CONTENTS.

PAGE
Introduction[xi]
My Cid pledges two Coffres full of Sand to theJews Rachel and Vidas—Twelfth Century[1]
The Cowardice of the Infantes of Carrion when theLion breaks loose—Thirteenth Century[4]
The Cat turned Nun—Fourteenth Century[8]
The Madman in the Bath—Don Juan Manuel[10]
The Naked King—Don Juan Manuel[10]
“Not even the Day of the Mud?”—Don Juan Manuel[16]
The Taming of the Shrew—Don Juan Manuel[18]
A Long Tale—Fifteenth Century[22]
Electio Nulla Debet Esse in Malis—Fifteenth Century[23]
The Biter Bit—Fifteenth Century[23]
Calisto is smitten with Melibea’s Charms—Rodrigo Cota[26]
Love and Death[31]
The Eaten Pancake—Lope de Rueda[33]
The Fair Celibate—Gil Vicente[36]
“The Table-Book and Travellers’ Joy”—
The Rustic and the Lackeys[38]
The Contrary Wife[40]
An Affectionate Wife[42]
Chastise with Good Words[42]
The Accommodating Farmer[44]
The Accommodating Lord[44]
Diamond Cut Diamond[44]
The Best Hour to Dine[45]
The Best Wife in the World[45]
A Pious Wish[45]
“The Book of Jokes”—Travellers’ Tales[54]
Tales of Rogues—
Lazaro declareth whose Son he was—Hurtado deMendoza[57]
How Lazaro serves a Blind Man—Hurtado de Mendoza[58]
Lazaro is Servant to a Priest—Hurtado de Mendoza[60]
A Tailor would fain learn of Guzman to writehis Name, or to make Firma, or Mark, and the Reason why—Mateo Aleman[70]
Episode of the Officious Physician—Mateo Aleman[71]
Of the Pleasant Life Guzman led among hisBrethren, and an Account of his Visit to Gatea—Mateo Aleman[72]
Of the Wicked Old Housekeeper, and the firstknavish pranks Paul played at Alcala—Quevedo[79]
Estebanillo acts on the Cardinal’s Birthday!—EstebanilloGonzalez[86]
The Ingenious Gentleman, Don Quixote of La Mancha—MiguelCervantes[90]
The Lovers’ Ruse—Lope de Vega[128]
Aunts—Jacinto Polo[131]
The Miser Chastised—Doña Maria de Zayas[132]
The Market of Ancestors—Velez de Guevara[139]
Vision of the Last Judgment—Gomez de Quevedo[141]
The Revenge of Don Lucas—Francesco Rojas de Zorrilla[155]
The Mayor of Zalamea—Calderon de la Barca[160]
The Simple Grooms—Santos[178]
Portuguese Epitaphs and Sayings—Seventeenth Century[180]
La Tarasca and the Carriers—Santos[181]
Pedigree of Fools—Seventeenth Century[183]
The Famous Preacher, Friar Blas[184]
The Musical Ass—Yriarte[187]
The Bashful Shepherdess—Iglesias[189]
The Bear, the Ape, and the Pig—Yriarte[189]
The Frog and the Hen—Yriarte[190]
Mariquita the Bald—Juan Eugenio Hartzenbusch[191]
Pulpete and Balbeja; or, an Andalusian Duel—EstébanezCalderón[207]
Seville—José Zorrilla[213]
After the Bull-Fight—Mesonero Romanos[213]
Delights of a Madrid Winter—Wenceslao Ayguals de Izco[216]
In the Earlier Days of Photography—M. Ossorio yBernard[218]
The Old Castilian—Mariano José de Larra[221]
A Demagogic Journalist—Antonio Maria Segovia[233]
A Cat Chase during the Siege of Gerona—Perez Galdos[238]
A Well-won Dish of Cherries—Perez Galdos[242]
First Love—Emilia Pardo Bazan[246]
The Account Book—Pedro Antonio de Alarcon[254]
Sister Saint Sulpice—A. Palacio Valdés[261]
Pepita—Juan Valera[275]
If She could only Write—Campoamor[288]
Doctor Pertinax—Leopoldo Alas[291]
A Few Thoughts on Light—José Selgas[300]
Epigrams[302]
Folk-Tales[305]
Miracles of St. Isidro, Patron-Saint of Madrid[309]
The Wedding-Night[313]
Father Cobos’ Hint—Juan Martinez Villergas[316]
Popular Songs[318]
Proverbs[321]
Anecdotes[325]
Eccentricities of Englishmen—A. Ribot y Fontserré[329]
Newspaper Humour[332]
Humorous Advertisements[338]
At the Theatre[341]
Notes—Critical and Biographical[345]