Welcome. Today, Explora Natura continues to present the adventures of Andresín. Enjoy and share the stories of this peculiar character with your family. #stayhome.

The Altar Boys

After the festivities, the afternoons in San Marcos de la Jara had grown quiet. The bustle of the visitors milling about the plaza, savoring their holidays and, why not, their jars of chorizo and pork loin in lard, had faded away. And there, as bored as the rest of the town, was Andresín. He sat on his doorstep, eagerly devouring a small glass of olive oil and a cup of dark chocolate.

In San Marcos, it was customary to make a hole in a loaf of bread, pour oil over it, sprinkle a little sugar on top, and then cover it again with the crumb that had been removed. This was called a "hoyo" or "joyo," and it was given to children as an afternoon snack, along with a small piece of chocolate. Sometimes, a handful of cocoa powder was added along with the oil and sugar, making it even more appealing to the little ones.

That thick crumb in the center of the bun was being broken up and soaked with the oil from the makeshift volcano, although Andresín thought it was a waste of time and gobbled it up starting from one end with the piece of chocolate still inside the bread. That way he'd finish faster. After all, if it was going to end up in his tummy anyway, why delay?.

He was just finishing his last bite when he saw two kids, about twelve years old, walk by. More specifically, he noticed the piece of olive oil cake each of them was carrying and thought that perhaps they could give him a little something.

"Shhh! Children!" she called to them. "Where are you going in such a hurry? Can I help you with the cake?"

"There's no need," they said together, hiding the precious morsel behind their backs. "Let's go to church with Don Zacarías.".

Andresín was a little upset at losing such a tempting treat, but at the same time, he became curious. "Why would they go to church if it was Tuesday?" he thought. "But today isn't Sunday, or even a holiday, so why are you going?"

–We're going to rehearse for Sunday mass.

–To rehearse? But isn't the mass said by the priest?

–You're such a donkey, Andresín, we're the altar boys, the ones who help the parish priest.

"Ahhh," he replied with remarkable disinterest. What could be so fun about that, to waste Tuesday afternoon with the priest?.

-And what are you doing there?

–Well, the usual. We prepare the Sunday readings, the wine, order the flowers, set up the benches, and then Don Zacarías invites us for afternoon tea.

Suddenly everything took on a new meaning for Andresín. They had said the magic words: invite and have a snack. With his mouth watering, he asked them:

–And… does he treat you every time you go? What does he treat you to?

The children burst out laughing, knowing the boy's reputation as a glutton and seeing him swallow hard. "Every afternoon we go to the nuns' turnstile and ask for an olive oil cake. Sometimes she gives us the money and we pay, and other times we leave a note." The older of the two boys, a bit more mischievous, added a tasty detail simply because he saw his puffed-up companion salivating: "With toasted sugar and a fried almond in the center. Finger-licking good. And on Sundays she gives us five pesetas.".

Andresín, his vision blurred and dizzy from hunger, fired a barrage of questions at them: –And…what age do you have to be to be an altar boy? Can anyone be one? Could I be one?

The boys laughed again. Just the thought of having that rascal as a partner made them burst out laughing. "To be an altar boy, all you need is the desire and three free afternoons a week for rehearsals and Sunday morning to help at Mass. Oh, and Father Zacarías has to give you his approval.".

Andresín saw a potential problem there, since he wasn't much of a churchgoer and the priest was surely aware of his mischief. However, he did have the advantage of working for the town hall.

–Well, I'll go with you and see if he'll accept me.

And so they headed towards the sacristy of the Parish, amidst jumping, pushing and laughter.

"Don Zacarías, Don Zacarías!" the children shouted as they entered, leaving Andresín waiting at the door.

–Good heavens, children! What are those voices!

"Don Zacarías!" they shouted again, taking compulsive and exaggerated breaths, as children often do.

We've come with Andresín, Tomasa's son, who wants to be an altar boy, is that okay?

The priest was dumbfounded. A cough gripped his throat, and he nearly choked as he swallowed a large pine nut candy from the Tafalla farmhouse, the kind that looks almost like a bar of soap. His face went from one color to another. Looking up at the sky and talking to himself, he wondered, "Lord, with so little time left before my retirement, being an honest, helpful, and God-fearing man, why have you sent me such a difficult trial? I am old, and I don't have the strength to face this bull.".

