Why is a rock that dominates the Coll de la Quitta (Fox Pass) in the Prats valley called Raven Rock? The raven is a sinister bird, and it must have left sad memories in these parts. These memories date back to the invasion of the Arabs, which caused the emigration of Christians to the mountains.
crow's rock
Near the sources of the Tech a family of hardworking people had taken refuge: the father and mother cultivated the land; Guiselda their daughter, barely fifteen years old, went to look after the goats in the mountains. As she was very pretty, the shepherds looked for her. And little by little she became flirtatious.
Guiselda was one day admiring herself in the clear water of a fountain, adorning her hair with a crown of vine leaves and her neck with a necklace of greenery, when she heard a voice calling to her. She turned around, perhaps believing she saw the prince charming she was dreaming of, but all she saw was a raven perched high on a peak.
— “Guiselda I Guiselda!” » seemed to shout the bird.
If animals had the gift of speech, thought the young girl, I would believe that this crow was calling me. But he wouldn't have such a melodious voice.
As she approached, however, the crow said this to her:
— “Beautiful Guiselda, don’t be surprised to hear my voice, you will know later who I am. You will one day be the wife of an Eastern prince. I see you queen, I see you powerful, enthroned in a magnificent palace. »
And the black raven flew away, croaking and with a rustling of wings that froze the confused young girl with fear. Some time later the arrival of the Arabs was announced. Before these devastaters the shepherds and their flocks fled. Guiselda also fled with her parents, but could not resist the fatigue of the march; exhausted, at the end of her strength, she collapsed in front of a cave and recommended herself to the Virgin; suddenly the sound of a horse galloping was heard: it was a handsome rider arriving, soon followed by the terrible Moorish warriors.
The leader of the troop dismounted when he saw Guiselda, offered her a drink and revived her. But, overcome by her charms, he prevailed on his rump by surrounding her with the thousand attentions that a lover lavishes on his beauty.
And the crow's prediction came true: loved by the Moorish leader, Guiselda was taken to Jaffa and became queen of the harem. However, she had to undergo severe trials and she would have given her royalty and her jewels to see the Vallespir and her goat Zilda again.
The Virgin of the Coral, however, took pity on her and gave her the means to escape the Sultan and return to beautiful Roussillon.
The old parents of the missing shepherdess no longer recognized Guiselda as the pain had wreaked havoc on her once sweet face. She was no longer, alas, the beautiful peasant girl that the shepherds admired!
However, she saw again with ineffable happiness her old parents, her goat Zilda, the mountains and the flowers. She seemed to be gradually coming back to life when one day she heard a voice that made her start:
"Guiseldah!" Guiselda!
The pale Guiselda then saw the cursed raven who had previously told her such a dire prediction. She uttered a cry of terror and fell on her knees to implore the Virgin of the Coral. At this mention the crow disappeared noisily, while Guiselda breathed her last. And it seems that angels were seen taking away the soul of the unfortunate girl.
