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Princess Crystal, or the Hidden Treasure.

PRINCESS CRYSTAL OR THE HIDDEN TREASURE.

A Story by Isabel Bellerby.

THERE were the four Kings: the King of the North, the region of perpetual snow; the King of the South, where the sun shines all the year round; the King of the East, from whence the cold winds blow; and the King of the West, where the gentle zephyrs breathe upon the flowers, and coax them to open their petals while the rest of the world is still sleeping.

And there was the great Dragon, who lived on top of a high mountain in the centre of the universe. He could see everything that happened everywhere by means of his magic spectacles, which enabled him to look all ways at once, and to see through solid substances; but he could only see, not hear, for he was as deaf as a post.

Now the King of the North had a beautiful daughter called Crystal. Her eyes were bright like the stars; her hair was black like the sky at night; and her skin was as white as the snow which covered the ground outside the palace where she lived, which was built entirely of crystals clear as the clearest glass.

And the King of the South had a son who had been named Sunshine on account of his brightness and warmth of heart.

The King of the East had a son who, because he was always up early and was very industrious, had been given the name of Sunrise.

The King of the West also had a son, perhaps the handsomest of the three, and always magnificently dressed; but as it took him all day to make his toilette, so that he was never seen before evening, he received the name of Sunset.

All three Princes were in love with the Princess Crystal, each hoping to win her for his bride. When they had the chance they would go and peep at her as she wandered up and down in her glass palace. But she liked Prince Sunshine best, because he stayed longer than the others, and was always such excellent company. Prince Sunrise was too busy to be able to spare her more than half an hour or so; and Prince Sunset never came until she was getting too tired and sleepy to care to see him.

It was of no use, however, for her to hope that Sunshine would be her husband just because she happened to prefer him to the others. Her father--the stern, blusterous old King, with a beard made of icicles so long that it reached to his waist and kept his heart cold--declared that he had no patience for such nonsense as likes and dislikes; and one day he announced, far and wide, in a voice that was heard by the other three Kings, and which made the earth shake so that the great green Dragon immediately looked through his spectacles to see what was happening:

"He who would win my daughter must first bring me the casket containing the Hidden Treasure, which is concealed no man knows where!"

Of course the Dragon was none the wiser for looking through his spectacles, because the words--loud though they were--could not be heard by his deaf ears.

But the other Kings listened diligently; as did the young Princes. And poor Princess Crystal trembled in her beautiful palace lest Sunrise, who was always up so early, should find the treasure before Sunshine had a chance: she was not much afraid of the indolent Sunset, except that it might occur to him to look in some spot forgotten by his rivals.

Very early indeed on the following morning did Prince Sunrise set to work; he glided along the surface of the earth, keeping close to the ground in his anxiety not to miss a single square inch. He knew he was not first in the field; for the Northern King's proclamation had been made towards evening on the previous day, and Prince Sunset had bestirred himself for once, and had lingered about rather later than usual, being desirous of finding the treasure and winning the charming Princess.

But the early morning was passing, and very soon the cheery, indefatigable Sunshine had possession of the entire land, and flooded Crystal's palace with a look from his loving eyes which bade her not despair.

Then he talked to the trees and the green fields and the flowers, begging them to give up the secret in return for the warmth and gladness he shed so freely on them. But they were silent, except that the trees sighed their sorrow at not being able to help him, and the long grasses rustled a whispered regret, and the flowers bowed their heads in grief.

Not discouraged, however, Prince Sunshine went to the brooks and rivers, and asked their assistance. But they, too, were helpless. The brooks gurgled out great tears of woe, which rushed down to the rivers, and so overcame them--sorry as they were on account of their own inability to help--that they nearly overflowed their banks, and went tumbling into the sea, who, of course, wanted to know what was the matter; but, when told, all the sea could do was to thunder a loud and continuous "No!" on all its beaches. So Prince Sunshine had to pass on and seek help elsewhere.

He tried to make the great Dragon understand; but it could not hear him. Other animals could, though, and he went from one to another, as cheerful as ever, in spite of all the "Noes" he had met with; until, at last, he knew by the twittering of the birds that he was going to be successful.

