CubaPLUS Magazine

The murmuring Miel River has happily advanced since ancient times through the fertile land of Baracoa, in the far east of the country. 

Since the beginning of the 19th century, one of the most moving legends of that region arose. It talks about the intense and pure love of two teenagers, French Daniela and the Creole Alejandro, who managed to crystallize and persevere, but not before having suffered the anguish of an imminent separation.

The story is known as the Legend of the Miel River. This is one of its versions: Daniela was a descendant of a family of French settlers who arrived on the island after the Haitian Revolution. Settled in the Baracoa area, her parents were able to acquire land near the mountains and resumed the coffee production business they had to abandon on the neighboring island.

Alejandro was a young Creole with a beautiful figure, dark skin that contrasted with the rosy tone of the beautiful Daniela, whom he adorned with long blonde hair. They met by chance on a beautiful May afternoon and since their eyes met for the first time, the spark of love united them strongly. 

There came a time when, due to Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Spain, French émigrés in the Spanish colonies began to be frowned upon. In 1808, an edict was issued by the Governor General of the Island that declared the expulsion of all residents in Cuba. The family of the maiden Daniela was again forced to an uncertain flight trip. And the anguish of the young people was immense when they felt led to an unfair dismissal.

However, at the time Daniela looked for the love of her life and decided to stay with him, at the risk of her own existence. Together they decided to flee and voluntarily entered a mountain path, in the unknown thick forest, which luckily did not have harmful animals.

They advanced at night so as not to be seen by possible pursuers, until they reached the Miel River, which welcomed them with benevolence and served as the stage for the first total delivery of their love. Moved by the force of youthful feelings, the river let its voice be heard and promised them that from now on everyone who bathed in its waters would always want to return and would find shelter in the lands of Baracoa.

And those who could not return for some reason, nostalgia would always accompany them... They say that Daniela and Alejandro were able to love each other for many years in a life that they finally shared forever in that hospitable land, in peace and harmony.