White Flower

Adapted from the Mexican Folktale "Blanca Flor"

White Flower Title Page

Picture of the queen

Long ago there lived a queen who was as beautiful as she was vain.  The queen had a little daughter named Blanca Flor who was also very beautiful, and grew more so every day. 

The queen, to satisfy her vanity, had a magic mirror which she consulted daily, asking it always, “Who is the most beautiful woman in the world?”

And the mirror would answer.  “You, and you alone”


Mirror that the queens asks her question

As the years went by, Blanca Flor’s beauty increased daily.  One day, the queen asked her mirror the usual question, but it answered, “Blanca Flor.”

The queen, amazed at the mirror’s answer, asked again, “Mirror, who is the most beautiful woman in the world?”

And the mirror answered again, “Your daughter, Blanca Flor.”

The queen, who was cruel and spiteful, was angry, and decided to have Blanca Flor killed.

 


Servant with a bowl of fruit

She called a trusted servant who had oftentimes carried out her evil orders, and she said to him, “Juan, Blanca Flor must be killed.”

“But your Majesty …,” said the servant in surprise.

“Not a word more!”  Exclaimed the queen.  “Tomorrow, early, I want you to take Blanca Flor into the forest and there kill her.  I also want proof of our obedience.”

The next day Juan invited Blanca Flor to cut flower in the forest.  While they walked, Juan was filled with pity for the maiden and, unable to bear the thought of what he had to do to her, he told Blanca Flor all.


Picture of Princess Blanca Flor

“My princess, your mother has ordered me to kill you.  Since you have always been good and kind to me, I can’t harm you.  Nevertheless, if I return to the palace without proof of your death, the queen will order my execution.  However, I have thought of a way in which we may fool the queen.  Give me some of your garment; I will kill a rabbi and with its blood stain them.  Then I will take them to the queen.”

Then he had done all this, Juan told Blanca Flor, “Now, go with God.”

 Blanca Flor thanked Juan; then she walked deeper into the forest.  As the day came to an end, she began to hear the night creatures stirring.  With each step she took, the fear of these beasts increased.  Suddenly, she saw a light.  Blanca Flor ran towards it and soon came to a grass-thatched hut.  The princess knocked on the door but nobody answered.  She knocked again; nobody answered.  Fear made her open the door and go into the hut, and there in the middle of the room was a table set with food and drink.  Blanca Flor was so hungry that, sitting down at the table, she first ate; then gave thanks to God.  The food made her drowsy, so she stretched out near the stove and went to sleep.


Hut that Blanca Flor went to

The hut which Blanca Flor had found belonged to a band of robbers.  At dawn the highwaymen arrived, and imagine their surprise on finding a young and beautiful girls asleep near the stove in their house.

 The noise the bandits made awoke Blanca Flor.

“Don’t be afraid, girl,” said the robber-chief.  “We won’t harm you.”

The chief meant this.  The highwaymen were kind-hearted and stole only from the rich to give to the poor.