The Tale of Felipe and His Magic Last Name
By Katie Sulkowski
One evening, a young man by the name of Felipe, had been wandering in a forest after a long journey by foot. He was a solitary traveler, and consequently a man of few words and many thoughts. His face was covered with dark prickly hairs, making him seem much older and more mysterious than he thought himself to be. Felipe was tired and needed a warm place to rest for the night so he could continue his journey the next day.
While deep in thought, remembering the happy days of his childhood, climbing banana trees and drinking sweet coconut milk, Felipe came upon a small cabin. Apparently, it was an old cabin because the thatched roof looked worn and patched several times. Felipe knocked on the little door. After a minute, an old white haired man opened the door. Felipe, a kind and humble gentleman introduced himself and explained to the old man how tired his legs were and if it was possible to stay in a warm house for the night before beginning his journey in the morning. He would be no trouble at all, just a blanket and a pillow was all he needed. But the old white haired man was already closing the door when he told Felipe he had no extra blankets and his house had no fire to keep him warm anyways. The old man told Felipe to try the next house,
“A little old woman lives there, I am sure she can help you.” Felipe, a little discouraged, said goodbye to the old man an sought out the next house where the old woman supposedly lived. It was quite a long walk, more than Felipe had anticipated, but his solitary travels had taught him patience, and despite his aching legs and back, he patiently walked on. Finally, he came to another house. Felipe knocked and the little old woman came to the door in her night clothes.
“I’m sorry to disturb you ma’am, my name is Felipe and I am a tired traveler; would it be possible if I had a warm meal and bed for the night? I will be on my way when the sun rises.” The old woman shook her head as she told Felipe she had only a bed of stiff boards, he would have to try the next house.
“There, a young maiden lives surely she has plenty of room and an extra blanket. I do, however, have a hen in the back that you can have to cook a good meal. Come with me.” Felipe followed the old woman to the back yard and there, lay sleeping, was a nice round hen. Felipe took the hen and held her tight under his arm. He thanked the old woman and was on his way.
And finally, Felipe and his hen, more exhausted, came upon a medium size house, quite cheerful but somehow very dark, there were no windows. Felipe walked to the door and knocked. He noticed there was no doorknob on this door. And then it opened! A beautiful young woman stepped into full view and asked what this man was knocking for, so late at night in the middle of such a forgotten forest. Felipe introduced himself and asked if he could rest in a warm house for the night. All he could offer her was a chicken dinner. The maiden assured Felipe he was welcome for the night. Felipe then entered the house, with the hen still under his arm and took it to the back yard to prepare a chicken dinner for the two of them.
After dinner, the young woman gave Felipe a blanket and pillow. She said goodnight and closed the door to her room. Felipe began to think and dream about his childhood home on the sunny beach, feeling the warm ocean wind on his face. Then suddenly, he heard a scream from behind the maiden’s door. Then it was silent and Felipe closed his eyes. Another scream! Felipe sat up and waited. After a while, more screams behind the closed door, and Felipe got up to check on the maiden. He knocked, and asked if the young woman was all right. She said she was fine and for him to return to bed. As Felipe hesitantly came away from the door, there was another scream. Felipe opened the bedroom door to fin the maiden tied to the far wall, a cloth around her mouth and cloth covering her eyes. She was hanging from her arms, her feet barely touching the floor.
Felipe rushed to untie her, and asked her how she became tied up like this. He asked her why she was screaming. The maiden only told Felipe to leave the house immediately not to ask these questions, just to forget what he saw and heard. Felipe could do no such thing. He picked up the young woman and told her he would take her away from whomever was doing this to her. She pleaded he leave her.
Felipe turned around and there standing in the doorway, was a huge hairy man. Felipe stunned, held fast to the young woman and demanded they pass through that doorway! The huge hairy man unfolded his arms and came toward Felipe and the maiden.
The huge man picked up Felipe who was still holding the woman, then struck Felipe who then went unconscious, the woman still in his arms.
