2. Father’s Lunch
Here in Cuba, some years ago, a man used to work in the fields, cleaning the cork on the
trees close to town.
One day, his son went to take him his lunch.
On the way, the boy ate the meat and left only the stock. His father, already starving,
took the lid off and saw that there was only stock left. His son tried to explain, lying:
- I fell over on the way and only the stock remained – the greedy boy said, excusing
himself.
But his father was very angry and said
-There was only the stock left? I doubt it, you greedy boy!
3. The train of Cuba
The old people say that when the train stopped in Cuba for the first time, on the opening
day of the train station, there was a crowd to see it. The train mechanic took advantage
of the break to release the pressure of the steam train.
Looking at the steam the Mayor shouted:
-Bring a blanket to cover this sweaty machine!
And they covered it, giving the phrase: Throw it a blanket because it is sweaty! to
history.
For this reason, in Cuba you must never ask about a blanket because it could be taken in
offense.
4. The train of Cuba
The old people say that when the train stopped in Cuba for the first time, on the opening
day of the train station, there was a crowd to see it.
The train mechanic took advantage
of the break to release the pressure of the steam train.
Looking at the steam the Mayor shouted:
-Bring a blanket to cover this sweaty machine!
And they covered it, giving the phrase: Throw it a blanket because it is sweaty!to
history.
For this reason, in Cuba you must never ask about a blanket because it could be taken in
offense.
5.
The Avejões
Many years ago, the old people say, there wasn’t much light in the streets and you used
to hear them say:
-There’s an avejão nearby!
An avejão was a type of ghost, dressed in white, tied up in chains and it made a spooky
noise.
The men, women and children were terrified and so they stayed at home, warm and
comfortable.
But, in the end, the avejões were boys who were going to hang out with girls to court
them and they dressed like that to fool everyone.
Sometimes you heard people in Cuba say:
-Look, another little avejão has just been born.
6.
The Moorish Lady of Cuba’s Hill
A long time ago, a Moorish couple lived in a hill near Cuba. The man, Achmed, was
very handsome. The woman, Hanna, was also beautiful and slim. They lived happily in
their home, surrounded by beautiful orchards. One day the Península started to be
invaded by a barbaric people. They were very destructive wherever they went they only
left unhappiness. Achmed had heard of these barbaric people, but he thought it didn’t
matter and he didn’t want to worry Hanna.
One morning, he was woken up by a strange noise. He got up and, through a crack in
the door, he saw a man with very white skin.
He remembered what he had heard about and went to wake up Hanna, hiding her in a
cave, with the entrance blocked off by a stone. Hanna, safely hidden, peeped through
and saw her lover suffer fatal wounds.
And so, she cried tears of blood which started to come through a crack in the
caveToday, there is a freshwater fountain that spills into a little red lake. People say that
the water is made of iron, but we know that the truth is that they are Hanna’s tears of
blood, who still wanders there, crying over her lost lover.
