THE MYSTERY OF THE YOUNG PRINCE
Alfonso was only a boy. But some day he would be king, for he was next
in line to his brother, King Henry. After him came his sister, Isabella,
a beautiful little girl, earnest and thoughtful.
Alfonso felt himself to be Isabella's knight and protector. He had
learned to ride and to use his sword like a true Spanish cavalier.
One day at twilight Isabella sat at the window, embroidering a Moorish
design upon a bit of gold cloth. Alfonso, his studies over for the day,
was reading to her.
Better than anything else, the Prince loved to read--which may have been
the reason for what happened later--at least, for what is supposed to
have happened. For nobody rightly knows the truth of the bitter story.
As the two children sat together, enjoying the happiest moment of their
day, one of the King's spies secretly watched and listened.
He heard the Princess Isabella say, "Enough of that for now, Alfonso.
Come. Read my favorite book."
Alfonso put down the book which he had been reading, and the spy noted
well its title, "The Odyssey ([)o]d´[)i]-s[)i])." He also had noted
something else. Always before the Prince turned a page, he first
moistened his finger with his tongue.
Squinting his eyes, the spy smiled wickedly to himself and stole away.
Several nights later, this same spy crept into the Prince's chamber
and, feeling cautiously about, he at last found what he sought. It was a
book, "The Odyssey."
Working with agile fingers, he opened the book, and upon each page he
smeared a deadly poison. Then he returned the book to its place and left
the room as quietly as he had entered.
Now trouble and discontent filled the country. Some of the people were
not pleased with King Henry, and they wanted to place young Alfonso upon
the throne.
The Prince and his sister began to live through turbulent times, and
their peaceful hours together were over. Alfonso was thrown into prison,
then suddenly freed again, to become an important figure in the kingdom.
He was told that soon he would be crowned king, for the rebels were
going to overthrow his brother Henry. Whispered plans, secret schemes
stirred in the air like poisonous insects. And the poisoned book lay
where the spy had left it. The Prince found little time for reading.
[Illustration: AVILA]
But today he had managed to meet his sister, and the two were very happy
to be together again for an hour of quiet reading.
Alfonso picked up the book, "The Odyssey," but Isabella said, "No,
not that one, Alfonso. Today let us hear this most interesting novel. It
tells why the wind blows, why we smell and taste and hear, all in the
form of a story."
She smiled and handed him the other book. Good-naturedly Alfonso put
down "The Odyssey." Had he but known it, he put from him death!
Soon afterwards, the prince was again torn from his sister, this time to
live through one of the most dramatic events in his stormy young life.
One day a splendid procession made its way into the town of Avila. Among
the cavaliers rode Prince Alfonso. His horse richly decked, he sat
stiffly upon the saddle, clothed in armor. His boyish face was grave and
stern.
As he passed, the people cried out, "Long live King Alfonso!"
A throne had been erected out upon the plains. On this throne sat what
appeared to be a king. He held a scepter, and the crown upon his head
gleamed brightly in the sun.
But as the cavalcade drew closer, it was seen that the figure had fallen
over on its side like a sawdust doll. And indeed, that is just what it
was--a scarecrow, made to represent King Henry.
The Prince and his followers stood upon the platform. A colorful crowd
had gathered about them--monks in brown, monks in white and black, lords
in bright-hued mantles, Moors with turbans on their heads, peasants,
beggars, young and old.
Bugles rang out, and drums rolled. The little Prince stood, proudly
royal, in his armor. His blond hair showed under the visor which had
been pushed back from his head.
Then the Archbishop snatched the crown from the head of the scarecrow
king and roared, "Thus lose the royal dignity which you have guarded
ill."
And one of the cavaliers roughly kicked the figure off its throne. There
were cries and shouts and some gasps of horror. Alfonso was seated upon
the throne and crowned King of Avila.
Petty wars, robberies, and murders followed. Part of the country was in
favor of King Henry, while the rebels supported Alfonso. A terrible
battle took place in Toledo. Houses were burned and people massacred.
