Legend Of The Three Rivers
- TEJO, DOURO e GUADIANA -
An old legend says that three small rivers happy and bouncy wanted to see the sea and one day decided to put himself on the way.
-We leave early in the morning - one said.
-We leave before sunrise - said the other.
-And let us see who comes first into the sea - said the latter.
The moonlight shone on the sleeping waters of three rivers.
The next day, the first to wake up yawned, stirred the water and thought:
- If I leave now, I will be the first to arrive!
The small river that ever heard them call him Tajo let himself slide down the mountain. As it was a very friendly river, towns and people greeted him, everyone said goodbye and he reported:
-I go towards the sea, everything is very beautiful, but I want to see the sea. Goodbye, goodbye!
He played with girls who were washing clothes in its clear waters, chose the most beautiful avenues of pine trees, olive trees and orchards. Whenever he found local people he would always say:
-I go to the sea! Come with me! Let´s go to the sea!
And many streams embraced that little and happy river and followed the Tajo. Increasingly strong, happy and delighted with the lands they bathed.
One day, a girl who played with the little waves of Tajo called him Tejo and he liked the new name.
-Tejo will be for those who see me.
And for the fishermen, he was to be the Tejo which gave them support each day. For farmers, it is the Tejo that waters their lands.
Quiet and fun, the Tejo to the sea arrived with open arms. There were the blue and refreshing waters, the sea that he was looking for such a long way.
Meanwhile, the other small river, who had been accustomed to have him called Ana or Uadi-Ana, wich also means Ana River, still sleepy, yet not sure what the best way to reach the sea. Now run to one side, now changed to another, but he knew that he desired to find the sea in the south.
And then followed, between the low and dried lands and later between the burned sun rocks.
He realized then that the people called by a new name. Now, for all he was the Guadiana.
One day, the Guadiana River plunged into the Atlantic Ocean as an happy child playing in the sand.
But he was not the first to find the Atlantic Ocean, as the Tejo, which came out earlier, had found it sooner.
Chilly and sleepy the third river only wake when the sun had already woke up a long time.
-I'm late! It is too late! - Thought the sleepy river.
He remembered that he had been called Durius, but now the people called him Duero. Running through the low and dry lands where he took the time to observe the cultivated fields.
But he never stopped thinking:
-I will be the last! I have to run!
Running in a hurry, he left in a rush through the rocky mountains.
On its hills covered with vineyards with green leaves in spring and golden leaves in autumn where heavy bunches of ripe grapes hide.
- I want to reach the sea, but I'll be the last, I know I'll be the last!
Therefore, the Douro, which is also Duero and has been Durius, just followed the most difficult path to reach the Atlantic Ocean.
Posted by Ana Maria Tojo
