Valentine Greetings from Portugal

So, for Valentine's Day tomorrow ...


The Almond Tree Legend

Many, many centuries before Portugal existed and when Al-Gharb belonged to the Arabs , the famous young king and prince Ibn-Almundim that had never known defeat, ruled in Chelb, future Silves. One day he married the beautiful Gilda, a blonde, blue eyes and proud bearings, a Nordic princess.

For many years the happiness reigned among them. One day, however, the prince noted that his princess saddened by the day, sometimes to the point of not raising her head. Not knowing what to do, the prince decided to convene its board of state. Famous doctors, magicians and other wise men were consulted but, none managed to find the cause of so much grief. The prince called actors, minstrels and dancers to distract the princess, but during the shows the same sadness descended on her.

The prince, fearing that their unhappiness was just a sign that she no longer loved him, until one day, full of courage he asked:

My dearest does thou not love me anymore?

I love you as much as the day I married you. I am the queen of your people, I am your friends’ fiend and admire them, but I miss the snow immensely. In my country the snow falls every year.

Here, the sun makes the green fields or golden, but never saw them white. I miss the endless snow in my country. Winter is approaching and I know the snow will not come.

She still loved him ... The doubts turned into happiness. After much meditation, he found a solution. He sent his servants to plant thousands of almond trees around the palace.

Spring has sprung. The flowers of almond, little by little, began to blossom. Soon the fields were covered in white flowers.

One day the princess felt very sad, the prince went into her room and kissing her, holding her in his arms, murmured:

Darling, come and see the sun that has just been born. Not to disgust him, she rose and walked to the window. Everything was covered, not with a blanket of snow but with one of tiny white flowers.

On the face of Princess rolled tears. Her beloved had transformed the brown earth ground into white fields.

According to the legend, it is for this reason that in the Algarve, even today, there are so many almond trees.


Happy Valentine's Day one and all ... xx

 

Thats lovely Victoria.

Happy Valentines to you too.

 

That's lovely Victoria

 

Happy Valentines To you Victoria ,love the story ..

Dave

 

What a lovely story, it brought a lump to my throat!!!

Val

 

Happy Valentines Day, Victoria.
I hope the Almonds - and all they signify - bloom for you.

 

Thank you Victoria...what a wonderful tale!

Steve...