A few days later, Alfonso arrived in the town.
Those who had burned and massacred bowed down to the young king, saying,
"We will fight for your cause if you will approve this massacre."
[Illustration: PARK IN MADRID, STATUE OF KING ALFONSO]
Alfonso replied, "God forbid that I should approve such horrors!"
The next thing he knew, Alfonso's country was plunged into war. The
rebels were to meet the King's men in conflict.
The night before the battle Alfonso, rest-less and unhappy, paced his
chamber. Why must men fight? Why must they kill one another? The Prince
loved power; but better than power, he loved peace.
Wherever he went, he always took along some of his books. Now upon the
table lay several, and among them was "The Odyssey." Alfonso laid his
hand upon his favorite work and was about to take it up when he let it
fall again.
No, he could not read tonight. His heart was too heavy. He missed his
sister and, too, he kept thinking of their future--a stormy prospect.
For Isabella no doubt would be forced to marry some distasteful noble.
And he? With enemies upon all sides, if he were not killed in war, he
might well be murdered in his sleep.
Next day in full armor, his sword drawn, the boy King of Avila went out
to meet his foe. Fighting bravely, by his soldiers, it is said that he
was last to leave the battle.
[Illustration: BURGOS CATHEDRAL]
There came a time when Alfonso set forth upon a journey, accompanied by
a group of nobles. Among his traveling companions were several of the
King's followers, one of them that same spy who had smeared poison upon
the leaves of Alfonso's book.
As evening overtook the party of travelers, they drew rein in the town
of Cardenosa, and planned to stop there for the night.
As usual, Alfonso had brought along his books. But too often had his
enemies been disappointed, so now they planned a trick. It was a trick
which would force the Prince into their cruel trap.
They removed all but one of Alfonso's books from his chamber. The one
left was placed in plain view upon the table. It was "The Odyssey."
Wondering what had become of the others, but too weary to find out, the
Prince settled himself to read before retiring for the night. As he
opened the book he smiled, remembering Isabella and how she had always
urged him to read something else.
Well, tonight he might do as he pleased, for he was quite alone. Tonight
he might read "The Odyssey," which he had not opened for so long.
Page after page he turned with a finger moistened by his tongue. And an
hour passed.
Late during the night, a messenger rode madly into the town of Segovia
where the Princess Isabella was living.
"The King of Avila is dying!" the messenger gasped. "He calls for his
sister, the Princess Isabella!"
Isabella rode furiously through the night and when she reached
Cardenosa, she was met by the Archbishop of Toledo. He held out his hand
to her, and in his face there was pity and grief. Before he even told
her, Isabella knew that her beloved brother was dead.
[Illustration: MIRAFLORES MONASTERY, BURGOS]
Some claimed that enemies had given him poisoned fish. Others believed
that he had died of a fever. Still others told the story which you have
just heard. But whether or not it is true will remain a mystery forever.
There is a wonderful cathedral in Burgos, whose Gothic spires point
upward like lace fingers. They point to a hill above the city, upon
which rests the Miraflores Chapel.
Inside this chapel is a beautiful statue of a boy. He wears a royal
mantle and kneels before a praying desk. The boy is Alfonso.
When Henry died, it was the earnest little Isabella who became queen.
Today in the Cathedral of Granada--that white and gold and silver
cathedral--are the tombs of Queen Isabella and her husband, King
Ferdinand.
They are carved of marble, and Isabella's pillow sinks down deeper than
Ferdinand's with the weight of her head. They say that this is because
her head held more brains than his.
We know she was a wise, good queen and we love her because she helped
Christopher Columbus and listened to his dreams.
[Illustration: TOMBS OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA, GRANADA CATHEDRAL]
But just suppose Alfonso had not died. Suppose, instead, that he had
lived and ruled. Do you believe Alfonso would have listened to Columbus'
dreams and understood as did his sister Isabella? And, had he not, where
should we be today?