The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-05-29
A CURIOUS court
Il Is Held Annually When France
Pays Tribute to Spain.
PRICE OF AN ANCIENT PEACE.

After More Than Five Centuries Three
Calves Are Still Hun,bly Presented
Each Year to the Naughty Descend.
ants Of the Victorious Spaniards.
Every year there takes place in the
l'yreneHn highlands il remarkable fete
1t is held ut the boundary stone of San
Martin. which separates the French
valley Barcton from the Spanish valley
OF Roncal- Every year the representa-
tives Of the French peasants assemble
there in order to pay the Spaniards a
tribute. which consists of three calves
OF the same age and the same color,
and the delivery Of the calves is &c.
companied by ceremonies which suffl.
ciently indicate that the old inhabit-
ants OF the Roncal valley We're once
victorious over their neighbors
At O'Clock in the morning the may.
ors Of the various Villages In the Bare
ton valley. hravely adorned with their
blue. white and red scarfs Of office,
march up to the boundary stone In
front of the column walks a lad, with a
pike, from the point Of which flutters a
little white pennon as 4 gage Of peace
The three calves are dragged in the
rear Of the procession at the end OF
long ropes. Calves and scarfs take up
their position by the stone and await
the arrival Of the Spaniards
They are soon visible i'll the distance.
IoI I'm
skins. who waves red pennon at the
end Of pike as a sign Of war. Behind
him walks the alcalde of Isaba, the
principal village in the valley Of Ron
cal. and following him come the A.
caldes Of the other villages, their stats
Of office in their hands. The bulk Of
the procession consists Of shepherds.
stern looking fellows armed with old
aabers and matchlocks.
The alcalde Of Isaba is all glorious to
behold in long black garment fas-
tened by gold buttons, tall white ruff.
tight fitting knee hreeches, red silk
! stockings and bnckled shoes 4 SOM
| hrern covers his head and in his hands
| he holds the staff adorned with silver
| knobs. the emblem in Spain Of magis.
terial dignity.
As soon as the Spaniards reach the
rendezvous the alcalde of Isaba steps
to the front and addresses them in sol
emn ceremonial style:
Are you come to pay tribute and
swear friendship according to old Gus
tom and tradition:"
| THAT Is the reason of our coming >
answer the French
Then the two standard bearers a,,-
proach the boundary stone and lay
their pixies crOsswise upon it. After Il,
few moments the Spaniard takes his
then places it as before on the stone
On the cross formed by the two shafts
the representatives of the two valleys
swear to keep the peace with loyal
mind
Then follows the delivery of the three
calves to the Spanards. They are ex
amined by veterinary surgeon and
accepted. after which all present take.
up their stations under shady oak.
and, following the example Of the good
st. Louis Of France and Alfonso the
Wise Of Spain, the alcaIde Of Isaba en-
thrones himself among the gnarled
roots of the oak and proceeds to act as
d magistrate
Shepherds and neather,ls pass before
him and prefer their international com.
plants. The judge listens to both sides
bids them bring forward their witness
es and delivers Judgment without de
lay, infiicting fine on one, awarding
compensation to another furnishing one
and affor1ing satisfaction to his victim
After all the qlarrels are settled the
alcalde undertakes the appointment ol
the pasture guardians for both valleys
so that he enjoys even greater author
ity in the township of Rareton than the
president Of the republic himself Fl
nally, they all betake themselves t,
Spanish soil, where a Homeric feast /.
set out and till late in the night til.
banquet goes on, the descendants .
the old warlike mountain peoples drink
ing together in brotherly unity in com
memoration of the conclusion Of til,
peace Of 1875 and the installation .
the above ceremonies
About 300 years after. this treaty hat
! been made the French began to refus
to pay the tribute. but after some negH
tiations they consented to continue II
In more modern times they tried to &c
the tribute cOulmutpd TO n SIM Of mon
, ey. but the Spaniards declined, bu
agreed to forego the firing Of guns II
! the direction Of France as being
| wound to French amour propre.-LoI
don Spectator