Atondido Stories
The cavalheiro who had one vintem 's worth of ashes in his pock-
et threw the ashes at her. It became night. The little old woman
came on with her stones just the same.
The cavalheiro who had one vintem 's worth of salt in his
pocket threw the salt at her. Immediately a sea of salt water ap-
peared between the three cavalheiro s and the little old woman.
The little old woman came on with her stones just the same.
The cavalheiro who had one vintem 's worth of pins in his pocket
threw the pins at her. Immediately a high, thorny hedge sprang
out of the ground between the little old woman and the three
cavalheiros.
The little old woman was too angry to think clearly. If she
had not been so angry she would have known at once that this
must be magic wood. The little black boy, however, had his wits
about him. He hastened to gather the branches even though the
thorns tore his hands. Soon he had brought together a great pile
of wood like the piles which they make in the streets to burn on
a festa night.
The little old woman saw what he was doing and ran to get
the magic sacks in which her daughters were imprisoned. They
laid the sacks on top of the pile of magic wood and lighted the
fire. There was a great noise like thunder. Out of the three magic
sacks there sprang three beautiful maidens who had been pre-
served alive in the sacks by a miracle of Nossa Senho ra.
The little old woman and her three beautiful daughters
turned to thank the little black boy for what he had done. The
little black boy was no longer black. He had been turned white.
The three cavalheiro s married the three beautiful maidens and
the little boy who was now white, grew up to be the greatest
cavalheiro of them all.
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