Tall Tales of Johnny Mudd
A Mother’s Heart, Part II
Johnny Mudd told this tale: All day long, Sebastian worked outside on his ranch, fixing his fences, feeding his little animals or chopping wood. Sometimes he would irrigate his field where he had corn stalks, some peas and other greens. His mom also lived in the same house with him and they lived happily together.
Sometimes though, she would go outside to watch her son working and they would both talk about the ranch or the work and they would laugh because they had a nice life.
And so the years went by and Sebastian grew stronger and he learned to do many things. The day came when he realized that it was time for him to get married. His mom knew that he was happy because he often sang as he worked. She was pleased because they weren’t lacking for anything in life and she wanted to see her son happy. She prayed that one day he might choose a nice companion to be with him.
His kids liked to listen to their dad telling them tales from long ago. They snuggled into his arms while he tried to hold their attention. Ole Johnny Mudd continued saying: “One day, when Sebastian was working on the ranch, he saw a pretty young lady walking along the fence. She had a high, red hairdo, a beauty mark on her cheek, and she wore a red gown and carried a lace kerchief in her hand.
Sebastian had never seen such a lovely creature like that young lady. She was the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen. He stopped chopping wood just to gaze at her, but she just walked back and forth without looking at him. She was named Atilana and she walked really fancy in order to attract his attention. From time to time she would drop her kerchief so that the young man would run and pick it up for her.
“Now I will be able to talk to her,” he said to himself. He went near to where she was and said, “Good morning, Miss,” but she didn’t even look at him. All day long Sebastian couldn’t work just thinking about her, her, HER! That evening his mother called him to supper, but he could do nothing but look at his empty plate. He couldn’t eat nor drink.
His mom looked at him and thought: “Whenever a young man can’t eat nor drink it is because he is in love.” Sebastian’s mom said to her son, “If you truly want to meet the red-haired young lady, why don’t you just go see her at her home?”
Sebastian thought it was a good idea. He walked slowly to her home on the plaza and he knocked on her door. When she answered, he presented her with a box of candy and some flowers. Nonetheless, Atilana rejected them, saying: “If you really love me, go sell your house and bring me all your money instead.”
“And did Sebastian go sell his house, daddy?” Tamborín asked him.
“I would have eaten the whole box of candy instead,” Pipirín observed.
“I like to smell the flowers,” Gauchupín commented.
“Sebastian returned to his home,” Ole Johnny Mudd said as he continued his story. “He was so blinded by his love that he didn’t even know what to do. On the following day, he went over to the bank and he sold his house for a lot of money. His mom was sad because now she didn’t have a place to live or sleep. She went to live in the corral.
In the meantime Sebastián took all his money to the beauty but she said to him: “This is not enough money for me. If you really love me, go sell your whole ranch and your animals also and return with the money. In that way I will know that you really love me.”
Sebastian only had eyes for the redheaded young lady so on the following day he got up very early and he went out to feed his animals. The little animals were sad because they had suspected that Sebastian was going to sell them when he tied a rope around their necks. His mom also suspected that her son was going to sell all his animals. She felt sad because they were all like family to him.”