(H.B. 2409) (No. 86) (Approved May 24, 2000) AN ACT To declare the coral outcrop located on the reef next to the San Jerónimo Castle, known to Puerto Ricans as La Peña del Perro (The Dog s Rock), to be a resource of cultural and natural value. STATEMENT OF MOTIVES A bit out to sea, not very far from the San Jerónimo Castle, there is a coral outcrop which we know as La Peña del Perro, that has been the source of many beautiful folkloric songs and stories. Observing it from a right angle, one can clearly see a small dog posed on the immense coral mass, patiently watching over the tranquil open sea and the unchanging limits of the horizon. Legend has it that when the San Jerónimo Castle was a Spanish military fortress charged with the protection of the island s coast from enemy attacks, a young soldier named Enrique lived there who, because he was so far from his home and his family, felt lonely and nostalgic, and he was looking for a companion. Different from the rest of the soldiers in the fortress who had been raised since they were children to be warriors and military men, Enrique had been a simple farmer all his life who joined the army seeking adventures and travels to exotic lands. One day, as he walked through the streets of Old San Juan, he heard a pitiful cry coming from one of the alleys. Lying in a gutter, with a badly broken leg, was a small abandoned dog, and Enrique, carefully, felt his
skinny body, smiled, and told the unhappy creature: Do not worry, little friend, soon you will be healthy and running around. After weeks of rest, the small dog had gained weight and looked very frisky. Close to Enrique s heels, he accompanied him everywhere, causing laughter and comments from the other soldiers. One day, Enrique s superior officer asked him what his pet s name was, to which he answered: His name is Amigo [Friend], sir. Months later, news arrived that Spain needed men in Cuba, and Enrique was one of the ones to leave. Sadly, Enrique said goodbye to Amigo and told him: Don t worry, I ll come back, our friends here will take good care of you. Amigo watched the ship until it disappeared and, then, he jumped into the water on one of the sides of the fortress and swam until he reached a coral reef at the base of the wall. He climbed to the top of the reef and waited there for Enrique s ship to return, which he continued to do for many months. Another day, news arrived that while Enrique defended his country in a brutal naval battle, his ship had gone down and, with it, all the men on board. All the soldiers in San Jerónimo Castle spoke sadly of the tragedy and, in his own way, Amigo discovered what had happened. Overcome by pain, unable to believe that his master was dead, he swam quickly to his observation post to continue his unending wait for his master who would never return. But even though luxurious hotels border the coast and modern jets cross the sky, making the San Jerónimo Castle a simple echo of its times, astonishingly, Amigo is still on the same reef, in the same spot of his faithful vigilance, now turned to stone with the passing of the years, but still loyally waiting for the return of his master.
Because of the human significance of this legend and its cultural value for the Puerto Rican people, we present this Bill, declaring as a resource of cultural and natural value, the coral outcrop known as La Peña del Perro, located next to the walls of the San Jerónimo fortress in San Juan. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF PUERTO RICO: Section 1.- The coral outcrop located on the reef next to the San Jerónimo Castle, known to Puerto Ricans as La Peña del Perro, is hereby declared a resource of cultural and natural value. Section 2.- The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, in conjunction with the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, shall place a plaque in the beach area close to said outcrop, in evidence of it as a resource of cultural and natural value that is hereby established by said declaration. Section 3.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
CERTIFICATION I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 86 (H.B. 2409) of the 7 th Session of the 13 th Legislature of Puerto Rico: AN ACT to declare the coral outcrop located on the reef next to the San Jerónimo Castle, known to Puerto Ricans as La Peña del Perro (The Dog s Rock), to be a resource of cultural and natural value, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct. In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today 17 th of September of 2003. Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director