Legends Customs and Writers LEGENDS Legend related to

Legends, Customs and Writers

LEGENDS

Legend related to Milky Way (Galicia, Way of Saint James, Spain) ● ● It was believed that it was the path laid by the apostle Santiago who guided and accompanied the pilgrims to his grave. The name Compostela derives from the Campus Stelae. The legend says that the remains of Santiago were transported by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain. He was buried in what is currently the City of Santiago de Compostela. At night, the milky way indicates this path, so it acquires the nickname of the Milky Way.

Legend related to the stars ( Aragon, Spain) ● ● Teruel´s story states that already chosen the king and his knights, the foundation of a city in the area. They saw a bull on a hill that was followed by a star moving high above its head in the sky. This produced such an impression on the Christians who then decided to choose that place for the foundation of the city. There’s a sculpture in the main square of Teruel which symbolises it

Legend related to the moon ( Catalonia, Spain) ● ● On the full moon, a child from Sant Feliu de Pallerols (Girona) while he was walking along the banks of the Brugent River, saw the moon reflected in the water. He decided to try and catch the reflection with a rod. Someone who saw him, mocking, asks him if he wants to catch the moon. Since then, people with illusions, dreams and many projects are called “Pescallunes”, it´s to say who is fishing the moon, in Sant Feliu de Pallerols.

CUSTOMS

Time prediction. Weather and calendar sayings Canary Islands, Spain. The forecasts based on certain indications receive in the Canary Islands the general name of cabañuelas. According to customs, the cabañuelas predicted the rains that it will do during the year. On the night of San Juan, they made some observations of the sky that predicted the weather that was going to be the following year. The position of the stars in the sky was the key. Venus, because of its brightness, which is usually called Lucero is the main reference. The sailors had their special points of reference and predicted the weather according to a constellation, “the Saharita”, which they observed for a period of time in the sky.

Agriculture and the moon. Cantabria, Spain The Cantabrians had some peculiar customs related to the Moon, protagonist of their agricultural work. Many of these customs were similar to those of the rest of Europe, but others were originated in these regions of the northern mainland, such as to proceed to sowing in dwindling wheat, corn, potatoes, etc. , unlike in other parts of the continent. With regard to the cutting or collection of wood, the old Cantabrians, and the inhabitants of the mountains until not too many years ago, had a peculiar vision of these tasks. If the wood was going to be destined to fuel, that is, firewood, they cut the chosen tree in increasing, since it was to be believed that this wood stored greater calorific power, considering that this vegetable was in full growth, according to the moon phase, so it saved great energy. But if this wood was cut into a waning moon, it was used to make tools, utensils and construction materials, such as beams, pillars and boards.

Customs and sayings about astronomical objects. Castilla, Spain. Moon ● ● ● ● ● With the waning moon the fruits must be gathered. If you cut your hair or nails in a waning moon, they do not grow With the crescent moon the fruits must be sown. When the moon wanes, do not sow anything If you cut your hair with a new moon, it grows faster If you want the bacon to cover you, kill your pig in a new moon. The full moon advances births. If the moon is encircled, the next day it will be bad or it will rain Yellowish Moon water soon. Full bright moon, good weather ahead.

Customs and sayings about astronomical objects. Castilla, Spain. Stars ● ● ● You should not count the stars, because it brings bad luck. You have to make a wish when you see a shooting star, because it is achieved. When the stars shine a lot on winter nights they announce heavy frosts. Sun ● A spell for the sun to rise: show up, little sun, and I'll give you a little cheese

WRITERS

Vicente Aleixandre y Merlo ● Born: 26 th of April, 1898 ● Died: 14 th of December 1984 ● Aleixandre received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1977 "for a creative poetic writing which illuminates man's condition in the cosmos and in present-day society, at the same time representing the great renewal of the traditions of Spanish poetry between the wars". ● He was one of the greatest poets of the Spanish literature alongside Cernuda and Lorca.

