as well as it was possible.


Fatima grew up alongside her father and often went to the forest to help him with the task of transporting firewood and distribute it through the town. They were never speaking about its mother although Fátima frequently had asked him for her.


After a time, the small Fátima fell ill. The different doctors to whom Teodoro came (turned) it did not offer a lot of possibilities that the small could survive

Teodoro at that time cried heartbroken seeing that I went back to repeat the same story as with Adelaide. But this time, it was too much. It could not bear the loss also of their small Fatima.
So after receiving the news he directed at the edge of a river and began to weep and mourn heartbroken, seeing that luck was not with him. His heart was filled with anger and resentment by life. I thought that nothing was worth and that Fatima would not recover are never of her illness.

At that moment an old man accompanied by a large cane appeared and sat beside him.


-Hello, Teodoro - said the old man.

-Hello - answered Teodoro. How do you know my name? -Teodoro asked amazed that did not remember having seen previously to the elderly.


-As you see, I know everything - said the old man touching again and again his long white beard.


-I felt that your daughter Fatima has fallen ill - said the Sage.


-So it is- answered Teodoro.


- And what do you think to do about it? -said the old man.


-For nothing. I don't expect already anything of life. All has left me very badly. I was now very happy with my wife and looks at the situation in which I find myself. So I'm going to keep fighting. My life has no meaning. I will go away from here so no one finds me - said at the same time sad and furious Teodoro.


-I believe that you can still do something for your daughter - said the old man. I don't think you should discourage you as soon. Perhaps the loss of your wife was written, but that doesn't mean that also the same thing happen to Fatima. Don't think?-said the old man.

-Perhaps I could help Fatima whom one recovers but I need a thing of you - the elder said.

-Ah yes! Tell me. I am willing to do anything for my little. -Teodoro exclaimed startled.



-Well. I will explain a secret. I know an ointment that can heal to Fatima but the ingredients are very difficult to obtain - said the old man.


-To create the ointment you will need to find clover of truth in the lost souls enchanted garden, pen of the Hawk that is located at the top of the mountain of the tempest and the Red stone that you will find in the cave of the dinosaur. With these three ingredients you will form a mass that every day and every night one you applied to her for your small chest. A week can see how improves - continued explaining the elder before the surprised Theodore gaze.


-Do not think that you can get it - said Teodoro. I will not be able to do so. Also do not know or where to start to look for - Teodoro said very discouraged.


-Well then not you will manage heal your small - said the old man.

And saying this disappeared as rapidly as it had come.

When Teodoro realized what he had said, was trying to look for the elder again, but it already did not find it.


With a lot of sorrow in its heart it left to house where Fátima was waiting for him very happy.


-Hello Papa, have already returned home. It is too early today - said the girl smiling and stroking fist.

-Hello Fatima. I have to leave a few days. But don't worry; one of your cousins will come to be with you a few days while I is absent - said Teodoro.


And where are you going dad?-asked amazed the girl knowing that her father had never been more than one day outside the home.


-I'll do some shopping out of town. I need to buy new instruments in order to fell trees better and more easily collect the firewood - lied Teodoro.



The following day departed without further delay to find the three ingredients that the old man had told him in order to make the ointment.


While I was walking and I remembered the words of the old man, thought maybe it wasn't any Sage, possibly it was a fake and perhaps what had him saying was not true and that when you applied the ointment to Fatima prove the falsity of his words that she would not recover is ever.


But even so, decided to continue the journey in search of the first ingredient.


The first site where would go would be delighted to lost souls garden. There you should find clover of the truth.


He walked and walked tirelessly through different valleys and mountains with unique compass of his intuition. Certainly didn't the he walked but was guided by the stars and by the hope in your heart.


Suddenly he came to a lush forest. Thousands and thousands of trees forest did a very gloomy and dark space to which Theodore was afraid of entering.



But very determined broke in the undergrowth and went a long way accompanied by a multitude of voices and whispers that talked about him to hatred.




Thousands of lost souls began to whisper strange words in your ear and based on hypnotic prayers began to poison its value with the feeling of a dreadful fear. The fear began to invade him and had wishes of running out. These souls were dark beings that lived in the forest and had a mission not pass to any foreigner because they were responsible for protecting the clover of the truth. They could not allow certain people are taking him and conducted an improper use.


