The Legend of the Four Stripes

By Teacher Verónica

In a village there was a castle in which lived a

family: the mother was named

Ermesenda, the father was named Sunifred and their

son was named Guifré.

One day a messenger of the King of France arrived and told Sunifred that the King needed help and money for battle. Sunifred decided to go and help the French King. His son Guifré also wanted to go:

-Can I go, father?-- No, it’s dangerous!-- Please!-- I said no!-- Please, please, please, please.-- Fine.They marched off together saying goodbye to the mother.

On the road to France they met the army of Captain Solomon. The soldiers attacked them. Guifré hid behind a tree but Sunifred was wounded and died. Solomon seized the family castle and Guifré took refuge in the castle of the King of France.

Many years passed and Guifré grew to be a great man. He had a dark beard and hair all over his body: this is why everyone called him Guifré the Hairy.

One night, Guifré dreamed that his father ashed him if he intended to return to the castle to free his mother. And so he did. On arrival to the castle he fought and defeated Captain Solomon. Guifré was once again the master of the family castle. Everyone celebrated.

The next year another messenger came to the castle. Once again the King of France needed help, this time to fight the besieging Normans. And Guifré returned to France to help the King.

He fought alongside the King but he was fatally wounded. At his deathbed, the King said:

-What would you like?-- I want a flag!-- But you already have one!-- But it’s just yellow!

The King put four fingers on Guifré’s wound and scored four stripes on Guifré’s yellow shield.

Thus the Catalan flag has four red stripes on a yellow background!!!