✒️ Legends of the island of La Gomera: love, war, and the mystery of the Garajonay park

Hello!
I live on this small volcanic island for a couple of years, and I had enough time to explore this ecosystem packed with basalt and salty water, as well as to hear a variety of legends, which are almost unknown.

Let me tell you one.
It is, of course, will be with intrigue and about love.

Forest, which is smeared across the top of the island, called Garajonay.
This name is composed of the names of the two lovers - Gara and Jonay, Romeo and Juliet of Gomera indigenous tribe - the Guanches.
Gara was a young princess of Agulo.
As true southerners who know a lot about amusements, its residents staged annually Benesmen Festival.
One of the points of this fiesta was a ritual for unmarried girls.
By tradition, they should look at their reflection in the waters of the Chorros de Epina.
If water is found to be clean, it meant that a maiden will soon find a husband. But if it was muddy, a girl will face something unpleasant in love affairs.

And when Gara looked into the water she saw the reflection clearly.
Spellbound, she continued to look, and the sun reflecting from water temporarily blinded her.

Sage of the tribe seeing and interpreting the phenomenon said the princess to be careful and avoid the fire of feelings that can absorb her.

The same celebration of life was attended by Jonay - the son of the King of Adeje, which is on the neighboring island of Tenerife.
Of course, he was seen by Gara and caused her genuine interest.

Simple enough, after a joint feast an engagement was announced.
But no such luck - unfortunately right after the volcano Teide which can be seen from Gomera, began to erupt in indignation.
Fun was immediately over and their parents break off the engagement.

Jonay was forced to return to Tenerife, but once a quiet moonlit night he swam across the strait between the island and reunited with his beloved (As though it may sound).

Realizing that things look black, they hid in the woods.
Concerned family threw all men to search for the fugitives.

After a short time the lovers were captured on the mountain, but they wont give up in the hands of tribesmen, instead of which they jumped down together.

Such a drama, which left a silent monument in the form of a high cliff and a forest named Garajonay.

Sadness and sorrow
which, however, is impossible to indulge for a long time on this lush and lively island,
so let's leave the dead to live in the legend.

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