Mariquita anxiously awaited her brother's return.
As the days passed into weeks and her brother was still not back, she became very gloomy.
She was sure that something bad had happened to her brother, and she realized that it was her fault because of which something had happened to him.
At last Mariquita could bear her anxiety no more and she decided to go in search of her brother.
Just like her older brother she also encountered the old man on the path. “Have you seen a boy? He must have come here a few weeks back. He is a very handsome man. He had dark eyes and he has dark hair on his brow.”
The old man eagerly nodded and he even told her on the quest that he had sent the brother on.
That was when Mariquita was beyond grief because she was sure that her brother had been turned into Stone.
The old man, however, nodded impatiently at her. “I think all this can be reversed if you find the white parrot and seize it. If that happens the curse on your brother and the others like him shall be gone.” The old man nodded worriedly at the young girl. “However, be careful because if you do not follow my instructions correctly, you also will be turned into Stone.”
Mariquita journeyed on and she came to the beautiful garden.
However, she patiently waited for the white parrot to sit on the stone and fall asleep.
Then Mariquita seized the sleeping white parrot.
The minute Mariquita did that, all the stones in the garden came into life.
Her brother was also standing close to her.
Mariquita’s joy was unspeakable.
Mariquita and her brother invited all the humans who had been stone to come to her home and celebrate the events there.
There was a great feast which lasted for three days.
Mariquita finally decided that she was the happiest girl in the whole world and she would have nothing more to wish for.
Adapted from Spanish Folk Tales
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