A Afilhada de São Pedro

Era uma vez um casal muito pobre que tinha tantos filhos que já não havia ninguém no lugar para ser padrinho do mais recente. O pai saiu pela estrada fora sem saber o que havia de fazer. Encontrou um velhinho vestido de pobre que lhe perguntou a razão do seu desânimo. O homem contou-lhe tudo. O velhinho era São Pedro disfarçado, e respondeu: "Serei eu o padrinho. Chama-lhe Pedro, e quando a criança tiver sete anos, traz-ma aqui." Deu-lhe ainda uma bolsa com dinheiro e desapareceu.

Once there was a very poor couple who had so many children that there was no one left in the area to be godfather to the latest arrival. The father set off along the road not knowing what to do. He met a little old man dressed as a pauper who asked the reason for his dismay. The man told him everything. The old man was Saint Peter in disguise, and replied: "I shall be the godfather. Call her Peter, and when the child is seven years old, bring her to me here." He also gave him a purse of money and disappeared.

A menina cresceu, e o pai, que entretanto enriquecera, custou-lhe muito cumprir a promessa. Mas prometera, e ao fim de sete anos levou-a ao lugar combinado. São Pedro esperava-os. Pegou na menina pela mão e levou-a por uma estrada onde havia uma pereira carregada de fruta, ovelhas gordas em pasto pobre e ovelhas magras em pasto farto, e ao longe um grande clarão com uma coluna de fumo negro. "Aquilo que vês ali é o purgatório," disse São Pedro, "onde vão as pessoas orgulhosas e más."

The girl grew up, and her father, who had become wealthy in the meantime, found it very hard to keep the promise. But he had promised, and after seven years he took her to the agreed place. Saint Peter was waiting for them. He took the girl by the hand and led her along a road where there was a pear tree laden with fruit, fat sheep in poor pasture and thin sheep in rich pasture, and in the distance a great blaze with a column of black smoke. "What you see there is purgatory," said Saint Peter, "where proud and wicked people go."

São Pedro explicou-lhe tudo: as ovelhas gordas eram as pessoas boas, que tinham feito o bem e iam para o céu; as magras eram os orgulhosos, no purgatório. As peras da pereira eram os anjos. "E tu," disse ele, "vais entrar ao serviço, e terás de aguentar muita coisa, porque quem sofre com paciência vai para o céu." Disse-lhe também que nunca se vestisse de mulher, e que o chamasse sempre que tivesse uma grande tribulação.

Saint Peter explained everything to her: the fat sheep were the good people, who had done good and were going to heaven; the thin ones were the proud, in purgatory. The pears on the pear tree were the angels. "And you," he said, "are going into service, and will have to endure much, because those who suffer with patience go to heaven." He also told her never to dress as a woman, and to call him whenever she was in great trouble.

A rapariga foi ao palácio do rei oferecer-se como criado. Chamou-se Pedro e foi encarregada de guardar os patos. De noite, a rainha entrou no quarto de Pedro, mas Pedro fugiu. A rainha, enraivecida, foi dizer ao rei que Pedro afirmara conseguir mergulhar no fundo do mar e encontrar um anel que ela tinha deixado cair. Pedro chorou no seu quarto e chamou: "Vinde em meu auxílio, meu padrinho!" São Pedro apareceu e disse-lhe o que fazer: no dia seguinte, pedissem-lhe para ir preparar o peixe que chegasse ao palácio. A rapariga fê-lo, abriu o peixe — e lá dentro estava o anel.

The girl went to the king's palace to offer herself as a servant. She called herself Peter and was put in charge of tending the ducks. At night the queen entered Peter's chamber, but Peter fled. The queen, enraged, went to tell the king that Peter had boasted of being able to dive to the bottom of the sea and find a ring she had dropped. Peter wept in her room and called out: "Come to my aid, my godfather!" Saint Peter appeared and told her what to do: the next day, she should ask to go and prepare the fish that arrived at the palace. The girl did so, opened a fish — and inside it was the ring.

