As a little girl, she had been just such a graceful dancer as Pilar. And one day a great teacher from Madrid had seen her and had taken her away to study in the capital.
But before that, she had spent much time on the streets of Seville. Her father could still see her playing there with her little friend Tony, who had lived next door.
Tony and his comrades had often staged a bullfight. Tony would be the brave torero (tō̍-rā´rō) or fighter, while all the neighbors would gather round to watch the sport.
When Tony would plunge his make-believe sword into the make-believe bull, everyone would cheer loudly.
| BOYS PLAYING BULLFIGHT |
Bullfighting is still Spain's favorite sport, though recently football has arrived there. The Spanish call it "fútbol," and it has become very popular.
But Tony had always wanted to be a torero. Pilar's grandfather lay smiling as he thought of that same Tony, now a wealthy tobacco merchant living in America. He was far from being a bullfighter today.
However, when Pilar's mother, Carmen, grew older, she had been courted by a young man who was a bullfighter. The memory of this young man brought to mind again the fear of losing the castanets.
For Pilar's grandfather recalled a very real and dramatic story about Carmen and Pedro, the young torero.
| BULLFIGHT, MADRID |