Teodoro shook panic and was on the verge of surrender to the power of domination that souls hovered over him. Suddenly he felt that the voice of his beloved Adelaide it resonated inside. And I said:


-Teodoro. Fight. You can do it.

Adelaide phrase resounded again and again in its interior and the love with which were spoken made Teodoro out of his hypnotic state. Theodore began to remember the affection with which Adelaide had him care and loved during the time that stayed together and this made him build value. The souls before the immensity of the love that Teodoro was dismissing for the memory of Adelaide, fled scared in the search of another being easiest to be able to control and dominate. They realized that Teodoro was a being brave and decided internally and that the love of its heart was real. So they decided to leave and allow Teodoro to be able to gain access to the trefoil of the truth.

Teodoro when the souls were gone, he sat on a rock and realized that all this time had not wanted remember Adelaide, because his memory put him very sad. But had now realized that remember it and return love his recollection, it had done him well. Perhaps he had never buried in his heart the great love that I had felt for her and forget it in that way. This had caused only more suffering.


More lively and happy then departed in search of truth clover. He immediately found it inside a large garden surrounded by Roses of different colors.


He very delicately picked it soil, giving thanks to Adelaide for helping to find it.

That night Teodoro rest more peacefully than ever. I wanted to be able to return home together with Fatima to explain carefully as was her mother and what a wonderful time they had had together. He had done wrong in having hidden for so long that information to your small. But now it was time to remedy it.


The next day he went in search of his second ingredient. On the following day it set off in search of its second ingredient. The pen of the hawk that was in the big mountain of the storms.

It was not easy to achieve. I had to climb a long cliff to reach the great Hawk nest. Once you were there, you would boot him one of its feathers without falling out and without Hawk give account of their presence.


With great effort he climbed and climbed down the mountain to get to the top.


Once he was there he hid alongside a few small falcon eggs that were coming to birth. Along with them he sheltered with leaves and herbs that made up the nest to expect a mother Falcon return and be able to take any of their feathers.


While I was in the nest and looked next Falcon chicks at birth, he recalled the birth of Fatima and the illusions with which had celebrated its birth. But his thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of the great Hawk that opened and closed her wings ready to land at the nest.

Teodoro proved the greatness of the great Hawk but even so, fast and agile, engaged in one of its feathers and succeeded in getting one of them. Once he had it in his hands, he had to descend down the mountain but suddenly began to blow an atrocious wind and a great storm made its appearance at the top of the mountain. Theodore could not resist more and yielded to the force of the wind, falling to the vacuum. Thanks to the strength he had acquired during his work as a lumberjack, he could cling to some rocks where you'd expect to the storm ended. The situation in which Teodoro found was alarming. If rock that held him it appeared, he would fall inexorably to the bottom of the cliff.


Teodoro clung firmly to the rock but it seemed that storm was not ready to leave. Theodore had to mourn and recalled the tears that had caused you find out that your small Fatima had fallen ill. But at that moment and almost intuitively, instead of mourn, he began to pray and ask God to give the storm, to allow him to continue in his path in search of the ointment to cure her small. And suddenly, and as if by magic, the storm began to subside and gave way to a bright, sunny day as he had never before appeared in the mountains of the storms. And with it, a beautiful Rainbow appeared across all the small Portuguese town.


Theodore could then carefully down the mountains and continue on your way. While walking he realized long ago that he had forgotten to ask and pray to God. Now his heart was much more quiet and serene, he was hoping that a new opportunity could manifest itself in your life.



With the pen and the clover of truth Teodoro went on his way. He was very proud of himself for having failed to get the two ingredients and everything what he had learned during his search. Now the third needed him.


Then he found the cave that housed the Red stone. I was thinking about what new challenge would be on this occasion.



When he arrived at the entrance of the cave he found that she was protected by a pair of dinosaurs and a baby dinosaur that was lying in his little nest. Teodoro was set at the nest was formed by rocks and stones of red colour and assumed that these would be rocks to which should give scope.



