"Two Cooing Doves."

Ricardo Palma.

Summary: Doña Catalina was a widow, beautiful, wealthy and owner of houses and land. Doña Francisca was the beautiful daughter of a wealthy miner. Doña Catalina was a blonde and Doña Francisca, a brunette.

From the start the two beautiful women hated each other. The insults flew. Doña Francisca said of Doña Catalina that blondes descended from Judas and therefore blondes were treacherous. Doña Catalina said that Doña Francisca was descended from Jews who crucified Christ and that was why she was a half-breed and why she was dark-skinned.

Their animosity led to violence. Doña Francisca wielded her high heels, lifted the skirt of Doña Catalina and beat her about the legs with her high heels, leaving welts and bruises. Later, as the partisans of both women clashed, a partisan of Doña Catalina raised his sword and dealt Doña Francisca a deep “Z” on her now disfigured face.

The author concludes with irony that the feuding ladies were “two cooing doves.”

Comment: The feud became the stuff of legend. RayS.

Spanish Stories and Tales. Ed. By Harriet de Onís. The Pocket Library, 1956.