Felipe woke up after some time it seemed in the forest. He rose and saw the young maiden again tied to a tree, her mouth and eyes covered. The huge hairy man grabbed Felipe from behind and took him to a cave. The hairy man spoke,
“Felipe,” he said, “The whole name, I want it.” And Felipe quite shocked he was still alive, took a deep breath, sat down and said,
“Before I tell you my last name, I must warn you, it has a danger. If I reveal to you my last name, something bad will happen to you, but I cannot tell you what before hand. It is an old curse placed upon me many decades ago by an unknown gypsy. And now, nobody knows me, those who do . . . .”
The huge hairy man said never mind to Felipe’s story, he needed to have Felipe’s last name. For the huge hairy man was also under a curse, and old curse bestowed upon him decades ago. He was told, however, there would be one man that could break the curse someday but uttering his last name. The huge hairy man knew it was Felipe who would break the curse because he was also told the man would look exactly as he, before the hair sprouted all over his body. This is why the hairy man did not kill Felipe when he was in the maiden’s house.
Still ignoring Felipe’s warning, the huge hairy man pressed Felipe to speak his last name. Felipe’s mouth curled around the syllables slowly at first, but it was a short name and it was over quick. After a moment of silence and perfect stillness in that cave, all the hair on the huge man began to shed. And he shed and he shed an he shed until he was a completely naked man, except for the hair on his head. The huge hairy man was no longer hairy nor seemed so huge, in fact, without all that hair he was the exact height as Felipe. In fact, Felipe noticed, the man looked exactly like him!
Felipe did not know what to say or do. The man took Felipe’s scarf and wrapped it around his torso, and then he thanked Felipe for breaking his curse. But Felipe still did not understand how this man looked exactly as he. Felipe spoke,
“I do not understand how a man had shed all this hair, and turns out to look exactly as myself, what is more... the danger I told you of will happened now that I uttered my name.” The man responded,
“Nothing could be so bad as to be trapped in a cage of hairy monster everyday of your life, too hideous to be seen, too frightful to be liked or wanted, too scary to be known.”
“It is more awful, I think,” said Felipe.
“Well tell me.” The man still did not believe Felipe.
“You only have three months to live. This curse also insures that nobody know my true identity, and when it is revealed, those who know me, perish after a short time. I am to be alone forever.” The man was stunned and speechless. But calmly he said,
“I would rather live 90 days a man, myself, than be that beast forever. And since I have a limited time, we must work fast to break your curse. I think I can help you.” Felipe was amazed that the man not only took the bad news so well, but he would devote his last days in helping him break the old curse.
“How can you help me?” Felipe asked. The man replied,
“Felipe sit down, I have a story for you. Many many years ago a young queen became pregnant. She was to have twin boys, the mystic fairy told her so in a dream on the 12th night of her pregnancy. She was so happy that for the whole 9 months she prepared for their coming into the world. She had a large room in the palace decorated just for boys and she had horses trained for when they were older and she had the finest silks imported that would be cut for their clothes. The king was also anticipating the joy of twin baby boys. He had lion skins cut for rugs to be placed before each crib, and gold jewels made for their future medallions.
“This particular king and queen would make good parents, but they did not make good people. They could offer their baby boys all the love and security in the world, but they did not give this to all the people in the kingdom in which they ruled. In fact, they neglected the peasants and poorer laborers all together. The queen’s sister came to visit shortly after the twins were born. They looked much like their father. She said, ‘But they have their mother’s smile.’ The queen and her sister had a pleasant visit for three afternoons straight. And then, as the queen’s sister was leaving the palace, she saw one hundred hungry, homeless people of the kingdom laying by the castle gate wall⎯wanting to speak with the king⎯and ask him for help in their desperate situation. The queen saw them and ordered her guards to beat them until they left or were dead. The queen’s sister was devastated and ashamed that a sister who could love her own babies so well, could not carry that love outside her castle door to the people of her kingdom. Some years later, when the babies had learned to run and talk some, they became very ill.
