The Purple Land · Chapter
XIV: Maids of Fancy: Maids of Yí explained
Richard Lamb remains at Alday's estancia while Alday is away.
What happens
Richard Lamb remains at Alday's estancia while Alday is away. He observes the war fervor around him, but finds solace in the company of the orphan child Anita and the shy maid Monica. He comforts Anita, who is terrified by the excitement, and learns about her simple life as a shepherdess. Later, he encounters Monica under the willows, where she asks him for a story, leading to a flirtatious exchange. The chapter includes a poem composed by Lamb about the 'Maid of Yí.'
Themes in this chapter
Beauty and Transience
The crimson lilies, Monica's fleeting beauty, and the poem about the 'Maid of Yí' evoke the ephemeral nature of youth and love.
Masculinity and Adventure
Richard's solitary walks, swimming, and flirtation with Monica contrast with the war fervor, highlighting his adventurous spirit.
Characters to notice
- Richard Lamb
Narrator and protagonist; interacts with Anita and Monica, observes the war enthusiasm, and composes a poem.
- Monica
Silent, pale maid who serves maté and later meets Richard under the willows, asking for a story and exchanging lilies.
- Anita
Orphan child, terrified by the war excitement; clings to Alday's wife, then hides; later shows Richard her doll made from a sheep's forefoot.
- Lieutenant Alday
Absent from the estancia; Richard waits for his return.
Key passages
“She was a most forlorn little thing, with a white, thin face and large, dark, pathetic eyes. Her mean little cotton frock only reached to her knees, and her little legs and feet were bare.”
Anita is a pitiful orphan, pale and thin, wearing a short, worn dress and barefoot.
Describes Anita's neglected appearance and vulnerability.
“It was, or consisted of, the forefoot of a sheep, cut off at the knee; on the top of the knee part a little wooden ball wrapped in a white rag represented the head, and it was dressed in a piece of red flannel—a satyr-like doll, with one hairy leg and a cloven foot.”
Anita's doll is a sheep's forefoot with a rag-wrapped wooden ball for a head, dressed in red flannel.
Highlights the poverty and simplicity of Anita's life.
“Then, in a voice that was almost a whisper, she said, 'What will the story be about, señor? Tell me, then I shall know whether to gather lilies for you or not.'”
Monica whispers, asking what the story will be about, to decide if she should gather more lilies.
Shows Monica's shy yet persistent interest in Richard.