Count Lucanor: Or the Fifty Pleasant Stories of Patronio

Juan Manuel Infante of Castile

• Publisher: Bonhopai Books
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781779794277
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: French History
• Index: History

Count Lucanor: Or, The Fifty Pleasant Stories of Patronio by Juan Manuel, Prince of Castile is one of the great treasures of medieval Spanish literature — a brilliant collection of moral tales that stands at the crossroads of storytelling, philosophy, and early humanism. Written around 1335, this elegant compilation of fables and exempla blends the wisdom of the East and the chivalric culture of the West, offering a mirror of life, character, and virtue that remains strikingly modern in its insight.

Presented as a dialogue between the wise counselor Patronio and his noble master Count Lucanor, each story begins with a dilemma posed by the Count and concludes with Patronio's parable-like advice. The lessons range from cunning and prudence to loyalty, humility, and the pursuit of honor. Drawn from Arabic, classical, and Christian sources, these tales reflect a world where morality is learned through narrative — where experience, wit, and wisdom meet.

 What distinguishes Count Lucanor is not merely its moral instruction but its literary artistry. Juan Manuel's prose is concise, elegant, and purposeful, laying the foundation for Spanish narrative style centuries before Cervantes. His blend of entertainment and ethical reflection makes the collection a direct ancestor of The Canterbury Tales and The Decameron, as well as a cornerstone of Iberian and world literature. 

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• PREFACE.
• ILLUSTRATIONS.
• THE PROLOGUE.
• CHAPTER I.—Relates to what happened to a Moorish king of Cordova.
• CHAPTER II.—Treats of that which happened to Lorenzo Suarez Gallinato, and Garciperez of Vargas, and another knight.
• CHAPTER III.—Treats of that which happened to Don Rodrigo el Franco and his knights.
• CHAPTER IV.—Of a Hermit who fought to know whom he should have for his companion in Paradise, and of the leap made by King Richard of England.
• CHAPTER V.—Of that which happened to the Emperor Frederick and Don Alvar Fañez, with their wives.
• CHAPTER VI.—Of that which happened to the Count of Provence and Saladin the Sultan of Babylon.
• CHAPTER VII.—Of that which happened to a King and three Impostors.
• CHAPTER VIII.—What happened to a King with a man who called himself an Alchymist.
• CHAPTER IX.—Of that which happened to two Cavaliers who were in the service of the Infant Prince Henry.
• CHAPTER X.—Concerning what happened to a Seneschal, of Carcasona.
• CHAPTER XI.—Of that which happened to a Moor who had a Sister pretending to be alarmed at any ordinary occurrence.
• CHAPTER XII.—Of that which happened to a Dean of Santiago, with Don Illan, the Magician, who lived at Toledo.
• CHAPTER XIII.—What happened to King Ben Abit, of Seville, with Queen Romaquia his wife.
• CHAPTER XIV.—Concerning what happened to a Lombardian in Bologna.
• CHAPTER XV.—What Count Fernan Gonzales said to Nuño Lainez.
• CHAPTER XVI.—Of what happened to Don Rodrigo Melendez de Valdez.
• CHAPTER XVII.—Concerning that which happened to a great Philosopher and a young King, his Pupil.
• CHAPTER XVIII.—Relates what happened to a Moorish King, who had three Sons, and who desired to know which would become the best Man.
• CHAPTER XIX.—Of that which happened, to the Canons of the Cathedral Church of Paris, and to the Friars of Saint Francis, called Minors.
• CHAPTER XX.—Of that which happened to a Falcon and a Heron, and, more particularly, to a cunning Falcon, which belonged to the Infant Don Manuel.
• CHAPTER XXI.—Recounts what happened to Count Ferran Gonzalez, and the Reply which he gave to his Vassals.
• CHAPTER XXII.—Of that which happened to a King and his Favourite.
• CHAPTER XXIII.—What happened to a good Man and his Son, leading a beast to market.
• CHAPTER XXIV.—Of what a Genovese said to his soul when about to die.
• CHAPTER XXV.—What happened to the Crow, with the Fox.
• CHAPTER XXVI.—What happened to the Swallow, with the other birds, when he saw the flax sown.
• CHAPTER XXVII.—Relates what happened to a Man who carried a very precious Treasure hung round his neck, and who had to pass a River.
• CHAPTER XXVIII.—Of what happened to a woman called Truhana.
• CHAPTER XXIX.—Of that which happened to a Man who was suffering from a malady and whose liver had to be cleansed.
• CHAPTER XXX.—Of what happened to a man who through poverty and lack of other food, was reduced to eat some peas.
• CHAPTER XXXI.—What happened to a Cock and a Fox.
• CHAPTER XXXII.—What happened to a Man catching Partridges.
• CHAPTER XXXIII.—Relates to what happened to a Man with his Friend who had invited him to dinner.
• CHAPTER XXXIV.—What happened to the Owls and the Crows.
• CHAPTER XXXV.—The advice which Patronio gave to Count Lucanor, when he said he wished to enjoy himself, illustrated by the example of that which happened to the Ants.
• CHAPTER XXXVI.—Of that which happened to a good Man and his Son, who boasted of having many Friends.
• CHAPTER XXXVII.—Relates to what happened to the Lion and the Bull.
• CHAPTER XXXVIII.—Relates to the advice which Patronio gave to Count Lucanor; when he expressed a desire to obtain a good reputation; and the example was what happened to a Philosopher who was suffering from a severe illness.
• CHAPTER XXXIX.—Of what happened to a man who was made Governor of a large territory.
• NOTES.
• CHAPTER XL.—Of that which happened to Good and Evil, illustrated by what occurred to a Man with a Madman.
• CHAPTER XLI.—Of the association between Truth and Falsehood.
• CHAPTER XLII.—Of what happened to a Fox who pretended to be dead.
• CHAPTER XLIII.—What happened to two blind Men travelling together.
• CHAPTER XLIV.—Of what happened to a young Man on his Wedding Day.
• CHAPTER XLV.—Of what happened to a Merchant who went to buy Brains.
• CHAPTER XLVI.—What happened to a Man with a grey Sand-piper and a Swallow.
• CHAPTER XLVII.—What happened to the Devil, with a Woman who went on a Pilgrimage.
• CHAPTER XLVIII.—The advice which Patronio gave to Count Lucanor when informed that a Man had offered to teach him the art of foretelling coming events, which he exemplified by what happened to a good man, who became first rich and afterwards poor, by the intervention of the Devil.
• CHAPTER XLIX.—What happened to Don Lorenzo Xuares Gallinato, when he beheaded the renegade Priest.
• CHAPTER L.—Concerning that which happened to Saladin and a Lady, wife of a Knight in his service.