"We go everywhere and learn most things," said the swallows, flying up and down in the air, full of excitement and joy at being able to reward their beloved Sunshine for all his kindness to them. "And we know this much, at any rate: the Hidden Treasure can only be found by him who looks at its hiding-place through the Dragon's magic spectacles."

Prince Sunshine exclaimed that he would go at once and borrow these wonderful spectacles; but a solemn-looking old owl spoke up:

"Be not in such a hurry, most noble Prince! The Dragon will slay any one--even so exalted a personage as yourself--who attempts to remove those spectacles while he is awake; and, as is well known, he never allows himself to sleep, for fear of losing some important sight."

"Then what is to be done?" asked the Prince, beginning to grow impatient at last, for the afternoon was now well advanced, and Prince Sunset would soon be on the war-path again.

A majestic eagle came swooping down from the clouds.

"There is only one thing in all the world," said he, "which can send the Dragon to sleep, and that is a caress from the hand of the Princess Crystal."

Sunshine waited to hear no more. Smiling his thanks, he hastened away to put his dear Crystal's love to the test. She had never yet ventured outside the covered gardens of her palace. Would she go with him now, and approach the great Dragon, and soothe its savage watchfulness into the necessary repose?

As he made the request, there stole into the Princess's cheeks the first faint tinge of colour that had ever been seen there.

"My robe is of snow," she faltered; "if I go outside these crystal walls into your radiant presence it will surely melt."

"You look as if you yourself would melt at my first caress, you beautiful, living snowflake," replied the Prince; "but have no fear: see, I have my own mantle ready to enfold you. Come, Princess, and trust yourself to me."

Then, for the first time in her life, Princess Crystal stole out of her palace, and was immediately wrapped in Prince Sunshine's warm mantle, which caused her to glow all over; her face grew quite rosy, and she looked more than usually lovely, so that the Prince longed to kiss her; but she was not won yet, and she might have been offended at his taking such a liberty.

Therefore, he had to be content to have her beside him in his golden chariot with the fiery horses, which flew through space so quickly that they soon stood on the high mountain, where the Dragon sat watching them through his spectacles, wondering what the Princess was doing so far from home, and what her father would think if he discovered her absence.

It was no use explaining matters to the Dragon, even had they wished to do so; but of course nothing was further from their intention.

Holding Prince Sunshine's hand to give her courage, the Princess approached the huge beast and timidly laid her fingers on his head.

"This is very nice and soothing," thought the Dragon, licking his lips; "very kind of her to come, I'm sure; but--dear me!--this won't do! I'm actually--going--to--sleep!"

He tried to rise, but the gentle hand prevented that. A sensation of drowsiness stole through all his veins, which would have been delightful but for his determination never to sleep. As it was, he opened his mouth to give a hiss that would surely have frightened the poor Princess out of her wits; but he fell asleep before he could so much as begin it; his mouth remained wide open; but his eyes closed, and his great head began to nod in a very funny manner.

Directly they were satisfied that he really slept, Prince Sunshine helped himself to the Dragon's spectacles, requesting the Princess not to remove her hand, lest the slumber should not last long enough for their purpose.

Then he put on the specte teniendo en Puerto Rico el elemento cauc?sico, y atentos ? los datos que la observaci?n nos suministra, puede asegurarse que la raza negra, no engrosada por la inmigraci?n, est? llamada ? desaparecer de la Isla por fusi?n dentro de la raza superior que la absorbe, modific?ndose ? su vez. En este cruzamiento que presenciamos, el aniquilamiento de la raza negra no se produce ya porque las enfermedades ? el mal trato la hagan menguar, sino porque la raza blanca renueva constantemente sus representantes, mientras que la abolici?n de la trata cort? la corriente inmigratoria del negro, corriente que siempre fu? much?simo m?nos activa que la determinada por el mejor mercado de la Isla de Cuba, adem?s de que la tendencia natural que inclina al hombre ? mejorar las circunstancias de or?gen, obra en el mismo negro y principalmente en la mujer de color, facilitando la fusi?n.

GRUPO RURAL.