A rainha ficou furiosa mas calou-se. Voltou ao quarto de Pedro outra noite, e Pedro fugiu de novo. A rainha foi queixar-se ao rei que Pedro dissera conseguir moer três quartos de trigo numa só noite. Pedro foi a São Pedro a chorar. O padrinho disse-lhe: "Pede as ferramentas, leva-as para o quarto, deita-te a dormir. De manhã levanta-te e procura a farinha." Pedro fê-lo. De manhã, a farinha estava moída. A rainha ficou ainda mais irritada e, na terceira noite, voltou ao quarto. Desta vez queixou-se ao rei que Pedro dissera poder desencantar a princesa que estava em Moirama.

The queen was furious but kept silent. She returned to Peter's chamber on another night, and Peter fled again. The queen went to complain to the king that Peter had boasted of being able to grind three quarters of wheat in a single night. Peter went to Saint Peter weeping. The godfather told her: "Ask for the tools, take them to your room, lie down to sleep. In the morning get up and look for the flour." Peter did so. In the morning the flour was ground. The queen was even more enraged and, on the third night, returned to the chamber. This time she complained to the king that Peter had boasted of being able to disenchant the princess who was in Moirama.

São Pedro deu a Pedro três tubos e mandou-a pedir dois cavalos e partir. Cavalos e rapariga viajaram até o sítio onde os cavalos pararam sozinhos — e aí estava a princesa à espera. No regresso, os Mouros puseram-se a persegui-las. Pedro atirou o primeiro tubo: uma grande névoa desceu sobre os perseguidores. Atirou o segundo: um matagal cerrado e quase intransponível. Atirou o terceiro: formou-se um mar que os Mouros não conseguiram atravessar. Chegaram ao palácio sãs e salvas.

Saint Peter gave Peter three tubes and told her to ask for two horses and set off. Horses and girl travelled until the spot where the horses stopped on their own — and there the princess was waiting. On the return journey, the Moors began to pursue them. Peter threw the first tube: a great fog descended upon the pursuers. She threw the second: a dense, near-impassable thicket. She threw the third: a sea formed that the Moors could not cross. They arrived at the palace safe and sound.

A rainha, ao ver a filha, ficou furiosa e foi dizer ao rei que Pedro se gabara de conseguir dar a fala à princesa, que era muda. O rei chamou Pedro e ela respondeu, como sempre: "Se a rainha diz, é porque posso." Mas foi para o quarto chorar e chamar o padrinho. São Pedro disse-lhe o que fazer: ir dizer ao rei que a matassem se quisessem, mas que não era capaz de fazer isso. A rainha ficou contente. Decidiram enforcar Pedro. Mas Pedro pediu licença para dizer três coisas ao mundo antes de morrer.

The queen, upon seeing her daughter, was furious and went to tell the king that Peter had boasted of being able to give speech to the princess, who was mute. The king summoned Peter and she replied, as always: "If the queen says so, it must be because I can." But she went to her room to weep and call her godfather. Saint Peter told her what to do: go and tell the king to put her to death if they wished, but that she was not capable of doing that. The queen was pleased. They decided to hang Peter. But Peter asked permission to say three things to the world before dying.

Com a corda ao pescoço, Pedro voltou-se para a princesa e perguntou: "Ó Ana Deladana, porque exclamaste ah! ao sairmos de Moirama?" A princesa respondeu: "Porque a tua mãe foi procurar-te ao teu quarto." Pedro perguntou de novo: "Ó Ana Deladana, porque exclamaste ah! a meio do caminho?" "Porque São Pedro é teu padrinho." Por fim: "Ó Ana Deladana, porque exclamaste ah! ao chegarmos ao palácio?" "Porque és mulher e todos te julgaram homem!" O rei percebeu tudo, mandou tirar Pedro da forca, casou com ela e mandou executar a rainha.

With the rope around her neck, Peter turned to the princess and asked: "Oh Ana Deladana, why did you exclaim ah! as we left Moirama?" The princess replied: "Because your mother went to look for you in your chamber." Peter asked again: "Oh Ana Deladana, why did you exclaim ah! at the halfway point?" "Because Saint Peter is your godfather." Finally: "Oh Ana Deladana, why did you exclaim ah! on arriving at the palace?" "Because you are a woman and everyone took you for a man!" The king understood everything, had Peter taken down from the gallows, married her and had the queen put to death.