A long, long time ago in the lands of olive and oak trees of Toledo, there were farmers who harvested grains and shepherds who looked after sheep and pigs. They hunted rabbits and partridges and grew their gardens near the Pusa River and the surrounding mountains.
Legend has it that on one occasion a foreigner, apparently of Muslin origin, expert in trading, games and other eccentricities, arrived to this area. Apparently captivated by the beauty of a young peasant, he fell deeply in love. The young girl´s father, who did not trust people from other lands, decided to test him before giving his daughter´s hand in marriage.
He asked him to collect acorns and olives from the field an make two piles, one with acorns and another with olives, as high as the steeple of San Martin Church. He gave him three days and only one condition: the two lots should be exactly the same height.
The foreigner began his work and, after the first two days, achieved his goal and feel sleep. But at dawn on the third day he looked with dismay at the pile of olives that had diminished in height as the pressure of their weight had caused their juices to drip out.
The peasants laughed and jumped around making fun of the stranger, as the oil continued to spill from the pile of olives. As he viewed their mockery, his anger was such that before leaving, he placed a curse on the farmers announcing a dark prediction: “this pile of olives will forever be the highest”.
The next day, the peasants observed with amazement that the pile of acorns had virtually disappeared having been eaten by the pigs and were shocked to see that the mound of olives had been converted into a mountain of earth.
True or false, in this spot today called “The High Mountain” can still be seen a large mound of earth surrounded by olive trees and oaks.
