Once upon a time, a small village in Catalonia, called Montblanc in Tarragona, was terrified by an enormous and furious dragon that lived in a nearby cave.
The Dragon’s Endless Hunger
The dragon, who was always hungry, used to visit the town in search of food. The villagers started by feeding him chickens but they were too small to satisfy the big beast. They then offered the dragon some goats, sheep and even cows, but that wasn’t enough either.
After failing to fulfill the dragon’s appetite, the villagers were scared stiff because they knew that something horrible was about to happen. The dragon came down from his cave and announced his decision; ‘You must feed me one person a day, unless you want endless chaos and destruction over the town’!!!
The Death Poll
Every day, a poll was carried out to choose who would be the dragon’s next meal. Anyone could be chosen, including the Royal family. As any other day, the poll began but this time the Princess’s name came up and everyone was in shock.
The Princess accepted her destiny and made her way up to the cave where the dragon was anxiously waiting. In the meantime, the Royal family was devastated and couldn’t stop sobbing because of the Princess’s departure. Suddenly, a knight showed up and promised the King that he’d save his precious daughter.
Saint George: The Knight
The knight, who called himself George, showed up and killed the dragon with his sword just a few minutes before he ate the Princess. The dragon’s red blood bled and a rose tree sprouted.
Saint George Day
Saint George day is celebrated on the 23rd of April by giving roses to women and books to men. It’s the Catalan’s Saint Valentines Day where love, family and friends come together to celebrate Catalonia’s culture. If you’re in Barcelona, you’ll probably see many stalls that sell roses and books. There’s also a lot of activities and competitions going on, so don’t miss out on this amazing Catalan tradition.
