Guillem de Torroella: Sóller
Sóller

In La Faula (The Fable), a first-person narration of the action is given, beginning with a journey by the author, who leaves Sóller valley on the morning of Saint John's day, from the Santa Caterina harbour area, to travel to an island that has been identified as Sicily.  

One event I would like to recount,

that occurred to me not so long ago,

as you will now hear.

It was on the morning of Saint John's day,

on a clear fresh day,

when I, to enjoy the lush greenery,

rode alone to the coast,

to Santa Caterina harbour,

for I was in the valley of Sóller.

[...]

And just as I say, with many a sigh, 

and filled with worry and resentment,

praying to God and the Virgin,

I entered the Minorca Sea,

Leaving Mallorca to the right

In the ensigns of the West,

Heading East

Just as the fish carried me.

La Faula, written in around 1370

Translated by Rachel Waters.

Guillem de Torroella

(born ca. 1348). The medieval poet Guillem de Torroella was descended from knights originally from the Emporda area who settled in Majorca at some point after 1229.  

La Faula, which is written in verse, tells a tale evocative of troubadour poetry and Arthurian French courtly novels. It is written in Provençal Catalan and French, in the second case with Provençal and other influences. In La Faula, a first-person narration of the action is given, beginning with a journey by the author, Torroella, who leaves Sóller valley on the morning of Saint John's day, from the Santa Caterina harbour area, to travel to an island that has been identified as Sicily. On this latter island, he is received by Morgana and Arthur so that they can explain the truth that he must tell to the world. 

Port de Sóller

With Guillem de Torroella's departure from the Sóller valley’s harbour, readers are taken on a mysterious, unexpected, surprising journey. The journey takes a charming turn with a magical series of days associated with celebrations of the summer solstice.

As La Faula says, Santa Caterina harbour is the starting point of this sea adventure. Today, buildings like Santa Caterina de Alejandría Oratory and places like the Santa Caterina district of Port de Sóller invite visitors to learn about the port's ancient history. The oratory was built in the 13th century and rebuilt again in the 16th century. The Santa Caterina district evokes all the tradition and seafaring and commercial spirit of what was, for a time, one of the island's strategic points. This natural harbour has been a home to seafarers, fishermen and sailors and also to boats that began their voyage here, as was also the case with Guillem de Torroella.

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