Al cielo. ". . . mis venas, y sólo tú, cielo agreste, intocado, das calma a este acero sin tregua que me yergue en el mundo. Baja, baja dulce para mí y da paz a mi vida. Hazte blando a mi frente como una mano tangible y oiga yo como un trueno que sea dulce una voz que, azul, sin celajes, clame largamente en mi cabellera. Hundido en ti, besado del azul poderoso y materno, mis labios sumidos en tu celeste luz apurada sientan tu roce meridiano, y mis ojos ebrios de tu estelar pensamiento te amen, mientras así peinado suavemente por el soplo de los astros, mis oídos escuchan al único amor que no muere. ” Vicente Aleixadandre y Merlo

Rosalía de Castro ● Born: February 1837, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. ● Died: 15 th of July 1885, Padrón, near Santiago de Compostela. ● The most outstanding modern writer in the Galician language, whose work is of both regional and universal significance. ● She is best known for her poetry, included in Cantares gallegos (1863; “Galician Songs”) and Follas novas (1880; “New Medleys”), both written in her own language.

A la luna ¡Con qué pura y serena transparencia brilla esta noche la luna! A imagen de la cándida inocencia, no tiene mancha ninguna. De su pálido rayo la luz pura como lluvia de oro cae sobre las largas cintas de verdura que la brisa lleva y trae. Y el mármol de las tumbas ilumina con melancólica lumbre, y las corrientes de agua cristalina que bajan de la alta cumbre. La lejana llanura, las praderas, el mar de espuma cubierto donde nacen las ondas plañideras, el blanco arenal desierto, la iglesia, el campanario, el viejo muro, la ría en su curso varia, todo lo ves desde tu cenit puro, casta virgen solitaria

Miguel Hernández Gilabert ● ● ● ● ● Born: 30 th of October, 1910, Orihuela. Died: 28 th of March, 1942, Alicante. He was a very famous Spanish poet and playwright. He had to leave school early to start working, even so, he developed his capacity of poetry In 1930 he began publishing his poetry in magazines such as "El Pueblo de Orihuela" or "El Día de Alicante". Already established in Madrid, he works as an editor in the bullfighting dictionary El Cossío and in the educational missions of Alejandro Casona. In these years, he writes the poems El silbo vulnerado (1934), Image of your footprint (1934), and the best known: Unceasing Lightning (1936). He takes a very active part in the Spanish Civil War, and at the end he tries to leave the country but is stopped at the border with Portugal. Sentenced to death penalty, he is commuted for thirty years but fails to comply because he dies of tuberculosis on March 28, 1942 in the prison of Alicante. During the war he composed Wind of the Town (1937) with a style that became known as "war poetry. "

Sobre el cuerpo de la luna nadie pone su calor. Frente a frente sol y luna entre la luna y el sol que se buscan y no se hallan tú y yo. Pero por fin se hallarán nos hallaremos, amor, y el mundo será redondo hacia nuestro corazón.

Luis de Góngora y Argote ● Born: 11 th of July, 1561. ● Died: 24 th of May 1627. ● He was a Spanish Baroque lyric poet. ● Góngora and his lifelong rival, Francisco de Quevedo, are widely considered the most prominent Spanish poets of all time. ● His style is characterized by what was called “Culteranismo”, also known as Gongorismo. ● This style existed in stark contrast to Quevedo's conceptismo.

llustre y hermosísima María, Mientras se dejan ver a cualquier hora En tus mejillas la rosada aurora, Febo en tus ojos, y en tu frente el día, Y mientras con gentil descortesía Mueve el viento la hebra voladora Que la Arabia en sus venas atesora Y el rico Tajo en sus arenas cría; Antes que de la edad Febo eclipsado, Y el claro día vuelto en noche obscura, Huya la aurora del mortal nublado; Antes que lo que hoy es rubio tesoro Venza a la blanca nieve su blancura, Goza, goza el color, la luz, el oro.