Tunaltay

Pyramus & Thisbe

Long ago the deep red berries of the mulberry were white. They became red after the death of two young lovers. Pyramus and Thisbe were very beautiful young people who lived in Babylon. Their houses were very close and there was only a wall between them. Pyramus and Thisbe were in love and they wanted to get married but their parents did not consent to their marriage.The lovers talked to each other through a hole in the wall.
One day they decided to run away together and they agreed to meet at the tomb of Ninus.There was a mulberry tree with snow white berries near the tomb. At night Thisbe slipped and went to the tomb. Pyramus had not arrived yet. While she was waiting for him, she saw a lion coming. The jaws of the lion were bloody. Thisbe was very frightened. She started to run away, but she dropped her cloak. The lion came and tore the cloak thinking it was something she could eat and went away.But Pyramus came to the tomb just as the cloak was in the lion's mouth. He thought that the lion had eaten Thisbe and he blamed himself. He went under the mulberry tree and killed himself. When Thisbe returned she saw her dead lover and with his sword she killed herself, too.
That very night the berries of the mulberry tree turned to a blood red color and have been so ever since then. The deep red fruit of the mulberry is the everlasting memorial of these lovers.

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