–Lowering his head slowly, he agreed: -If that's what you want, so be it.

He looked at the boys and with a broad smile, perhaps a little forced, said to them: "In the house of the Lord, everyone is welcome.".

–Yessss! –exclaimed the boys, knowing that with their new companion, fun was guaranteed in that usually serious and strict environment.

-Tell him to come in.

At that moment, his enormous head poked through the sacristy door. "Do you give your permission, Don Zacarías?"

"Yes, come in, Andrés. The boys say you want to be an altar boy. That makes me happy. Fewer and fewer young people are coming to the Church, and even fewer are willing to lend a hand. Well, the first thing we're going to do is alter one of the larger cassocks so we can fit that strapping frame of yours into it. You'll have to come on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.".

"And... I mean," the young man interrupted, "it's about time we had a snack, isn't it? I remember instructions better when my stomach is full."

–he said, flashing a wide smile.

The priest, elderly and wise, exclaimed: "That's it! This explains everything," he thought. "Well, nothing is free." And rummaging in his pocket, he pulled out a hundred-peseta note. "Now then, children! Here, take twenty duros and buy yourselves a snack.".

The light illuminated Andresín's face, and he saw his efforts as an altar boy rewarded right from the start. The three boys ran towards the Augustinian convent. There, the nuns of the congregation made the most delicious pastries: olive oil cakes, muffins, sponge cakes, fritters… For years, the people of San Marcos de la Jara had come to the cloistered nuns' turnstile to taste their delicacies.

Andresín burst in like a shot. He had never been to that place before and didn't know the protocol, but what he did know was that the best cakes in the area were there.

"Get it done!" he said, banging on the wooden lathe.

His young companions, both embarrassed and trying to control their laughter, reprimanded him for his attitude: –Shhhhh!

"What's wrong?" the boy wondered, used to calling that way when his mother sent him to the grocery stores on his street.

"Andresín!" one of the boys said, laughing and blushing slightly. "There are nuns in there. We have to talk to them differently. With more respect.".

–And what did I say? I didn't disrespect anyone.

"Don't worry," said the eldest of the young men, "I'll take care of it." And gently tapping his knuckles on the wooden lathe, he waited for a sweet voice to answer him.

–Hail Mary Most Pure, what do you wish?

"Conceived Without Sin, Mother," the boy said politely, "we are the altar boys, and Don Zacarías says to give us three olive oil cakes.".

–Three? But there are only two of you, or did Don Zacarías suddenly get hungry?

–No, Mother, now there are three of us. Andresín, Tomasa's son, is the new altar boy.

–Ah! Well, I'm glad then. If Don Zacarías has chosen him as his assistant, he must be a good lad.

Moments later, the three boys left the turnstile room with their delicious cake. But there was one detail that hadn't escaped the eldest. Andresín, with his brilliant mind for devising mischief, realized that the sweet and charming nun had spoken to them but hadn't seen their faces. Moreover, the turnstile, where the cakes were placed and turned, brought them up to them, added to the nun's allure. Then she stopped abruptly and said, "Boys, wait here a moment." The two boys exchanged surprised glances but continued enjoying the treat of oil, flour, and toasted sugar.

Andresín went back into the room where they had been talking to the nuns. He put his free hand in his pocket, took out a small firecracker, lit it, and knocking on the turnstile, left it inside. Red-faced with laughter, imagining the charming nun's face when she found that firecracker—harmless, but a firecracker nonetheless—he ran out, clumsily pulling up his trousers that were hindering his escape.

When he arrived with his companions, he was met with a barrage of questions: "Where have you been, Andresín? What are you laughing at? You're going to drown! Was that noise a firecracker? Nuns are saints, after all.".
The mischievous young man, regaining his color and catching his breath, with his hand on his stomach to help himself, gestured for them to be quiet while his tired body recovered.

"I don't know what happened. I went to congratulate them on how good their cakes are, but when I was about to knock, I heard a small explosion. They must have dropped something, but since we can't go in, I couldn't help them.".

–So –said one of the altar boys– what were you laughing about?

"I just remembered a joke. I'll tell it to you later." And changing the subject to divert their attention, he said, "Do you still have any cake left? If you don't want the whole thing, I'll eat it myself.".

