Folktales from Spain:
I studied 2 years of Spanish in high school some 20 years ago, but have forgotten much of what I learned after graduation. I picked up the language in earnest again during the COVID pandemic, having found some free time in my would-have-been commute hours now that I am working from home. Starting in June 2020, I began reading Spanish folktales from Cuentos Populares Españoles edited by José María Guelbenzu, recording and learning unknown/unfamiliar Spanish words as I went along. Then in September 2021, I decided to translate these stories into English as a way to document my progress. As I was on story #71 at that time, this was where I began my (casual) translation work. I plan to eventually go back and translate stories #1 to #70 once I’m through with the latter stories.
I use Google Translate and DeepL Translate as a first pass of translation to help me understand the nuisances of the language and as a check on whether my understanding is correct. If I cannot do better than the machine translation, I will keep it as is. If the machine translation is incorrect, or does not flow well, then I will make manual adjustments based on my interpretation. All in all, these stories represent my best initial effort, and they may be updated at a later date. If you see anything that can be improved, please feel free to leave a comment or get in touch with me.
001. (La Misa De Las Ánimas) The Mass For The Souls
002. (El Hombre Del Saco) The Bogeyman
004. (Los Siete Conejos Blancos) The Seven White Rabbits
005. (Los Ladrones Arrepentidos) The Repentant Thieves
006. (La Niña De Los Tres Maridos) The Girl With Three Husbands
007. (El Alfiletero De La Anjana) The Anjana’s Pincushion
008. (Periquillo) Little Asparagus
009. (La Flor Del Cantueso) The Lavender Flower
010. (El Príncipe Tomás) Prince Thomas
011. (Los Dos Jorobados) The Two Hunchbacks
012. (Last Tres Naranjitas) The Three Little Oranges
013. (Juan Bobo) Juan The Fool
014. (El Agua Amarilla) The Yellow Water
015. (La Calandria Salvadora) The Savior Calandra Lark
016. (La Muñeca De Dulce) The Sweet Doll
017. (El Castillo De Irás Y No Volverás) The Castle Of No Return
018. (La Tira De Piel) The Strip of Skin
019. (El Conde Abel Y La Princesa) The Count Abel And The Princess
020. (El Alma Del Cura) The Priest’s Soul
021. (La Princesa Enchantada) The Enchanted Princess
023. (El Cabrito Negro) The Black Kid Goat
024. (El Cuarto Prohibido) The Forbidden Room
025. (La Novia Del Ladrón) The Thief’s Bride
027. (Las Tres Hilanderas) The Three Spinstresses
028. (El Gato Con Botas) Puss In Boots
029. (La Hija Enterrada) The Buried Daughter
030. (Perico El Mago) Perico The Wizard
031. (Juan Sin Miedo) Fearless Juan
032. (Las Mantecas del Rey Hijón) King Hijón’s Fats
033. (El Enano Y El Gigante) The Dwarf And The Giant
034. (Las Tres Manzanitas De Oro) The Three Little Golden Apples
035. (Juan Soldado) Juan The Soldier
036. (El Pobre Avaricioso) The Greedy Pauper
037. (La Zapatilla De Oro) The Golden Slipper
038. (El Peral De La Tía Miseria) The Pear Tree of Aunt Misery
039. (El Joven Que Vendió Su Alma Al Diablo) The Young Man Who Sold His Soul To The Devil
040. (La Novia Rana) The Frog Girlfriend
041. (Los Animales Músicos) The Musical Animals
042. (La Princesa Dormida) The Sleeping Princess
043. (La Joven María Y El Príncipe Lagarto) Young Maria And The Lizard Prince
044. (El Herrero Jugador) The Gambling Blacksmith
045. (El León Y Angelina) The Lion and Angelina
047. (Los Tres Pelos Del Diablo) The Three Hairs of the Devil
048. (Juan De Calaís) Juan Of Calaís