So put hands to work and very slowly ventured into the cave. He remained still observing a pair of dinosaurs as they cared to your little baby that you seemed not to move. The dinosaurs did more tumbling around the small.


-Perhaps you are sick - thought for himself Teodoro. And with this thought again to remember Fatima now more convinced that the ointment could cure it.


Teodoro more approached the nest and found that the dinosaur had a broken leg.


-Surely this is why not you can walk - he continued thinking of Theodore.

it was not thought two times and it went towards the dinosaurs with a pair of slats in the hand. Two dinosaurs, seeing that Teodoro was taking with him the trefoil of the truth and the pen of the hawk, surprisingly allowed him to approach its child. The dinosaurs internally were hoping that Teodoro should treat its baby.


Teodoro very carefully, took place in the leg of the dinosaur, a bandage and arranged slats in such way that would allow the dinosaur able to move while his leg heals.


Then the dinosaur could lift and started walking before the gaze of astonishment and admiration of the Popes dinosaurs.


Token of appreciation, the dinosaurs left Teodoro carry one of the red stones that were part of the small dinosaur nest.


Teodoro departed very happy now that he had three ingredients in your hand. Teodoro set off very satisfied now when it already had three ingredients in its hand. Only it was lacking to come to house and power to make the ointment that the elder had advised him to realize.

Teodoro made the return journey almost without stopping to rest, wanted to reach as quickly as possible to be able to cure to Fatima.


While he walked the path of return, he realized that was lighter when it was a purpose that reach, when his life was some greater sense that made him go ahead and by which fight. He realized that now walked with illusion, an illusion that had returned to recover. Teodoro whistling through forests and meadows with a speed up to the same birds were amazed when they saw him appear.


During his way he appreciated again and again the presence of trees, mountains, birds, the sky and the stars that had been always supporting him throughout his tour and gave thanks to God for allowing him to enjoy the wonders of his creation.

In this way Teodoro arrived quickly to your home. At home Fatima was waiting for him wake up snuggled in his large sofa.


- But Fatima what you do awake still at this hour?-said Teodoro stroking the hair of Fatima.


It is that I have to give you a news .I really wanted to tell you that the doctor came to visit me yesterday and told me that I was cured. - Said Fatima with a big smile on your face.

- But cannot be! Don't tell me that it is that true? -said Teodoro now with tears in eyes but of pure joy for the received news.


- Yes. It is true - said his cousin who stood next to Fátima.

And both three slept calmer than never with the happiness of seeing completely convalescent Fatima.

The day following Teodoro went in search of the elderly that days earlier had found on the shore of the River, to explain what had happened.
He wanted to tell to him that it had three ingredients of the ointment but that it had not been necessary to apply them to Fátima, since miraculously she had recovered. One wanted to be able to offer them also to someone who needed them, someone who like Fatima was sick to be able to apply them to him.
Suddenly the great old man made his appearance.

-Hello. I came in your search because I want to explain to you that...

-Don't follow appreciated Teodoro. I know everything. And I am very happy that Fatima has healed is - said the old man.

-I'd be able to give them to someone who as Fatima may need them - went on to explain Teodoro.



-Dear Theodore, I think that still not you've realized that what really to curing to Fatima has been your faith in that it was possible. The courage and perseverance you've shown the way. What truly heals a sick heart is faith and gratitude before God and the wonders of his creation. And that's what you've shown and I congratulate you for this. These ingredients by it alone will not heal. It is necessary to individually make the journey and learn these things by oneself - explained the old man to Teodoro.

And having said this he disappeared without leaving any trace or sign.

And that was how Fátima regained her health.


Thereafter Fatima and Teodoro enjoyed each day together as if it were the last. They were going to cut firewood pleased and very happy to do so. All the Portuguese people held together the recovery of Fatima and since then celebrate each year a big party in honor of her and her father Theodore.


Really for this reason at present many pilgrims cover the Portuguese way that Teodoro realized, with the hope to be able to cure its hearts by means of the recovery of the faith and of the lost illusions.

 

Y colorin, Colorado …este cuento se ha acabado.
Mónica Zambrano. Los wikicuentos Multiculturales