Iberian Peninsula, Kingdom of León and Castile, Burgos, November 23, 1105.
On a peaceful morning in the castle, Alfonso, the young prince, was playing in his crib with his favorite toys. However, suddenly, tears began to well up in his eyes.
The baby's nurse heard his cries and rushed to his side with concern.
Approaching, she noticed that the little one seemed restless and distressed. With tenderness, she lifted him into her arms and cradled him gently, trying to soothe his crying.
"What's wrong, my prince?" the nurse asked with a concerned voice, delicately caressing the baby's head.
Alfonso continued to cry, and the nurse tried to comfort him in every possible way. Finally, she decided that perhaps he was hungry and that mother's milk could calm him down.
Carefully, she brought him to her chest so he could start drinking milk, hoping that would comfort him. However, instead of finding solace, Alfonso began to gag, clearly indicating that something was wrong.
Alarmed, the nurse laid Alfonso back in his crib and hurried to the office where Urraca was. She knocked on the door forcefully and entered without waiting for a response, finding Urraca absorbed in her duties.
"My lady, Alfonso is crying and seems to be distressed when trying to feed him," exclaimed the nurse, with a hurried and worried voice. "We need to do something quickly, come with me!"
Urraca, upon hearing the nurse's words, set aside her tasks and quickly followed the nurse to Alfonso's crib.
Urraca followed the nurse with determined and quick steps until they reached Alfonso's crib. Seeing the young prince crying in distress, Urraca knelt beside him and began to examine him carefully.
With gentleness, Urraca parted Alfonso's lips and observed his gums closely. It was then that she noticed something unusual: two small white bumps were emerging on the baby's gums.
"Oh, Alfonso!" exclaimed Urraca with tenderness, immediately understanding the cause of his discomfort. "Your teeth are coming in, my little one!"
The nurse watched in astonishment as Urraca gently caressed Alfonso's gums, trying to alleviate his discomfort. Although it was an inevitable moment in the growth of any child, Urraca knew that the first teeth could be painful and uncomfortable for the baby.
Urraca looked at the nurse calmly and understandingly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, dear nurse," Urraca said reassuringly. "What's happening to Alfonso is completely normal. He's just starting to get his teeth, and it's natural for it to cause some discomfort."
The nurse nodded with relief upon hearing Urraca's words, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders. It was comforting to know that it wasn't anything serious and that it was part of Alfonso's natural growth process.
"Furthermore," Urraca continued, "I believe it's time for Alfonso to start drinking cow's milk. The gagging he experienced may be because he's ready to transition to this new food."
The nurse listened attentively to Urraca's words and nodded in understanding.
"I understand, my lady," the nurse replied gratefully. "I'll prepare some cow's milk for Alfonso immediately."
"Wait a moment," said Urraca calmly but decisively. "When preparing the milk, add a small spoonful of honey to it."
The nurse nodded in understanding and prepared to follow Urraca's instructions. In the meantime, Urraca continued giving instructions.
"And you'll also need a hollow horn with the spout open so that Alfonso can drink," Urraca added. "Don't worry about finding it; I'll take care of bringing it. For now, make sure to prepare the milk carefully."
The nurse, following Urraca's instructions, hurried to the castle's kitchen. She entered with determination and sought out the cooks who were busy preparing the day's meals.
With a hurried yet polite voice, the nurse approached the cooks and explained Alfonso's situation. She kindly asked if they could heat up some cow's milk and add a small spoonful of honey, as Urraca had indicated, and then put it in a container with a spout to facilitate consumption by the young prince.
The cooks, understanding and willing to help, nodded and got to work immediately. They lit the fire and placed a pot with milk on the stove, carefully adding the honey as the milk heated up.
Once the milk was hot enough and the honey had dissolved completely, the cooks poured the mixture carefully into a container with a spout so that Alfonso could drink comfortably without difficulty.
The nurse quickly returned to the room where Alfonso was, carrying the container with the hot and sweetened milk. She also brought the horn with the spout, provided by Urraca to make it easier for Alfonso to drink comfortably.
Carefully, she placed the horn with the spout near the mouth of the young prince and offered him the first sip of milk. Alfonso, although still feeling uncomfortable due to his gums, accepted the milk with curiosity. With the help of the nurse, she gently tilted the horn so that Alfonso could drink without difficulty.
With each sip, Alfonso seemed calmer and more relaxed. The sweet taste of the milk sweetened with honey comforted him, and the warmth of the liquid reassured him.
The nurse watched with satisfaction as Alfonso drank eagerly, knowing that he would soon feel better thanks to the relief provided by the hot milk and the sweetness of the honey.
After making sure that Alfonso had taken enough milk to calm his discomfort, the nurse carefully removed the horn and placed it aside. With a smile, she gently stroked Alfonso's head and watched as he slowly relaxed.
With Alfonso's discomfort relieved and his crying calmed, the nurse felt relieved and grateful.
Now, with Alfonso resting peacefully in his crib, the nurse sat by his side, watching over him with affection as she enjoyed the peace and tranquility that returned to the young prince's room.