Three Exemplary Novels/Tres Novelas Ejemplares

Book excerpt: From the creator of Don Quixote, the most famous figure in Spanish literature, comes this trio of popular novellas: "La gitanilla," a gypsy romance; "El coloquio de los perros," a lively dialogue between two dogs; and "Rinconete y Cortadillo," a day in the underworld of eighteenth-century Seville. Written in the baroque language of Cervantes' era, these works are not easily read in the original Spanish. This new English translation presents as complete and literal an interpretation as possible. The dual-language format offers students and teachers an excellent tool for reading and comprehending the obsolete and semantically altered terms of the past. It also fosters a fresh appreciation of the author's story construction and wordplay. Editor Stanley Appelbaum guides the reader with an informative Introduction and helpful notes throughout the text.