Portugal's First Book of Short Stories: A Complete Translation of the Classic Portuguese Tales of Gonçalo Fernandes Trancoso (Myths, Legends and Stories from Portugal) - Softcover

Trancoso, Gonçalo Fernandes

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798190249347

Publisher: Independently published, 2026

Synopsis

The first great collection of Portuguese short stories - available in English for the first time.

Long before the Brothers Grimm, before Don Quixote, and nearly a century after Boccaccio's Decameron, Gonçalo Fernandes Trancoso gathered a remarkable collection of stories that entertained, instructed, and reflected the values of Renaissance Portugal.

Originally published in 1575 as Contos e Histórias de Proveito e Exemplo, these tales became one of the most influential works of early Portuguese literature. Filled with clever tricksters, wise judges, merchants, kings, noblewomen, rogues, and ordinary people caught in extraordinary situations, they combine wit, irony, humor, and moral reflection in a way that has captivated readers for centuries.

More than simple moral tales, Trancoso's stories offer a vivid portrait of sixteenth-century Portugal and Spain - its customs, beliefs, justice, commerce, family life, and enduring sense of human nature. Many of their themes remain surprisingly familiar today: greed and generosity, deception and honesty, pride and humility, fortune and misfortune.

This volume presents the complete English translation of Trancoso's classic collection, making one of the foundational works of Portuguese literature accessible to modern readers for the first time. Whether you are interested in Renaissance literature, European folklore, the history of the short story, or Portugal's literary heritage, these timeless narratives provide a fascinating glimpse into the origins of one of Europe's richest storytelling traditions.

This edition includes:

• The complete collection of Trancoso's tales
• A faithful and readable modern English translation
• An opportunity to discover one of the hidden classics of Renaissance Europe

Ideal for readers of Boccaccio, Chaucer, Cervantes, The Arabian Nights, medieval literature, Renaissance history, folklore, and classic storytelling.

Edition details

• Publisher: Independently published
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798190249347
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 367
• Editor: Carvalho Abrantes Miguel