Del apuntamiento etnol?gico hecho anteriormente podemos deducir que entre los campesinos puertorrique?os los hay pertenecientes ? la raza blanca, ? la negra, y ? la mezcla de las dos, por lo que habr?a necesidad de estudiar cada uno de estos grupos por separado; pero como el g?nero de vida es igual para los indiv?duos de las tres agrupaciones, ya pertenezcan ? una ? ? otra raza, y como el predominio de la blanca es todav?a notable en el interior, s?lo en conjunto estudiaremos las condiciones f?sicas, intelectuales y morales de los tres grupos ?tnicos referidos, pues algunas cualidades de estas les son comunes, sin perjuicio de se?alar las caracter?sticas de raza y alg?n detalle que los distinga cuando as? lo creamos necesario. Desde luego podemos decir, hablando en general, que el campesino blanco puertorrique?o de nuestros dias se parece bastante al criollo que describ?a Fray ??igo Abad en su Historia de Puerto Rico, anotada por nuestro respetable amigo el consp?cuo escritor Don Jos? Juli?n Acosta. Decia Fray ??igo: "los criollos son bien hechos y proporcionados, su constituci?n es delicada y en todos sus miembros tienen una organizaci?n muy fina y suelta, propia de un clima c?lido; carecen de viveza regular en las acciones, y tienen color y aspecto de convalescientes; son pausados, taciturnos. Las mujeres son de buena disposici?n, pero el aire salitroso del mar les consume los dientes y priva de aquel color vivo y agradable que resalta en las damas de otros pa?ses... Los mulatos son de color oscuro y bien formados, m?s fuertes y acostumbrados al trabajo que los blancos criollos."

Muchas de estas cualidades caracterizan hoy todav?a al criollo, pero pueden aplicarse de un modo m?s especial y concreto al campesino, pues por lo que respecta al habitante de las poblaciones, ya sean estas del interior y mejor si son de la costa, ha ganado en condiciones f?sicas desde que los progresos de la civilizaci?n le han dado medios de vivir mejores que en aquellos tiempos ? que se refiere el discreto historiador citado. No queremos decir que hoy el criollo puertorrique?o viva dentro de las m?s exquisitas y apropiadas condiciones para su mejoramiento, sino que algo ha ganado, mucho tal vez, como era l?gico esperar, desde aquella ?poca hasta nuestros dias. Que necesita aun mejorar, es evidente; y ? ello llegar?, as? lo esperamos, si el cultivo intelectual aumenta como debe; pero dejemos este asunto que nos apartar?a por el momento del motivo principal de estas l?neas.

El j?baro del primer grupo, n?mada por lo que respecta al lugar donde trabaja, no puede atender tan cumplidamente ? su subsistencia, por razones que no son del caso examinar ahora; es un jornalero expuesto ? todas las fluctuaciones del trabajo y con mayores necesidades y vicios.

El del segundo grupo, peque?o propietario, puede alimentarse, vestir y aposentarse mejor, por lo cual podemos distinguir mayor fortaleza de organizaci?n, m?s saludable aspecto en los ?ltimos que en los primeros y un car?cter moral m?s elevado.

Todo el mundo ha oido hablar de ciertos j?baros que, aun viejos, montan ? caballo, trabajan y cumplen todas sus obligaciones, siendo modelos de honradez; que viven internados, distantes de las poblaciones; j?baros de color blanco por lo com?n, de aspecto sano, y cuya familia huir? de seguro al ver aproximarse una persona extra?a y no aparecer? en la sala del boh?o, dejando que el padre, ? la madre si aqu?l no est?, reciba al visitante; si ?ste se detiene, ver?, as? que la desconfiada rusticidad de la familia cesa, c?mo poco ? poco ir?n apareciendo caras nuevas, muchas de ellas j?venes bonitas, que le sorprender? encontrar entre las selvas, no bien vestidas, acaso sin calzado, pero frescas y sanas, gracias ? una alimentaci?n medianamente regularizada, tal vez al ozono en que abunda la atm?sfera sana que rodea ? la casa, y ? la dulzura de un clima distinto del de la costa, seg?n tendremos ocasi?n de ver en las notas sobre climatolog?a de Puerto Rico, que necesitaremos exponer en este trabajo. Desgraciadamente no es lo general encontrar en los campos puertorrique?os familias de esta clase en mayor?a, pero las hay; mas no adelantemos las ideas.

