Once upon a time, there was a very rich man who owned beautiful houses in the city and in the countryside, silver and gold dishes, richly decorated furniture, and golden carriages. However, people were afraid of him, for his beard was blue, a strange color that made his face look stern.
A lady of high standing in the neighborhood had two beautiful daughters. Bluebeard asked to marry one of them, allowing the mother to choose. Neither sister wanted to accept him, for each thought his blue beard was too unsettling, and it was rumored that he had been married several times, although no one knew what had happened to his former wives.
To win their trust, Bluebeard invited the mother, the two sisters, and several friends to his country house. For eight joyful days, they hunted, danced, told stories, and celebrated. He behaved with courtesy and spared no kindness. The younger sister began to think he wasn't so scary after all, and when they returned to the city, she married him.
After a month, Bluebeard said he had to travel for important business for six weeks. He encouraged his wife to have fun, invite her friends, and not feel lonely. Then he gave her a heavy keychain. "These open the storerooms, the chests of money and jewels, and all the doors of the house," he said. "Only one room is forbidden: the little chamber at the end of the great hall on the ground floor. If you disobey me, I will be very angry."
Her friends and neighbors soon arrived to admire the treasures of the house. They marveled at the beautiful rooms, the wardrobes, the tapestries, and the tall mirrors. All of them envied the young bride, who seemed very lucky. However, the bride herself felt restless. Curiosity pulled her toward the small room that she was not supposed to open.
Finally, forgetting her promise and her guests, she ran down a narrow staircase to the forbidden door. She stopped, remembering Barba Azul's strict order, but the desire to know was too strong. Trembling, she placed the tiny key in the lock and opened the door.
At first, she could barely see, for the shutters were closed. When her eyes adjusted, she realized that something terrible had happened there a long time ago. The floor was stained, and on the walls were chilling signs that the room had housed the former wives of Bluebeard. Terrified, she dropped the key, picked it up again, locked the door, and ran upstairs.
Only then did I notice that the little key had a dark red stain. I cleaned it carefully. I washed it and polished it, but the mark returned as if by magic. That very afternoon, Bluebeard arrived home unexpectedly, saying that his business had finished earlier than expected.
The next morning, he asked for the keys. She handed them back to him with a trembling hand. "Where is the little key to the room at the end of the hallway?" he asked. "I must have left it on my table," she said. "Bring it to me at once," he replied. She had no choice but to place the stained key in his hand. "Why is there a mark on this key?" he demanded to know. "I know why," said Bluebeard. "You entered the forbidden room."
She fell at his feet, begging for forgiveness with true remorse. Her pain could have softened a stone, but Bluebeard's heart was harder than stone. "You must face the consequences," he said. "Please," she pleaded, "give me a little time to pray." "I will give you ten minutes," said Bluebeard, "nothing more."
As soon as he left, he called to his sister. "Ana, dear sister, climb to the top of the tower. Do you see our brothers coming? They promised to visit us today. If you see them, wave to hurry them up." Ana climbed to the tower. Every minute the bride shouted, "Ana, my sister, do you see anyone coming?" Ana replied, "I see nothing but the shining sun and the green grass growing."
"Ana, my sister, do you see anyone coming?" "I see a cloud of dust," said Ana, "but it's just a flock of sheep." "Will you come down or not?!" roared Bluebeard. "Just a moment more!" she shouted. "Ana, my sister, do you see anyone coming?" "Yes," Ana finally replied, "I see two riders coming this way, still far away." "Thank goodness!" whispered the bride. "They are our brothers."
At that very moment, a loud bang echoed at the door. Bluebeard stopped. The door swung open, and two officers on horseback charged in with their swords drawn. They were the bride's brothers, one a dragon and the other a musketeer. Bluebeard tried to flee through the courtyard, but they caught up to him and stopped him before he could cause any more harm.
The young wife, trembling from head to toe, could hardly stand to embrace her rescuers. Over time, she recovered. It was discovered that Bluebeard had no heirs, and all his property passed into the hands of his wife. She used part of it to help her sister Ana marry a worthy young knight, part to support her brothers' careers, and with the rest, she created a new home filled with peace.
Later, she married a kind and honorable man, and she never forgot the lessons she had learned: that promises matter, that courage and cleverness can save the day, and that curiosity should be guided by wisdom.
