The Legend of Queen Ico

Canarian Aboriginal Legend

When King Zonzamas was governing on Lanzarote, a Spanish ship with Martin Ruiz de Avedano captioning it landed. When the islanders saw the ship, they prepared to combat. After a while, Ruiz de Avedano decided to land in a peaceful way, carrying with him clothes which were given to the king as presents for friendship. Zonzamas accepted the presents and gave the Spaniard milk, cheese, cattle, leather and shells and invited him to his house in Acatife. There, he met Queen Fayna and her children, Timanfaya and Guanareme. As a guest, Avedano spent some days in Acatife. Later, he returned to his ship and went off.
Nine months later, Fayna gave birth to a white little girl with blond hair who was called Ico [aiko]. People began to gossip and detested her. Meanwhile, the child was raised by Uga, her nurse.
Zonzamas and Fayna died. The Guaries gathered at a meeting, and Timanfaya was proclaimed king. Ico became a beautiful princess and Guanareme fell in love with and married her.
Later, other Spanish ships came to Lanzarote to look for slaves. Many islanders fought and died; others became prisoners and slaves to be sold in the peninsula, among them Timanfaya.
Without a king, the Guaries gathered to choose a new one. It should be Guanareme but nobody dared to say his name because his wife, Ico, would be the queen. Her skin and blond hair reminded them of Ruiz de Avedano and if she was Zonzamas’ daughter, she could not wear the crown. After discussing for a long time, the Guaries decided that, to discover the truth, the princess should pass the smoke test. She would be closed in a cave, accompanied by three women.
At night, Uga visited her to cheer her up, but when they were alone she gave the princess a sponge, telling her to soak it in water and put it into her mouth before the test. Ico did what her nurse said and left the cave alive, but the other three women died. Her subjects did not question about her nobility again.

EXERCISES:

1. Answer the questions:

1) Where did King Zonzamas govern?
2) What presents were given to the king by Ruiz de Avedano?
3) What did the king present the Spaniard with?
4) What happened to Queen Fayna after nine months?
5) Why did the people detest Ico?
6) Who was proclaimed king after Zonzamas and Fayna died?
7) Why did the Guaries gather to choose a new king?
8) Why couldn’t Ico wear the crown?
9) What kind of a test was chosen for Ico?
10) How did she pass the test successfully?

2. Give the English equivalents:

правил на Ланзароте; островитяне увидели корабль; они подготовились к атаке; пригласил его в свой дом; Фаяна родила белую маленькую девочку; сплетничали; ненавидели её; был провозглашён королём; другие испанские корабли приплыли на Ланзароте в поисках рабов; чтобы их продали на полуострове; никто не осмелился сказать его имя; она не могла носить корону; принцесса должна пройти испытание на дым; взбодрить её; пропитать водой; вышла живой из пещеры; её подданные не сомневались о её благородном происхождении.

3. Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Simple Tense:

1) A Spanish ship (to land) on the island.
2) When the islanders (to see) the ship, they (to prepare) to combat.
3) King Zonzamas (to give) the Spaniard milk, cheese, cattle, leather and shells and (to invite) him to his house in Acatife.
4) Avedano (to spend) some days in Acatife.
5) Ico (to become) a beautiful princess and Guanareme (to fall) in love with and (to marry) her.
6) Many islanders (to fight) and (to die).
7) At night, Uga (to visit) her to cheer her up, but when they (to be) alone, she (to give) the princess a sponge telling her to soak it in water and put it into her mouth before the test.

4. Discuss the questions:

1) Why do you think the Spanish needed to have slaves and prisoners among the people of Lanzarote?
2) Was Ruiz de Avedano acting as a friend landing to the island in a peaceful way?
3) Do you think he was in love with Queen Fayna?

5. Retell the legend as if you were:

a) a person living on the island;
b) Ico’s nurse Uga.

Литература:

Jose M. Castellano Gil, Francisco J. Macias Martin. History of the Canary Islands. Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1997