“In the present day, when popular literature is running into the low levels of life, and luxuriating on the vices and follies of mankind; and when the universal pursuit of gain is trampling down the early growth of poetic feeling, and wearing out the verdure of the soul, I question whether it would not be of service for the reader occasionally to turn to these records of prouder times and loftier modes of thinking; and to steep himself to the very lips in old Spanish romance.” Washington Irving, from the “Spanish Romance” chapter in Tales of the Alhambra, 1832
“To discard, however, everything wild and marvellous in this portion of Spanish history [the sometimes fanciful chronicles], is to discard some of its most beautiful, instructive, and national features; it is to judge of Spain by the standard of probability suited to tamer and more prosaic countries.”
Washington Irving, from Spanish Papers, 1866
Contents
Prehistory and Early Christian Era
The Coming of the Almujuces How the Basques Discovered Ireland How the Celts of Spain Discovered Ireland Why February Has 28 Days Saint John’s Eve Bonfires When the Pyrenees Were Green San Martín Txiki and the Basajauns The Lagoon of Antela Early Middle Ages (8-11th centuries)
King Rodrigo and the Losing of Spain Pelayo, the Saviour of Spain Orreaga Santiago The Tribute of the Hundred Maidens “A Toledan Night” The Jaun Zuria Cycle
Jaun Zuria - The Golden-haired Lord The Death of Lekobide The Death of Munso López The Goat-foot Lady Guifré the Hairy and Charles the Bald
The Maimed Maidens of Simancas
Ramiro and AldonzaThe Cycle of the Counts of Castile
Historical Background Fernán González, First Sovereign Count of Castile Garcí Fernández and the Traitor Countess The Traitor Countess and her Son “Widowed Before She Was Wed” The Seven Princes of Lara (or Salas)
Almanzor
The Cave of the SleepersLate Middle Ages (12-16th centuries)
El Cid The Burnt Hand Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz Santo Domingo de la Calzada San Andrés de Teixido The Vow of Muño Sancho María Pérez the Manly The Lagarto of La Malena The Lagarto of Seville The Lovers of Teruel Diego Machacha and the Unforgiven Offence Tentudía The Valour of Garcí Pérez Three Miracles of Our Lady The Chest of Relics and the Chasuble of San Ildefonso Guzmán the Good – of the Heroic Deed of Tarifa Pedro the Cruel and Enrique the Bastard The Bridge of San Martín “He who would eat the kernel ...” La Torre de la Malmuerta – The Tower of the Wrongful Death Two Alcaides of Antequera La Peña de los Enamorados – Lovers Peak The Marriage Bond of the Lovers of Antequera El Paso Honroso – The Pass of Honour The Pass of the Sigh of the Moor The Man Without a Shadow Modern Times
La Calle de la Cabeza – The Street of the Head La Casa del Duende – The House of the Devil The Holy Companion The Watch of King Juan Carlos “Preparado” Carreño Timeless Tales
Leokadi The Aqueduct of Segovia The Bridges at Soravilla and Oiartzun The Black Lake The Fire of Mafasca The Postman from Purgatory La Virgen de los Alfileritos – The Virgin of the Pins The Hand and the Key of the Alhambra “Between Pinto and Valdemoro” Ballads
Gerineldo Count Olinos The Lover and Death The Lover and the Corpse
Reviews
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