The Zincali: An Account of the Gypsies of SpainBorrow, George
History
The Zincali: An Account of the Gypsies of Spain
Borrow, George
Romanies -- Languages; Romanies -- Spain
_Gypsy Hag_.—‘We know of no law, and little of the Cales themselves.
Ours is the only Calo family in Tarifa, and we never left it in our
lives, except occasionally to go on the smuggling lay to Gibraltar. True
it is that the Cales, when they visit Tarifa, put up at our house,
sometimes to our cost. There was one Rafael, son of the rich Fruto of
Cordova, here last summer, to buy up horses, and he departed a baria and
a half in our debt; however, I do not grudge it him, for he is a handsome
and clever Chabó—a fellow of many capacities. There was more than one
Busno had cause to rue his coming to Tarifa.’
_Myself_.—‘Do you live on good terms with the Busné of Tarifa?’
_Gypsy Hag_.—‘Brother, we live on the best terms with the Busné of
Tarifa; especially with the errays. The first people in Tarifa come to
this house, to have their baji told by the cripple in the chair and by
myself. I know not how it is, but we are more considered by the grandees
than the poor, who hate and loathe us. When my first and only infant
died, for I have been married, the child of one of the principal people
was put to me to nurse, but I hated it for its white blood, as you may
well believe. It never throve, for I did it a private mischief, and
though it grew up and is now a youth, it is—mad.’
_Myself_.—‘With whom will your brother’s children marry? You say there
are no Gypsies here.’
_Gypsy Hag_.—‘Ay de mi, hermano! It is that which grieves me. I would
rather see them sold to the Moors than married to the Busné. When Rafael
was here he wished to persuade the chumajarri to accompany him to
Cordova, and promised to provide for him, and to find him a wife among
the Callees of that town; but the faint heart would not, though I myself
begged him to comply. As for the curtidor (tanner), he goes every night
to the house of a Busnee; and once, when I reproached him with it, he
threatened to marry her. I intend to take my knife, and to wait behind
the door in the dark, and when she comes out to gash her over the eyes.
I trow he will have little desire to wed with her then.’
_Myself_.—‘Do many Busné from the country put up at this house?’
_Gypsy Hag_.—‘Not so many as formerly, brother; the labourers from the
Campo say that we are all thieves; and that it is impossible for any one
but a Calo to enter this house without having the shirt stripped from his
back. They go to the houses of their acquaintance in the town, for they
fear to enter these doors. I scarcely know why, for my brother is the
veriest fool in Tarifa. Were it not for his face, I should say that he
is no Chabó, for he cannot speak, and permits every chance to slip
through his fingers. Many a good mule and borrico have gone out of the
stable below, which he might have secured, had he but tongue enough to
have cozened the owners. But he is a fool, as I said before; he cannot
speak, and is no Chabó.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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