Beyond spread out the
vega, covered with gardens and orchards and fields of grain and
enamelled meadows, inferior only to the famous vega of Granada. To the
right the Rock of the Lovers stretched like a cragged promontory
into the plain, whence the daughter of the Moorish alcayde and her
lover, when closely pursued, threw themselves in despair.
The matin peal from church and convent below me rang sweetly in
the morning air, as I descended. The market-place was beginning to
throng with the populace, who traffic in the abundant produce of the
vega; for this is the mart of an agricultural region. In the
market-place were abundance of freshly plucked roses for sale; for not
a dame or damsel of Andalusia thinks her gala dress complete without a
rose shining like a gem among her raven tresses.
On returning to the inn I found our man Sancho, in high gossip
with the landlord and two or three of his hangers-on. He had just been
telling some marvellous story about Seville, which mine host seemed
piqued to match with one equally marvellous about Antiquera. There was
once a fountain, he said, in one of the public squares called IL
fuente del toro, the fountain of the bull, because the water gushed
from the mouth of a bull's head, carved of stone. Underneath the
head was inscribed:
EN FRENTE DEL TORO
SE HALLEN TESORO.
(In front of the bull there is treasure.
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