THE SCENE: For a 16th century peasant, life could be brutal. The story below is a tragedy in miniature, where a young mother steals from her employer to support her new child. Her situation promptly spins out of control, finally culminating in selling her elder child (the narrator) to a blind beggar.
THE TEXT: On looking into the matter he found that half the corn he gave out for and living on the horses was stolen, also that the fuel, aprons, pillions, horse-cloths, and blankets were missing, and that when nothing else was left, the horse-shoes were taken. With all this my mother was helped to bring up the child. All I have related was proved, because they cross-questioned me with threats, and being a child, I answered and let out all I knew from fear, down to certain horse-shoes which, by my mother’s order, I sold to a blacksmith. They flogged my unhappy stepfather, and put my mother on the accustomed penance as a punishment. An order was given that she was not to enter the stables of the Comendador.
The poor woman complied with the sentence that she might not lose all; and to avoid danger and silence evil tongues at the inn, she went away into service. She was employed in the open gallery of an inn, and so she contrived to rear the little brother, though suffering from many difficulties. She raised him until he could walk, and me until I was a fine little boy, who went for wine and lights for the guests, and for anything else they wanted.
At that time a blind man came to lodge at the inn, who, seeing that I would do to lead him, asked for me from my mother. She gave me to him, saying that I was the son of a good father, and boasting that he had been killed at the Island of Gelves. She told the blind man that she trusted in God that I would not turn out a worse man than my father, and she begged him to treat me well and look after me, as I was an orphan. He answered that he would do so, and that he received me not as his servant but as his son. Thus, it was that I began to serve and to lead my new master.
– The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes, 16th Century AD
