Lazarillo de Tormes
The first picaresque novel: a boy survives by tricking a series of masters. Under a hundred pages, very funny, with old Spanish worth a glossary.
What it's about
Lázaro, a poor boy from Salamanca, tells the story of his life in the form of a letter. His mother gives him to a blind beggar as a guide, and the boy learns to survive by tricking his cruel master, for example by stealing wine through a straw. He then serves a stingy priest who almost starves him, and a proud squire who pretends to be rich but has nothing to eat. Each master teaches him something about hunger and hypocrisy. Published anonymously in 1554, it is the first picaresque novel and one of the shortest classics in Spanish.
Resumen en español fácil
Tap any underlined word for its meaning
Lázaro es un niño pobre de Salamanca. Su madre lo deja con un ciego para que sea su guía. El ciego es muy cruel, y Lázaro aprende a engañarlo para poder comer. Después trabaja para un cura que casi no le da comida y para un escudero que finge ser rico. Con cada amo Lázaro aprende algo nuevo sobre la vida.
Main characters
- Lázaro (Lazarillo) — the narrator, a poor boy who survives by his wits
- The blind man — his first master, cruel and clever
- The priest of Maqueda — a stingy master who keeps bread locked in a chest
- The squire — a nobleman who is proud but completely poor
How to read it in Spanish
Short (around 60 pages) but in 16th-century Spanish. Use a modern edition with notes, or an adapted version first; the stories are funny enough to keep you going.
Where to read it
The book is in the public domain: read it free and legally on Project Gutenberg or the Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes.
