The traditional verses and anecdotes are the popular chronicles of the life of the town. Girona has these in abundance.
Rambla & Argenteria streets
The Tarlà. This is the name given to the effigy which is suspended each year during the Spring and St. Narcis festivals. According to tradition he was an acrobat who entertained the neighbours of Argenteria street during a quarantine for an epidemic. A modern addition explains an amorous relationship with the daughter of a baker. While visiting his loved one he hid in a flour sack when her father arrived and sneezed “xui- xui”. To avoid a beating from the girl's father he promised to marry her and give him the recipe for a pastry: this is the xuixo, the typical Girona pastry, so-called in honour of that give-away sneeze.
A la plaça del Correu Vell
Geryon. The legendary foundation of Girona is attributed to Geryon, a giant with three heads or three children, who, in a rage, because Hercules had stolen his herd of cattle, went up from the Columns of Hercules until he reached Girona, where finally, he built the walls of Geriona, Gerunda, Girona...
The Cathedral
The Towhead. His tomb lies within the cathedral. The Count of Barcelona had two twin sons: Berenguer Ramon and Ramon Berenguer (The Towhead). The Count passed down the countships of Barcelona, Vic and Girona, to the two brothers under the condition that they would govern the counties together. One day, after having been hunting, Berenguer killed his brother and hid his body, but the Towhead's falcon wept for its master until a peasant heard it crying and carried the body to Girona. During the funeral, the falcon flew into the cathedral and the choir that accompanied the ceremony involuntarily started repeating “Cain killed Abel”. A falcon sculpted on the door of Sant Miquel, on the way to the treasury and the cloister represents this legend.
Gardens of la Francesa
The Witch. A witch threw stones at people who attended the numerous processions which took place in Girona. On the day of Corpus Christi when she was about to throw a stone a voice thundered out across the town saying: “Throw stones, throw stones and stone you will become!”. And to this very day she can be seen as a gargoyle on the Cathedral.
Passeig Arqueològic
The Golden Ox. The Jewish cemetery of Montjuïc was given the name of Golden Ox by a mythical golden ox which, according to legend, was buried by the Jews. If anybody touched it they would inevitably go to hell. One night, two young boys, a little merry, came upon a man who promised them he would take them to the golden ox. He was the devil, and just before the two boys touched the treasure, they said a prayer to the Mother of God, who made them jump up and transported them to different parts of the city. In their flight, one of the boys grabbed hold of the spire of Sant Feliu bell tower, and so the legend relates that he was responsible for the cropped spire.
Church of Sant Feliu
Saint Narcissus and the flies. During the siege of 1285, a group of French soldiers managed to penetrate the church of Sant Feliu. A swarm of big flies came from the tomb of the Patron Saint of Girona causing death to the French troops and their horses. Faced by this unexpected miraculous situation the French troops started to retreat. Since then, every time Girona was involved in a new conflict, the intervention of Saint Narcissus and his flies was assured.
Square of Sant Feliu
The lioness. There is a popular legend: If you go to Girona you have to kiss the lioness' bottom. It is an easy way to express a wish to come back to the town, or stay there forever or to become a citizen. It goes without saying that someone is not considered a good Girona inhabitant if they haven't completed the ritual. The final argument: this is the only place in the world where you can kiss a lioness' bottom without getting into trouble.
