lxxxiii, 282 pages 23 cm

A scholarly collection of Mexican tales that still thrive in oral literature and in fiestas, which combine legend, dance, ritual, carnival, and drama. The great and central fact of Mexican folklore is the Spanish-Indian synthesis. The concentrated period of Spanish conquest (1519-21) led immediately into racial and cultural confluence, heralded by the Aztec identification of Cortes with the white god Quetzalcoatl and aided by Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries sympathetic to the natives

Includes bibliographical references (pages 249-255)

Legendary narratives. The world -- The dog that loved to hunt armadillos -- Kondoy -- Tamácasti -- The Pujpatzá -- The man who escaped from the bathhouse -- Horse's hooves and chicken feet -- The witch mother-in-law -- The witch wife -- The pig-man -- The phantom children -- Little Saint Michael -- Elves -- Mal de Ojo -- ¡Qué Veo! -- Quevedo and the king -- Your reward is up above -- Don José and the water vendor -- Don José and the peddler -- Don Bartolo -- Arnulfo and the law -- Arnulfo collects a crowd -- The mayor of San Fernando

Animal tales. The rabbit and the fox -- Good is repaid with evil -- The rabbit and the coyote -- The lot of all asses -- A rude retort

Ordinary folktales. Juan Oso -- Blancaflor -- The little guava -- The four sisters -- The bad negress -- The greenish bird -- The horse of seven colors -- The poor woodcutter -- The louse skin -- The priest who had one small glimpse of glory -- Christ is the better smith -- The hard-hearted son -- The flower of Lily-Lo -- The three shining stones -- The five counsels -- The three questions -- Ixte'que (the thief) -- The tailor who sold his soul to the devil

Jokes and anecdotes. The drovers who lost their feet -- El Achichinque -- The man who was full of truth -- The miraculous mesquite -- The mourning fee -- The widow's cat -- Who spittled? -- Pedro de Urdemalas and the gringo -- Pedro de Urdemalas and the gringo -- Pedro de Urdemalas and the house with strange names -- Pedro de Urdemalas and the house with strange names -- Pedro de Urdemalas and the priest -- Pedro de Urdemalas, schoolmaster -- The sham wise man -- Laziness rewarded -- The two psychiatrists -- All's for the best -- The rider in the brambles -- The stake in the graveyard -- The fool and his brother -- Thank god it wasn't a peso -- The stupid drover -- The rosary of Amozoc -- God gives a hundred for one -- All priests go to hell -- I can't hear a thing -- The big Christ and the little Christ -- On Holy Week -- The miracle of San Pedro Piedra Gorda -- The sermon on the arrest of Jesus -- The famous sermon -- A current story

Formula tales. The nanny goat -- The ram in the chile patch -- Pérez the mouse -- Pérez the mouse -- The little ant -- Talking animals -- Round

plus-circle Add Review

comment

Reviews