LEGEND OF THE TAKING OF THE CASTLE BY THE CHRISTIANS
Episode 1
1. Lia's kindness
2. Ben Iussef's stratagem
3. The Christian's Marriage to the Moor
Episode 2
4. The conspirator and the crime
5. Lia's transfiguration
6. The plan of revenge
Episode 3
7. strange events
8. the murderer's meeting with the old woman of the water
Episode 4
9. the fulfillment of the prophecy
10. the storming of the castle
11. ben aligula's escape
Episode 4
9. The fulfillment of prophecy
Ben Alígula left, stunned by the tone of sincerity and truth that the Old Woman imprinted on his words. He didn't want to believe what he heard, but a doubt tormented him: hadn't she spoken the truth in everything she had told him about the past?
But he consoled himself by trying to convince himself that in his room, as long as he locked the doors and windows properly, nothing could penetrate there.
When he arrived at the castle, he immediately went to his room, where he conducted a thorough search. Everything was scrambled and stirred up in there, just in case someone had agreed with the Old Woman (hadn't she said that there were traitors inside the castle?
Everything examined, furniture taken out and put back in its places, doors and locks tried, nothing was found to give reason for the slightest suspicion.
- To the faith of my soul, I swear to you that the crucified one in the morning shall be with you.
This statement of the old woman made in such a convincing tone upset him. If she had not read this in the stars, would she dare to guarantee it, knowing that this false assertion would cost her her life? What if the crucified one appeared? Could she still doubt what she had heard?
He was afraid of the cross. When he remembered the Old Woman's prophecy, he felt horrified and closed his eyes so as not to see anything. But no, the doors of his room could not be opened by anyone.
They were so solid that they would resist all onslaughts, and so long as they were not opened, how could the Christ be with him in the morning?
When bedtime came, a new and thorough inspection was made. No corner or piece of furniture was left unseen.
Certain of the safety of the doors and locks, he exclaimed: You will not save yourself from the fire, old sorceress. Your days are numbered.
He filled the lamp with oil so it could burn all night and went to bed.
- Jineff, did you grease the fake door hinges well?
- Yes, my sister.
- You got the cane ready?
- I do, sister.
- How's the hole fixed?
- Covered with wax the color of the same stone. It is not visible.
- Well, act with all prudence. On the good outcome of what we are about to do depends my life and your future.
- Don't worry, sister. I'm sure I'll do fine.
- Holy Mary will watch over us.
Late at night, carrying in one hand a long cane pierced through its entire length, and in the other the crucified one, Jineff entered a long gallery leading to Ben Alígula's room, and the existence of which he was unaware.
Groping his way up the last step, he took out a piece of wax that covered a small hole and peered in. Alígula seemed to be asleep. The lamp was within reach of the cane. He waited a little longer until he was sure that he was effectively asleep.
Then he put the cane through the hole and blew, extinguishing the light. He then pushed away a heavy stone that was turning on a couple of hinges and penetrated the room where he introduced the Crucifix, placing it on a bench facing the Moor.
Without any noise, he pulled the stone out and put it back in its place, then withdrew.
When Ben Alígula woke up and found himself in the dark, he was filled with fear. Wanting to know the reason for the lack of light, he got up and looked for the lamp to make sure that all the oil had been used up, but on finding it his fingers dipped in the oil and he realised that the reason for the darkness was something else.
He could no longer sleep and his imagination showed him fantastic things. In fact, he recognized that something extraordinary had happened.
At the crack of dawn, still in the midst of a confused darkness, he seemed to divine a strange figure staring at him... But no, it would not be possible.
However, as the clarity was shaping the objects, his confusion increased and his amazement so disturbed him that he thought he had gone mad.
To escape that sight, he grabbed a blanket and threw it over the Crucified One, thus evading the sight that overwhelmed him.
10. The assault of the castle
Meanwhile, Lia had sent emissaries to gather all the flocks of Christendom with instructions that they should assemble in the vicinity of Cale, and ordered all the candles that were available in the market to be bought, which candles were to be, on the proper occasion, tied to the horns of the goats and sheep.
To these flocks, led by a few soldiers, was entrusted the conquest of the castle.
Here is the plan of attack: when the Corujeiras hill was reached, the candles would be lit and the herds, spread out over a vast area giving the impression of a huge army, would move towards the castle. The animals at the front were covered with wolf and bear skins.
In the castle, the Moors converted by Lia, knowing what was going on, had established panic there.
Terrifying news had been spreading for days. "An army with powerful unknown weapons accompanied by wolves and trained bears would soon attack the castle."
Ben Alígula, faced with such frightening news and shaken by the Old Woman's prophecies, most of which he had already seen come true, took the necessary steps to order the flight to Coimbra, if the news he had received was confirmed.
He sent his spies to the vicinity of Cale to gather detailed information about everything that was happening. When these spies saw wolves and bears camped in front of the army, they were astonished.
"It is a strange army that gathers many wolves and bears, led by numerous soldiers. The last preparations are being made to advance on the castle and surround it. They come prepared for a long siege, for they are carrying a flock that will provide them with food for more than a year.
If they can break through any of our doors and introduce the carnivores they bring here, we'll all be too few to starve them.
Against such an army the bravery of our soldiers will be of no avail."
Ben Alígula, on hearing this, felt defeated. The words of the Old Woman came to his mind: "The gates of your fortress will not be forced by your enemies, but will be opened wide by your soldiers.
Inside the castle there are traitors who for very little have pledged to sell you out."
Then, by discharge of conscience, he assembled a council of war in which Jineff had a predominant opinion, it being resolved not to accept the battle and to order an immediate retreat to Coimbra.
11. The escape of Ben Alígula
At dusk on a hot August day, with all the candles lit, the attacking army set out, stretching out in a large semicircle.
The beating of irons, the beating of drums, the howling of howls, a great uproar made that spectacle fearful, sinister...
Before the breaking of the morning, without any opposition from the defenders of the castle, the siege of the fortress was closed, and in the morning, at the break of the sun, an order was given to force its gates, but by this time the Moors were already far away.
Lia had been awaiting Jineff's arrival to invest him in the duties of the castle's alcalde, but here a great heartbreak awaited her: he did not appear. It was not something she wished to be.
With the taking of the castle, Lia's revenge was consummated and in the way that her truly Christian spirit admitted: revenge without blood, without victims. Revenge without rancour, without hatred, revenge without vengeance.
After in vain, a long time he had waited for the coming of Jineff, he gave the guard of the Castle to a small garrison, and retired to his father's house, and at the hermitage thanked the Virgin for the help, the visible aid she had given him in achieving so great a victory over the Moors.
This victory was attributed to Santa Maria. Is this why these lands were given the name of Lands of Santa Maria?
Something of Lia has also remained with us through the centuries to perpetuate her name.
The water that supplies the town of Vila da Feira and has its source in the place where she spent some time preparing for the expulsion of the Moors has taken and still keeps its name: Água da Velha.
Adaptation of the text from "O Castelo da Feira na História e na Tradição (contos e lendas)", Prof. Carlos Gomes dos Santos e Silva (June 1970, N.9, Semestral Publication of the District Council of Aveiro)
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