La gitanilla

La gitanilla (The Little Gypsy Girl) is the first novella contained in Miguel de Cervantes' collection of short stories, the Novelas ejemplares (The Exemplary Novels).

La gitanilla is the story of a 15 year old gypsy girl named Preciosa, who is said to be talented, extremely beautiful, and wise beyond her years. Accompanied by her adoptive grandmother & other members of her gypsy family group, Preciosa travels to Madrid, where she meets a charming nobleman, named Juan de Carcome. Juan proposes to Preciosa, only to be challenged to spend two years as a member of Preciosa’s gypsy family group, under the alias of Andres Caballero. During these adventurous two years, much is learned by the main characters and of the main characters, resulting in an unexpected happy ending. The main themes of the story include the making & breaking of stereotypes, female power & freedom, the importance of word, and the so-called truth behind the mystery of gypsy life.

Plot summary

Preciosa is a 15 year old gypsy girl who was raised by an old gypsy woman who calls herself Preciosa's grandmother. Preciosa grew up with her gypsy family group in Sevilla, Spain. The gypsies travel to Madrid where Preciosa makes her debut in a festival for the patron saint of the city, Saint Anna, where Preciosa is able to sing and dance for the public. She immediately attracts a great following as she is recognized as a wonderful performer, a great beauty, and a kind soul. On her second visit to Madrid, a lieutenant of the city stops to listen to Preciosa perform in the Calle de Toledo, and although he does not stay to listen to the entire performance, he sends a page to ask the gypsies to come to his house that night and perform for his wife, Doña Clara. Preciosa's grandmother agrees to perform for the lieutenant and his wife. After the performance another page approaches Preciosa with a petition to perform his poems, giving her a folder paper containing one of his romances for her to perform. Preciosa agrees and makes a deal to pay for his poems by the dozen, to the satisfaction of the page.

While the gypsies are on the way to the lieutenant's house, they stop when beckoned from a window by a gentleman. They are invited to perform for a group of gentlemen, much to the dismay of Cristina, a fellow gypsy maiden wary of spending much time with a large group of men. Preciosa convinces Cristina that there is nothing to fear, and the group of gypsies decide to perform for the group of gentlemen. One of the gentlemen sees the paper in Preciosa's hand and grabs it, sees that it has a coin for Preciosa within, and begins to read the poem, as prompted by Preciosa to do so. Preciosa critiques the poem and when questioned as to how she knows so much, she insists that she needs no teacher as the life of a gypsy is teacher enough to ensure that every gypsy is wise to the ways of the world at a young age.

The gypsy caravan then moved on to the lieutenant's home to perform for Doña Clara. Doña Clara was so excited to see Preciosa perform that she invited other ladies to come over and watch the performance with her. The ladies all fawn over Preciosa and ask to hear their fortunes told, but none among them could find any money to give. Only one among them is able to produce a silver thimble as payment for Doña Clara's and her own fortunes to be told. Preciosa has only enough time to recite Doña Clara's fortune by the time the lieutenant arrives home but promises to return the next Friday.

The next morning, on their way back to Madrid, the gypsies meet a handsome young gentleman who asks to speak Preciosa and her grandmother in private. The young gentleman reveals himself to be a knight and explains that he has become enamoured by Preciosa's beauty and talent, wishes to serve her as she wishes, and make her a lady of the court. The young knight presents the two of them with a large sum of money, as a means of proving what he can provide as a future husband to Preciosa. Preciosa insists on answering the gentleman for herself, asserting that her virtue cannot be swayed by money, promises, or schemes. She agrees to become his wife if only he agrees to her conditions: he must prove that he is who he claims to be, he must leave the comfort of his father's home, and he must live for two years as a gypsy, giving him time to awaken from the illusions of first love and learn about the woman he is so eager to marry. The young man agrees to these conditions as he has already promised to give Preciosa's what she wishes, however he makes a condition of his own, that Preciosa does not return to Madrid in order to avoid any harm that could come of it. Preciosa refuses to follow this condition, affirming her independence and asking that the young man trust her. They agreed that they should return to the same place in eight days, in which time Preciosa could verify his identity and the gentleman could arrange his affairs. The grandmother accepts the young man's offering with a great many arguments to Preciosa for why they should keep the money. The gentleman then pays the other gypsies for their time, after which the gypsies decide that the young man's gypsy name will be Andrés Caballero, and all continue on their travels to Madrid.

Once in Madrid, Preciosa is again approached by the page who wrote the romance for her, ready to offer another poem. The two discuss the position of "poet" and the art of poetry, and rest on the conclusion that the page is not a poet but rather a lover of poetry, and that he is neither rich nor poor, but rather comfortable enough financially to be able to spare a coin or two. Preciosa refuses to keep the poem until the page agrees to take back his money, which he does. The two part ways and Preciosa continues on her journey through the city to find the house of Andrés and his father.

Down the street, Preciosa finds the house and is invited up by an old man discovered to be the father of Andrés. Andrés is with his father and a few other men, who rave of Preciosa's fame. Preciosa learns that Andrés is really Don Juan, or Don Juanico as called by his father.

In a moment of anagnorisis, it is revealed that Preciosa is the daughter of nobility, the magistrate, Don Fernando de Acevedo, knight of the order of Calatrava, and his wife, Doña Guiomar de Menesis. Preciosa's grandmother kidnapped Preciosa as a young child and raised her as her own granddaughter.

Main characters

• Preciosa (Doña Constanza de Azevedo y de Meneses)

Preciosa is a 15 year old gypsy girl who is described as being a unique dancer, beautiful, polite and reasonable, and honest. Cristina, Preciosa's close friend, claimed that Preciosa is wiser than a wise man. According to the story (and to the people of Madrid) Preciosa was outstanding in all her endeavors. She was so impressive that all would run to see her. Preciosa is presented as an upstanding member of her community and an exception to the stereotypes of gypsies at the time. However, the paradox appears that the best of the gypsies (the most beautiful, talented, and virtuous as claimed in the story) is in fact no gypsy at all, as Preciosa is revealed to be the noble daughter of Don Fernando de Acevedo and Doña Guiomar de Meneses.

• The grandmother of Preciosa
• Don Juan de Cárcamo (Andrés Caballero)
• Clemente (Page)

Clemente is a devoted lover of poetry and a friend of Andrés. Andrés becomes jealous of Clemente as he sees that Preciosa begins spending a lot of time with Clemente, however, Clemente is just interested in writing poems for Preciosa to perform, as she is a notable entertainer.

• The family of Juan
  • Don Francisco de Cárcamo
    
• The biological family of Preciosa
  • Preciosa's biological father is revealed to be the magistrate, Don Fernando de Acevedo, knight of the order of Calatrava, and her biological mother is Doña Guiomar de Menesis.

Major themes

• Stereotypes
• Female Liberation & Power
• Importance of Words
• Truth vs. Deception
• Gypsy Life

See also

• La gitanilla, film adaptation of 1940.