049. (Los Tres Leones) The Three Lions
050. (La Mariposita) The Little Butterfly
051. (Bellaflor) Bellaflor, or Beautiful Flower
052. (La Estatua De Mármol) The Marble Statue
053. (Piedra de Dolor Y Cuchillo de Amor) Stone Of Pain And Knife Of Love
055. (El Pájaro De Los Diamantes) The Bird Of Diamonds
056. (El Enano Y El Pastor) The Dwarf And The Shepherd
057. (El Califa, El Pastor Y La Felicidad) The Caliph, The Shepherd And Happiness
058. (Los Tres Prendas De Pedro) The Three Gifts of Peter (Pedro)
059. (Los Tres Consejos) The Three Pieces of Advice
060. (La Gaita Que Hacía Bailar A Todos) The Bagpipe That Made Everyone Dance
061. (El Tambor De Piel De Piojo) The Louse-Skin Drum
062. (La Asadura Del Muerto) The Dead Man’s Organs
063. (La Ahijada De San Pedro) The Goddaughter of Saint Peter
064. (El Pequeño Corzo) The Little Roebuck
065. (El Carbonero Y La Muerte) The Coal Miner and Death
066. (La Barretina Verde) The Green Barretina
067. (El Gallo Y El Carámbano) The Rooster And The Icicle
068. (La Hornera Malvada) The Evil Baker
069. (El Heredero De La Corona) The Heir To The Crown
070. (La Sangre Más Pura) The Purest Blood
071. (Una Apuesta Con El Diablo) A Bet With The Devil
072. (Los Carboneros En El Palacio) Colliers In The Palace
073. (Los Siete Rebecos) The Seven Chamois
074. (El Hijo Perdido) The Lost Son
075. (La Selva Encantada) The Enchanted Forest
076. (El Manto De Oro) The Golden Cloak
077. (La Casita De Azúcar) The Little House of Sugar
078. (La Metamorfosis) Metamorphosis (e.g. Transformation)
079. (La Peregrinita) The Young Pilgrim
080. (El Tonto De Coria) The Fool Of Coria
081. (Juan El Oso) Juan The Bear
082. (María Manos Blancas) Maria [with] White Hands
083. (Las Mentiras Más Gordas) The Fattest Lies
084. (El Amezketano Y El Madrileño) The Amezketano and The Madrileño
085. (El Castillo De Las Siete Torres) The Castle With Seven Towers
086. (El Anillo De ‘Por Aquí’) The Ring of ‘Right Here’
088. (Estrellita De Oro) The Golden Little Star
089. (Las Verdades Del Barquero) Truths of the Boatman
090. (La Flor Del Sicomoro) The Sycamore Flower
091. (El Cuélebre Y El Pastor) The Cuélebre and the Shepherd
092. (La Vela De La Vida) The Candle of Life
093. (Los Tres Hermanos) The Three Brothers
094. (El Demonio Ayuda Al Casero) The Demon Helps The Sharecropper
095. (La Serpiente De Siete Cabezas Y Siete Colas) The Serpent with Seven Heads and Seven Tails
096. (El General Afilado) The Sharpening General
097. (La Niña De Los Cabellos De Oro) The Girl with Golden Hair
098. (Noticias del Cielo) News From Heaven
099. (Los Tres Amigos) The Three Friends
100. (Seis Amigos de Novedades) Six Friends With Superhero Powers
101. (La Posada Encantada) The Cursed Inn
102. (El Juicio del Demonio) The Devil’s Court Case
103. (El Gallego y El Caballo del Rey) The Galician and The King’s Horse
104. (Los Hermanos Bandidos) The Bandit Brothers
105. (El Sastre y El Zapatero) The Tailor And The Cobbler
106. (Los Prestamistas No Tienen Alma) Moneylenders Have No Souls
107. (El Amigo de La Muerte) Death’s Friend
108. (La Bola De Oro) The Golden Ball
109. (Las Tres Cerditas) The Three Piglets
110. (Los Tres Hermanastros) The Three Stepbrothers
111. (La Muchacha Embustera) The Lying Girl
112. (El Lobo Cree Que La Luna Es Queso) The Wolf Who Thinks The Moon Is A Wheel Of Cheese
113. (Juan y Medio) Juan And Half
114. (El Príncipe Dragón) The Dragon Prince
115. (El Cocinero Del Rey) The King’s Chef
116. (El Viejo Se Hace Niño) The Old Man Pretending To Be A Child
117. (La Niña Sin Brazos) The Girl Without Arms
—– THE END —–