The orange tower
…Marianna hesitated a little and the tiger gently lead her by the hand to the colorful entrance of the Orange Tower…On top of the gate, one giant and juicy orange slice sends out waves of its refreshing aroma. Freshly squeezed orange juice in enormous jugs and glasses, foamed around her. Small orange drops sprayed her as she crossed the entrance into the hallway with the strangest paintings of oranges…She lost herself in the designs and colors that she did not see the tiger disappear…
Still in a daze, she heard a sweet and melancholic song coming from the sky:
“I open the closet and in the mirror I see a child smiling at me and telling me: “I have been grounded. But if you want to keep coming over the glass is your door.
They cannot see me,
And when I say orange three times, come out”
Marianna looks up. A woman with a yellow blouse and blue skirt, holding a big flower in her hand, sang…
She looked at Marianna when she realized she was being watched and
Said:
“Welcome. It’s nice to see you here the first day of the month!”
“But it’s not the first day of the month”, answered Marianna…
“Here every day is the first day of the month! We have thousands of names for the months. We name them as we please. Do you have any idea what is the name for today’s month? Let’s call it Marianna-isn’t that your name? I do not think Lucia got it wrong. Who is Lucia you are wondering…the stewardess! Oh, don’t look at me like that! Surprised you, didn’t I? She chooses who comes to Portokalia. Do not think we welcome just anyone!”
Marianna was dizzy. The woman kept flying over her head and not even once did she stop to take a breath.
“Don’t be scared”, she continued, unfazed, “No one will notice that you are missing! I, Isabella, named after the old Queen, am telling you. Have you seen the play? Which play? The play: Isabella, three caravels and a storyteller. It has some good songs as well. Have you heard the Oyster and the pearl? My mom used to sing it to me so I could fall asleep…”
She started to sing, so sweetly, that Marianna forgot how dizzy she was. She felt her feet leave the ground as she was climbing skyward in between foaming oranges:
The young son from Tunezi,
Black like the seabed’s oyster,
He who got caught in love’s net,
He had an eye, eye, eye,
He had an eye like agate
He who got caught in love’s net,
That got caught in love’s net,
White, whiter than dawn,
Leonora, daughter from Castille,
Her skin a magnolia flower,
Her ear like a shell,
In love’s net she got caught as well,
In his love’s net she got caught as well,
The young son from Tunezi
Black like the seabed’s oyster,
Becomes pale whenever he sees her,
The oyster opens up, opens gently
Capturing her inside,
White, whiter than the dawn,
With trembling lips,
She kisses him sweetly.
“I will not sing anymore,” Isabella said, flying around her. “It’s much too sad. If I continue, I will not stop crying. And I see you were about to cry as well. Your heart needs to be light in order for you to fly next to me. Come, do not be afraid. Take my hand! Portokalia waits!”