Turismo Miño

Roxín Roxal , the Colossal Boar and Tareixa

Nuno Freire de Andrade "O Mao" (The Bad One) was the lord of Andrade in the first third of the 14th century. He deserved his nickname, since his abuse of his vassals led to the first Irmandiña revolt: the Irmandade Fusquenlla. But he also had noble feelings where honor and word were of upmost importance. Under his charge was the young man Roxin Roxal, a brave boy loved by all, who fell madly in love with his only daughter Tareixa.

Soon Roxin, knowing of his impossible love, began to feel melancholy. Nuno had arranged his daughter's marriage to Henrique Osorio, a man with the social standing the Andrade family deserved. Seeing that Roxin Roxal's love was growing every day and that Tareixa was reciprocating, Nuno decided with regret to banish this young man. He gave him a bag of silver coins and a golden dagger to start a new life. Time passed: Henrique and Tareixa married, Nuno continued to rule his fief and nothing was known of Roxin Roxal. Meanwhile, a terrible wild boar, the largest ever seen, began to attack the Andrade lands. Tired of the complaints of his peasants, Nuno organized a raid, led by his son-in-law Henrique and his daughter Tareixa, a formidable horse rider. They rounded up the wild boar, which, already wounded, went down the mountain until it reached the bridge of the Lambre River. Whilst they were waiting for him, Henrique de Osorio saw the beast approaching and, instead of throwing the spear at it, he suddenly jumped to the parapet of the bridge, leaving Tareixa unable to react. The beast rushed at her, taking her life in an instant. After that, all was sadness: Henrique de Osorio returned to his lands, ashamed of his cowardice, Nuno sank into melancholy. But one morning, suddenly, on the same bridge where Tareixa had died, the terrible boar appeared with a golden dagger stuck in his chest. Nuno knew at that very moment that next to Roxín Roxal his beloved daughter would never have died. Since then the place received the name of Ponte do Porco.
This legend, so famous in the surrounding area, was echoed by the writer Benito Vicetto. In 1857 he wrote his own version, where Roxin Roxal among many other adventures is crowned King of Galicia.