“The queen summoned the royal doctor, but he was in another kingdom far far off; it would take a month at least to reach him. The babies would certainly be too ill by then. The only other resort was the old decrepit widow who lived in the corner of the kingdom⎯she was known to have healing remedies and spells of certain kinds. Nobody had seen her for 20 years⎯nobody wanted to see her because her stench was more hideous than her appearance! The queen refused this option; she could not have such a creature near her children. So the queen stayed awake 4 days and 4 nights waiting to see if her children broke their fevers. They did not, and finally the queen summoned old Yagar, the old decrepit widow, from her pit in the corner of the kingdom.
The king’s loyal men rode out before sunrise on the 5th morning and returned with an even more decrepit, more hideous Yagar than the king or queen remembered from 20 years ago. Her stench as well was worse; it guarded her like a pack of wolves.
Yagar knew why she was summoned and she approached the beds where the twin boys lay weak and delusional. Yagar placed a bonny hand on each boy’s forehead and said what seemed to be prayer under her breath. She then took the amulet she had placed around her neck and unscrewed it. From the top, there was a dropper full of purple liquid. Yagar placed 2 drops into each boy’s mouth. She then turned to the queen and instructed her to let them rest and by morning her boys would be perfectly healthy. No sooner did Yagar finish, the queen ordered her guards to, ‘Dispose the court if such filth immediately!’ The guards grabbed the arms of Yagar and she shouted, ‘You! Queen of such a fair kingdom! Have made a grave mistake this day. A display of kindness shown today; you return with a cruel and shameful act. You have chosen not to see me, not to know me, despite the service I have lent, the life of your children. Well, let your punishment be this: Your boys will grow up not knowing their only brother nor their own mother and father! They will walk this earth not knowing anyone, not seeing the true soul of any other human being, just like their mother. And they will suffer as you will.’ With those words, the palace grew dim and there was a purple glow from the floor around the little boys’ beds. When the queen opened her eyes, there before her, just in Yagar’s place, stood her sister. The queen’s sister then took the boys and disappeared from the palace.”
The man that looked just like Felipe paused for a moment; he looked down and took Felipe’s hand.
“You see, Felipe, those boys are us. It is you and I who have borne the suffering of an evil done by our own mother so many years ago. But despite our curse, we have found each other and have the chance to redeem our brotherhood and our name. Felipe, you must understand that we are brothers and have found each other.”
Felipe knew the man must be right, he felt it deep in his heart that the man was telling the truth. Felipe nodded and after a moment said,
“Now that I have my only brother, my curse has taken to you and you will die in three months time.”
“Felipe, do not worry about me, I have told you. Now we must spend this time being clever to break your curse. But first, it is late, let us sleep. Tomorrow we will begin.”
The next morning came fast for Felipe and his brother. The sun rose with a red cape around it rising high above the mountains. The men gathered their few belongings and set out to break Felipe’s curse once and for all. This became their daily mission and routine for a month. On the 31st day, Felipe and his brother came to a village gate, and there sat the guard dog as Felipe would expect. As they neared the gate, Felipe realized the dog was asleep. A guard dog never sleeps; this was very unusual. Then Felipe noticed slumped to the ground was the guard himself, asleep also! This was extremely unusual! Suspicion grew in Felipe and his brother so they decided to proceed into the village. When the men reached the other side they were in awe and pure wonder as to what they saw. Everyone in the whole village was asleep, as if someone had put a spell on them in the middle of the day, when everyone was working, and walking, talking and eating, cooking and sharing and reading and washing.
Felipe and his brother walked to the center of the village because there stood a small stone monument with an engraving. It read:
Here sleeps the town of Rem.
Only the man with the right
magic word can break the
rhythm of this sleeping spell.
Fore worn,
the word is not right
Find your bed
and have a good night.
But, should you be the man
to utter the magic word,
your task is not so easy.
A test is placed upon your head
and heart. Be you wise
and compassionate
and rewarded in
the end.
