LA GALLEGA MARI-HERNÁNDEZ

GallMH

Escena:  Chaves (Portugal), valle de Limia, Monterey.

REPARTO

I

Don Alvaro, who is in love with Doña Beatriz, is out of favor with the Portuguese King Juan II because the King's secretary has forged some paper implicating Alvaro, along with others, in a conspiracy with Fernando and Isabel to usurp the throne of Portugal. The King has already had Fernando, Duke of Berganza (Braganza), beheaded because of these false accusations. Alvaro has been hiding out, but he has heard rumors linking Beatriz and the King, so he has come to talk to her at her home. Noting that the King is married, she affirms her faithfulness to Alvaro and swears she loves only him. At this point Caldeira comes to warn them that the King is coming; with Don Egas and his entourage so Alvaro and Caldeira therefore hide behind a tapestry. The King tells Beatriz that he is going to marry her to Egas, but she protests, saying that she loves the King and cannot marry Egas. As she starts to go through the tapestry and into her room, the King moves to stop her and the tapestry falls down, revealing Alvaro and Caldeira. Alvaro accuses Egas of being responsible for the false accusations against him and vowing that he would fight him except that he cannot unsheathe his sword in front of the King. He does hit Egas with his sword still in its sheath and departs with Caldeira. The King sends his men after them and orders Beatriz taken prisoner.

Alvaro and Caldeira flee to Galicia, to a spot near where a some peasants are hunting wolves and wild boars. The peasants speak of searching for Jews also, for many of them go through Galicia to Portugal, where they are more favorably received. These fleeing Jews dress like Spaniards and are hard to detect. These peasants work for Garci-Hernández and during the fight they take off their clothes and go off fighting. Just then Alvaro and Caldeira come along and finding the clothing, decide to put it on in order to disguise themselves. Exhausted, Alvaro lies down and goes to sleep, where he is discovered by Mari-Hernández, who thinks he is a Jew and is about to drop a big rock on him, when she changes her mind because he is so handsome. Instead she awakens him, and he explains to her that he is an hidalgo with enemies in the palace. They are attracted to each other, and she is to ask her father to take him on as a carbonero. Alvaro sees this as a fine opportunity to get even with Beatriz for her love of the King.

II

Caldeira meets Dominga, one of the nearby serranas, and tells her he was going from France to Santiago when he was robbed. He adds that he found the clothing that he is now wearing and that his name is Godiño. They immediately like each other. Soon other villagers arrive in preparation for Mari-Hernández's birthday party. Alvaro sees the Count of Monterey among the guests, and he leaves, lest the Count recognize him. During the celebration suddenly shots are heard, followed by a woman's voice. Beatriz appears, having been pursued by Egas. She tells her story to all: how she managed to escape, with the aid of her servants, on horseback from Egas's attack, and how he continued to pursue her. Now she is safe at last in Galicia. At this point the group is interrupted by a hunter who tells of a bear who stole a beehive and is staving off three dogs and the bees. All except Beatriz and Caldeira go off to view this interesting sight. Left alone, Beatriz and Caldeira recognize each other and he agrees to take her to Alvaro.

Meanwhile, Mari-Hernández confides to Dominga that she is very sad because she is in love with Alvaro but she fears he loves someone else. Dominga, in turn, confesses her love for Godiño (Caldeira). Soon Alvaro arrives and, professing his love for Mari-Hernández, he kisses her hand. Just then Caldeira arrives with Beatriz, who is very angry at the scene she has just witnessed. Mari-Hernández, too, is angry but her father calls her, and thus she finally leaves. Beatriz explains to Alvaro that she was only pretending to love the King, and they get their differences straightened out. The Count and the others return; the Count recognizes Alvaro; Alvaro says Beatriz is his intended (esposa); and Mari-Hernández, furious, is determined to get revenge.

III

The Count, who has been trying to negotiate peace between Portugal and Castile, now finds his efforts thwarted because the King of Portugal is angry with him for protecting Alvaro and Beatriz. Nearby, meanwhile, Mari-Hernández is fighting with a Portuguese soldier. She says she would like to kill all the Portuguese people in order to get even with Alvaro. Upon hearing her say this, the King offers to be her ally against Alvaro, and they formulate a plan whereby Mari-Hernández is to send Alvaro out so that the King can take him prisoner. The King promises not to hurt him but rather to force him to marry Mari-Hernández, in order to restore her honor. They are near the Count's estate, and Mari-Hernández and Domingo go to his home dressed as men, Mari-Hernández pretending to be Portuguese. Alvaro has received a letter from Beatriz and Caldeira one from Mondonga, and Mari-Hernández and Dominga overhear them reading these letters aloud, in turn, which turns out to be quite amusing. The young women, however, are more angry than amused.

That night Mari-Hernández and Dominga, still dressed as men, go out courting (rondando) in order to spy on Alvaro and Caldeira, who are also out. Egas and Vasco, meanwhile, are plotting to kill Alvaro because their treason by means of the forged letters will be known if he is caught alive. When Mari-Hernández and Dominga arrive at Beatriz's window they find Alvaro and Caldeira there. Dominga sticks Caldeira with a pin and chases him, while Mari-Hernández accuses Alvaro of having given his word to marry Mari-Hernández. Beatriz, who was already jealous, becomes very angry and leaves her window. Mari-Hernández, claiming to be an ex-sweetheart of Mari-Hernández, starts to fight with Alvaro in order to avenge the wrong done her. Just then Egas and Vasco appear, and Mari-Hernández wounds Egas when he tries to hurt Alvaro, leaving Alvaro quite confused. Mari-Hernández explains, however, that no one else can avenge the wrongs that "he" wants to avenge. Vasco, in the meantime, has fled, while Domingo continues to chase Caldeira.

The Castilian troops arrive with the Count, followed by the arrival of the King with the Portuguese army. The Count admits the King, who angrily demands that he turn over Alvaro and Beatriz. The Count explains that Egas has confessed his treason, however, and that Alvaro and Beatriz are innocent. Mari-Hernández, still dressed as a man, asks for reward for having captured Egas, and revealing her true identity, makes the King live up to his promise of letting her marry Alvaro. In addition, the King makes her Countess of Barcelos. Beatriz is to marry Olivenza and Caldeira and Dominga will also marry.