The boys, in a reflex, pressed the delicious treat to their bodies while turning it over to protect it. It was food, and this was no game for Andresín. It was in danger in his hands at the slightest lapse in attention.

Still not entirely convinced, they continued on their way to the church. "Well, let's go, Don Zacarías is waiting.".
The afternoon passed by pleasantly for the boy, who was being advised and instructed by the parish priest and the two young men. The bread, the wine, the flowers, the cassock…everything was new and therefore, a lot of fun.

Saturday arrived in a flash. It was the eve of Andresín's debut as an altar boy, and they arranged to meet early for rehearsal. Unlike other days, Don Zacarías had arrived before them and was waiting at the sacristy door with a serious expression.

–Good afternoon, Mr. Zacarías –the three of them chorused.

–Hello children. Now, what happened on Thursday at the nuns' turnstile? Don't lie or the master will punish you.

The two youngest paled. They knew their new companion had gotten into some mischief, and that was why the parish priest was waiting for them.

Andresín, an expert in the art of dissimulation, which he had perfected, stared at him with his mouth half-open, as if it had nothing to do with him. "Don Zacarías, are you going to treat us to cake again today? You just said the word 'lathe' and it brought back a very sweet memory.".

–Andrés! –The priest shouted incredulously. –Stop messing around, it's likely that I'll be the one to give you what you get today.

–Do you also make cakes? Then why did we go to the lathe? Or do you work there too?

Don Zacarías closed his eyes, counted to ten three or four times, and continued with the questioning.

–You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a firecracker that was placed in the lathe at the same time I sent you to get the cakes, would you?

"No, Mr. Zac..." the children excused themselves when they were interrupted by Andresín.

“No way, Don Zacarías. I went to thank the nuns for the delicious cakes when I heard an explosion and saw two boys running away. I ran back terrified to find my friends, right?” he said, turning to face his new friends who were staring at him in astonishment. They were right; he had set off the firecracker. Not wanting to offend their new friend, they nodded.

The parish priest, who was very clear about who had committed the crime, accepted the answer, thinking that perhaps that was the end of it.

"Well, I suppose whoever did this knows that anyone who attacks a nun, who is a child of God, is condemned to live in hell. Come in.".

When Andresín reached the parish priest, the priest grabbed him by the ear and, bringing it close to his lips, whispered: "Before I was a priest, I was an altar boy, don't forget that.".

Explora Natura will continue publishing more of these entertaining and interesting stories for you. Discover more stories at exploranatura.es/

Antonio Pestana

Antonio Jesús Pestana Salido (Cabra, Córdoba, 1970) es ornitólogo y fotógrafo de naturaleza andaluz, especializado en aves y en la interpretación del paisaje mediterráneo. Desde niño ha estado vinculado al estudio y observación de la fauna, y lleva décadas recorriendo los espacios naturales de Andalucía, especialmente la Subbética cordobesa.

Es fotógrafo de naturaleza premiado a nivel nacional, ganador del primer premio del concurso de fotografía de naturaleza Carl Zeiss (IV edición) con una imagen de digiscoping de piquituerto común, además de otros reconocimientos en concursos especializados de fotografía de aves.

Como ornitólogo de campo ha participado en proyectos de seguimiento y conservación de aves, especialmente rapaces y aves esteparias, y ha sido coordinador provincial en Córdoba de los censos de aguilucho pálido y aguilucho cenizo. También es presidente de la asociación naturalista Abanto, dedicada a la divulgación y conservación del patrimonio natural.

Es autor de varios libros sobre fauna ibérica y cultura popular publicados por editoriales especializadas, entre ellos “Las aves ibéricas en la cultura popular” y “Las rapaces diurnas ibéricas en la cultura popular”, obras que recopilan refranes, creencias y tradiciones relacionadas con las aves en la cultura popular.

Además de su trabajo como autor y fotógrafo, desarrolla actividades de divulgación y educación ambiental, guiando salidas de naturaleza, impartiendo talleres de fotografía de aves y colaborando con centros educativos, asociaciones y proyectos de turismo de naturaleza.
She regularly works with schools, designing wildlife observation activities adapted for primary and secondary school students. She also collaborates with companies and associations on birdwatching tours, teaches nature photography courses, and participates in the design of natural areas.