Felipe turned to his brother who was showing the first signs of fatal illness, and raised a brow. His brother nodded assuring him to utter his name, the magic word that would surely awaken the town. Felipe took another small step toward the stone and whispered his name. Sure enough the people rose from their long slumber. Slowly they stretched and yawned and opened like flowers to the morning sun after a long chilly night. They rubbed many years of sleep from each other’s eyes and continued on their paths and daily routines as though the day was never interrupted. Felipe and his brother watched in awe as a whole town became alive and filled with noise again. Felipe and his brother took a liking to the town, though they didn’t forget their mission to break Felipe’s spell; they decided to stay in Rem for a short while.
It didn’t take long for the brother’s illness to grow within his body. His face grew hollow, his eyes deep, and his bones sharp. Felipe cared for his brother dearly during this time.
Then one day, Felipe was on his way to the market and noticed many elderly people were unable to climb the many stairs to the market. Consequently they had to ask others to buy fresh fruits and vegetables for them, or beg the towns people descending the stairs with bags full and spilling over with fresh fruits and vegetables. It was a sad thing for Felipe to observe he thought. That afternoon Felipe began to gather wood and nails to build a ramp so that the elderly could go themselves to the market and buy fresh fruits and vegetables themselves. They would also be able to wheel their commodities down the ramp more easily. A week went by and the ramp was finally complete. It proved to be very useful, and the elderly greatly appreciated Felipe’s generous service.
Soon after Felipe was walking through the town and noticed many starving children and their mothers huddled in the shadows next to shops and torches. Felipe remembered seeing a huge abandoned barn that would be quite suitable serving as a shelter for them. Felipe spent days cleaning and preparing the barn shelter with cots and cooking kettles donated by the townspeople, and finally leading the women and children through the barn door into their new warm home. The women and children were of course very grateful to Felipe for his generous service.
By this time, weeks had gone by, Felipe’s brother did not have much time for his life was surely leaving him. Nor did they have much time to break Felipe’s spell. Felipe decided to take his brother to a hospital so his last days could be more comfortable. His brother insisted Felipe resume his journey to break the spell. But, Felipe could not leave his only brother who found him after so many years. Felipe walked to the hospital to inform them his brother would need a bed and nurse. But when he walked in the front door, he saw dirt and filth and lack of staff. Felipe decided to improve these conditions before he brought his brother in, and help the patients already there. He asked some of the elderly to help him clean and organize the patients’ beds; and he asked the women in the shelter to come and help the nurses. Before the week was up, the hospital was a sterile and friendly environment very capable of healing many patients. Felipe brought his brother in.
Felipe knew his brother had less than a week left. He spent all his time in the hospital, by his brother’s side. The final moments of the brother’s life finally came and went. Felipe kissed his brother’s forehead and whispered a final goodbye. He walked out of the hospital door to leave the town forever. An old woman walked in his path and said,
“Felipe you have done much for this town; your cleverness and compassion have greatly improved the life for many here in Rem. And we all thank you for such generous services. You have traveled a long way, all your life, and have learned pieces of your past. And you have lost greatly. It is time you got something in return for such humble existence. Continue on your way and you shall find what has been yours all along.” Felipe recognized this old woman, it was as though he knew her long ago, and he trusted her. He walked through a forest and pastures and came upon the palace that ruled the town of Rem. Felipe approached the palace gate and it opened with great welcome. There standing on the other side was a beautiful aged queen and a stern king. They looked as though sleep had just lifted from their ribs and took a new breath of waken life. The queen outstretched her arms toward Felipe, for a mother always knows her own. And the royal family embraced in overdue reunion.
After a proper and respectable funeral was given for the brother, Felipe was announced to the townspeople as heir to the throne. He became the dearly beloved and well known king of Rem, otherwise known as “The Kingdom of Felipe’s Friends.” In the center of town, Felipe put a stone monument dedicated to the legend of his brother, Ember.
copyright Katie Sulkowski 2005
