I have made an earnest endeavour to provide English readers with a conspectus of Spanish romantic literature as expressed in its cantares de gesta, its chivalric novels, its romanceros or ballads, and some of its lighter aspects. The reader will find full accounts and summaries of all the more important works under each of these heads, many of which have never before been described in English. If the perusal of this book leads to the more general study of the noble and useful Castilian tongue on the part of but a handful of those who read it, its making will have been justified. The real brilliance and beauty of these tales lie behind the curtains of a language unknown to most British people, and can only be liberated by the spell of study. This book contains merely the poor shadows and reflected wonders of screened and hidden marvels. L. S. Edinburgh June 1920 CONTENTS Chapter Page I The Sources of Spanish Romance 11 II The "Cantares de Gesta" and the "Poema del Cid" 48 III "Amadis de Gaul" 90 IV The Sequels to "Amadis de Gaul" 139 V The Palmerin Romances 169 VI Catalonian Romances 187 VII Roderic, Last of the Goths 201 VIII "Calaynos the Moor," "Gayferos," and "Count Alarcos" 213 IX The Romanceros, or Ballads 222 X The Romanceros, or Ballads--continued 245 XI Moorish Romances of Spain 263 XII Tales of Spanish Magic and Sorcery 333 XIII Humorous Romances of Spain 351 Bibliography 407 CHAPTER I: THE SOURCES OF SPANISH ROMANCE Romance, Romance, the songs of France, The gestes of fair Britaine, The legends of the sword and lance That grew in Alemaine, Pale at thy rich inheritance, Thou splendour of old Spain! Anon.