La Pedra Llarga (Long Stone)

According to the text published in the magazine Estiueig on September 13, 1913 (no. 72), the legend of the Pedra Llarga says:

“Many years ago, in Girona, there was a maid who had to go to Sarrià every day in the early morning. As the Ter river had no bridges, she had to cross it with great difficulty. She, who was not a minister, nor a deputy, nor someone who would pay for a bridge, promised the devil that, if he built one in one day, she would give him her soul in return. Said and done, they signed a deed. The devil set to work bravely, stones and more stones, the bridge was rising, at 4 pm it was half done, at 8 pm the walls were ready, at 11 pm it was almost covered, the devil was being successful as he was conquering a soul.

But the last stone was missing and the devil was carrying it encouraged through these fields in Sant Hilari, when the bells rang it was 12 o’clock, just when the time was up.

And as if lightning coming down from the sky had fallen from his shoulders, he dropped his heavy load through spaces.

In Sarrià bridge, if you watch closely, a stone is missing; it is the Long Stone, people say.”

Also, there is another well-known popular version that as it is collected in the book entitled “La Comarca de la Selva” Ed. Selecta of 1972, says thus:

“Once upon a time, an old man needed to cross the stream in Sant Hilari, which was very crowded, so he offered his soul to the devil if he helped him to do so. The devil accepted the deal and promised to build a bridge before midnight, the time when the infernal agreements are fulfilled.

But the man’s daughter found out what her father had done and decided to avoid it.

Everyone knows roosters usually sing at midnight. Well, there were three of them in her house: a white one, which sang at ten; a blond one, which sang at eleven; and the black one, which sang at midnight. Then, the girl went to the hen-house and with her apron began to wind the black rooster so that it would wake up and sing before twelve. And she got it.

The infernal legions who were flying the stones to build the bridge dropped the last one, which hammered itself in the place where it is nowadays and, angry like scorpions, the legion went back to hell.

So, not only is there a story about the mystery of this stone, but it has been a source of inspiration for ages.”