Paralaia, "stone of stone", is a name that sounds like a legend. Paralaia is a mountain that welcomes the boats arriving at port in Moaña. It is a place full of fantastic stories and legends. We are going to tell you one of them:

If you want to be rich, then in Paralaia there is a cave full of treasures and spells. They say the cave is connected by underground passages leading to the sea. The locals say that San Juan night was the best on which to get your hands on the hidden treasures. Inside lived "mouras", enchanted women, who came out on that night to wash and comb their long hair.

It is said that there is the statue of a woman inside the cave. But it is not just any statue. A marquis who fell under a "moura's" spell is trapped inside. To break the spell, a young virgin must come to his rescue. She must break the statue in the middle to be released from his punishment. To do so, she must use a spade which waits patiently next to the statue for the arrival of the young lady.

It is told that during 1895 a "mouro" called at the door of the "Pazo del Rosal" and asked the lady owner for a cart to go to the A Paralaia cave. She gave him the car and sent two of her servants with him. When they arrived the "mouro" entered the cave, and, suddenly, a great storm broke out. The "Rosal" servants were waiting outside. A little later the "mouro" came out with the figure of a saint on his back. They took it to Xunqueira beach. They took the figure down to the sea, the "mouro" got on top of it and, as if by magic, disappeared without a trace.
A year later he sent a small gift to the lady. It was a beautiful, red silk handkerchief. He thanked her for her help in a note and told her she should place the handkerchief any place she chose to remember him by. She did so. She placed it on the branch of a walnut tree in her garden. Apparently, it was very lucky she didn't put it around her neck for the next day the walnut tree and the handkerchief had disappeared. What a strange way to show your gratitude!

Two princesses had even worse luck for they were turned to stone, the "Midday Stone" (Piedra del Mediodía), and could only turn back into women every one hundred years. On one of these occasions they were dancing happily when a young man appeared. They told him their story and asked his help to break the spell forever. He had to return the next day and they, in the form of cobras, would come out of the stone. He had to put them in a sack. He wasn't to be afraid for he would be compensated with their treasures.

The young man arrived the next day but, on seeing the cobras, he got such a fright that he called out and the two fell to the floor dying. Making the most of the situation, he entered the cave and, to his astonishment, saw the gold that was in there. Suddenly, the sisters appeared, still as snakes. After reproaching his cowardice, they disappeared taking the gold with them. Now the princesses have to wait till the end of the world to recover their form once more...

And there are more stories surrounding the cave at A Paralaia but we will tell them to you soon enough. At our school we will try to make you rich in knowledge and see to it that you enjoy good times discovering the legendary world of Galicia. You will be enchanted!