THE LEGEND OF LILY PAD - Brazilian legend of indigenous origin

 

Many years ago, in an Indian tribe, was told that the moon (Jaci, for the Indians) was a goddess that emerging at night, kissed and filled with light the faces of the most beautiful virgin Indian of the village – the cunhantãs-girls . Whenever she hid behind the mountains, she took to herself the girls of her choice and transformed them into stars in the sky.

A beautiful young virgin of the tribe, the warrior Naia, was always dreaming of this meeting and could not wait for the great day when she would be called by Jaci. The elders of the tribe warned Naia: after meeting the seductive goddess, the girls lost their blood and flesh, becoming light – transformed into stars of heaven. But who would stop? Naia wanted to be taken by the moon. At night, walked up to the hills and chased the moon without ever finding it. Every night so she did, and the young India languished, dreaming of the meeting, without giving up. And she did not eat or drink anything.

So obsessed was she that there was no Pagé to solve the problem.

One day, having stopped to rest at the edge of a lake, she saw the image of the beloved goddess on the surface: the moon reflected in its waters. Blinded by her dream, she jumped in the deep waters of the lake and drowned. The moon, compassionate, wanted to reward the sacrifice of the beautiful indian girl, and decided to transform her into a different star, different of all those that glow in the sky. Then the moon transformed her into a "Star of the Waters", unique and perfect, which is the “Victoria Régia” plant. Thus was born a beautiful plant whose fragrant white flowers blossom only at night and at sunrise change their color to soft pink.

 

(Origem: Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre)

Cheese Rolls

 

4 cups manioc starch

4 cups grated cheese

1 cup oil

1 ½ cups water (or milk)

4 eggs

salt to taste

 

Place the manioc starch in a big bowl. In a pot, bring the milk, oil and salt to boil; pour the boiling mixture over the starch, stirring constantly in order to mix well. When the mixture is cool, add the eggs and knead well. At last, place the grated cheese and knead further more. Taste it to check if the salt is enough. Then, shape little balls, on your hands greased with oil and place them in a baking tray (not greased); bring to bake in hot oven.

 

Note: If desired, the oil can be replaced by lard or margarine.

 

THE LEGEND OF ALMOND BLOSSOMS -  Algarve - Portugal *

 

Many, many centuries ago, before Portugal existed and when the Al-Gharb belonged to the Arabs, reigned in Chelb, future Silves, the famous young king Ibn-Almundim that had never known defeat. One day, among the prisoners of war, he saw the beautiful Gilda, a blonde princess with green eyes and proud bearing. Impressed, the Moorish king gave her the freedom, gradually won her confidence and one day confessed his love and asked her to be his wife. They were happy for a while, but one day the young princess fell ill for no apparent reason. A wise old man asked to be received by the desperate king and told him that the princess suffered from nostalgia of the snow of her distant country. The solution was within reach of the Moorish king since he would just have to plant all over his kingdom many almond trees that when they flowered its white flowers would give the princess the illusion of snow and she would be cured of her longing. The following spring, the king took Gilda to the castle terrace window and the princess felt her strength returning when saw that indescribable view of white flowers that stretched before her eyes. The Moorish king and the princess lived long years of intense love anxiously waiting year after year, the spring that brought the wonderful spectacle of the almond blossoms.

 

Lendas e Tradições - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDVyv2serpU

 

* The translation is entirely of my responsibility.