El j?baro de Puerto Rico es esbelto; si se le v? encogido no es por falta de gallard?a en sus miembros, sino ? causa de su natural reserva, que se revela hasta en este detalle. Es enjuto y le son aplicables todas las cualidades de un temperamento nervioso-linf?tico: aunque su viveza f?sica no es notoria, su organizaci?n ligera le permite desarrollar cuando quiere toda la agilidad de que es capaz un habitante de los pa?ses insolados abundantemente: por lo dem?s, el campesino de todas partes, bien se sabe que es inferior en viveza al hombre culto. El vigor del campesino borinque?o ofrece particularidades dignas de notarse: si como cree Spencer "el grado de vigor depende esencialmente de la ?ndole de la alimentaci?n"--veremos cuando tratemos de las causas de esta carencia de vigor, que si ? esa ley principalmente est? sujeta la limitada vigorosidad de nuestro campesino, en resistencia para el trabajo no hay quien le supere.--"El j?baro--ya lo dijimos en otra ocasi?n--trabaja tanto proporcionalmente ? su alimentaci?n como el mejor jornalero y m?s bien alimentado de otras partes."

Es preciso no juzgar por las apariencias; es preciso no contentarse con decir que el campesino es indolente y que le gusta la hamaca m?s que el trabajo; otros podr?an decir que trabaja m?s de lo que pod?a esperarse, que su indolencia, entre otras muchas razones, tiene fundamento en que por desgracia el trabajo "no encuentra suficiente est?mulo en este pa?s, donde prevalece el sistema del favoritismo" y donde--a?adimos nosotros--el peque?o propietario no resiste la enorme contribuci?n municipal que sobre ?l pesa, adem?s de las otras cargas, y donde, como ya ?ntes hemos apuntado, en t?sis general el pobre campesino est? poco ? mucho enfermo; pero as? y todo trabaja desde el amanecer hasta el anochecer ? jornal ? ? destajo , trabaja decimos, cuanto le es preciso para ganar lo indispensable con que atender ? sus escasas necesidades. Verdad es que ha limitado dichas necesidades hasta lo incomprensible, perjudicando su salud y sus energ?as; pero acaso en esta misma conducta no carezca por completo de justificaci?n.

CONDICIONES F?SICAS.

Pueblan los campos de esta Isla, seg?n hemos dicho ?ntes, hombres blancos, negros y mestizos, razas extremas que constituyen grupos bien caracterizados f?sicamente, y los productos del cruzamiento, agrupaci?n en que la uniformidad de caract?res no es tan constante, ya por el variable predominio de uno de los dos elementos originarios sobre el otro, ya ? causa de los enlaces de mestizos entre s? y con indiv?duos de las razas de donde proceden. As?, para evitar las confusiones ? que pudiera dar lugar la variedad de tipos ?tnicos que hay que considerar en esta parte de nuestro estudio, hemos decidido, al tratar de cada uno de los caract?res f?sicos, se?alar s?lamente las diferencias primordiales ? que dan lugar las razas; y ? fin de llevar un ?rden claro en la exposici?n, siguiendo ? distinguidos antrop?logos, vamos ? ocuparnos de los caract?res exteriores, anat?micos, fisiol?gicos y patol?gicos.

Creemos que hasta hoy no se ha publicado obra alguna en que se estudie al actual habitante de Puerto Rico. Si existe algo relativo ? antropolog?a puertorrique?a lo desconocemos; por tanto, como no hemos podido hacer algunas consultas que nos habr?an sido de gran utilidad, hemos tenido que limitarnos ? nuestras apreciaciones, m?s ? m?nos defectuosas, y ? deducir de generalidades y de estudios verificados en zonas parecidas ? la nuestra, analog?as con que suplir la falta de un estudio especial que no pod?amos hacer, entre otras razones, porque tan s?lo para acopiar materiales--a?n habi?ndonos limitado ? los caract?res anat?micos que ofrece nuestro campesino--necesitar?amos invertir algunos a?os.

Hecha esta aclaraci?n vamos ? abordar la materia.

CARACT?RES EXTERIORES.

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