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La leyenda de la Peña de los Enamorados Posted by on Feb 18, 2011 in Spanish Culture

En el camino que va desde Sevilla a Granada, es inevitable que nuestra vista se detenga en una imponente peña de forma singular de la vega malagueña: el perfil rocoso que se asemeja a un rostro humano, un indio yaciente, que mira al cielo. Esta roca de gris calizo, rodeada de campos de cultivo, será el escenario de otra trágica historia de enamorados.

Nuestra siguiente historia se centra en tierra andaluza, más concretamente en la Antequera del siglo XV, frontera entre árabes y cristianos. La leyenda de la Peña de los Enamorados ha sido narrada desde entonces por poetas y trovadores, y sedujo a escritores románticos como Washington Irving. Incluso Cervantes narró en el capítulo V del Quijote una historia parecida entre un abencerraje y la bella Jarifa, aunque con final más propicio a los amantes.

Aunque existen varias, la versión más extendida fue durante años de tradición oral: cuenta la leyenda como Tello, joven cristiano de Antequera, fue hecho prisionero en la vecina localidad de Archidona. Quiso el azar que Tagzona, hija del alcalde musulmán de dicha localidad, pasase por los calabozos, y ambos se enamoraron perdidamente. Ya que profesaban distinta religión, y siendo conscientes de que su matrimonio era imposible, decidieron fugarse juntos. Descubiertos por los guardias, y con el padre de Tagzona al frente, los jóvenes se vieron acorralados junto a un peñón a las afueras de la localidad. Sabiendo que el destino iba a separarles, subieron a la cima, y pidiendo a su respectivo dios que no los separase, se arrojaron al abismo cogidos de la mano. Desde entonces el mancebo quedó convertido en la montaña que hoy conocemos, y la doncella en el viento que acaricia su perfil.

SEGÚN CUENTA LA LEYENDA
(Malagueña de fiesta)
Letra: Rafael Díaz Portillo. Música: Juan José Reyes Santaella

Voy a contarte un cuento
De amor y de desventura
Que es como un lamento
Un sueño de locura

Según cuenta la leyenda
dos amantes perseguidos
No quisieron ser cautivos
Y al subir a la montaña
Al fin quedaron rendidos

En lo alto de la peña
A punto de ser prendidos
Sin tener otro camino
Se abrazaron al vacío
Huyendo de su destino

A la sombra de la peña
Como dos enamorados
la morilla y el cristiano
duermen juntos en el río
bajo el cielo antequerano

On the road from Seville to Granada, you can’t fail to notice an impressive rock of a peculiar shape in Malaga’s fertile meadow: the rocky profile looks like a human face, a lying Native American looking at the sky. This rock of limy grey, surrounded by fields, will be the scene of another tragic history involving a couple of lovers.

Our next story takes place in Andalusia, more exactly in the village of Antequera in the 15th century, the frontier between Moors and Christians. The legend of the Rock of the Lovers has been narrated since then by poets and troubadours, and captivated romantic writers such as Washington Irving. Even Cervantes wrote in chapter V of Don Quixote a similar story between an Abencerraje and the beautiful Jarifa, though with a more propitious ending for the lovers.

Although there are several versions, the most widespread one was spread through oral tradition: the story goes that Tello, a young Christian from Antequera, was made prisoner in Archidona’s neighboring village. By chance, Tagzona, daughter of the Moslem mayor of the mentioned town, passed through the dungeons, and both fell in love passionately. As they were from different religions, and being aware that their marriage was impossible, they decided elope together. Discovered by the guards commanded by Tagzona’s father, the young lovers were cornered close to a crag outside the village. Knowing that fate was going to separate them, they climbed to the top, and asking their respective gods not to separate them, they threw themselves to the abyss hand in hand. Since then, the youth was turned into the mountain we can see nowadays, and the maiden into the wind that caresses his profile.

I am going to tell you a story
Of love and of misfortune
That is like a lament
A dream of madness

The story goes that
Two chased lovers
Did not want to be captive
And having climbed up the mountain
At the end they were exhausted

At the summit of the rock
On the verge of being caught
Without having  any other way
They held on the emptiness
Fleeing from their destination

In the shade of the rock
As two lovers
The Moor and the Christian
sleep together in the river
Under the Antequera sky

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About the Author: Magda

Hi all! I’m Magda, a Spanish native speaker writing the culture posts in the Transparent Language Spanish blog. I have a Bachelor’s in English Philology and a Master’s in Linguistics and Literature from the University of Granada, in Spain. I have also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, and then worked as an English teacher in several schools and academies for several years. Last year was my first at university level. In addition, I work as a private tutor, teaching English and Spanish as a foreign language to students and adults. In my free time, I’m an avid reader and writer, editing and collaborating in several literary blogs. I have published my first poetry book recently. And last but not least, I love photography!


Comments:

  1. andreas:

    ¡Hola Magda!
    Te agradezco otra bella leyenda. Pero ¿porque tantas leyendas de enamorados deben ser tristes? Sería mejor que todos vivieran en amor e felicidad.
    Andreas

  2. Magda:

    Jajaja, tienes razón Andreas. Esta me gusta especialmente, la roca está cerca de mi ciudad, y siempre me llamó la atención, incluso antes de conocer la historia. Para próximas leyendas, procuraré que tengan final feliz, ¡prometido!

  3. andreas:

    Gracias, Magda.
    Me agradaría leer algo positivo