Contos de ida e volta Contos de ida e volta Contos de ida e volta

F o r e w o r d
The idea of movement suggested by this selection of stories (Stories that come
and go) hides a double mystery. Firstly, the mystery of how it is possible that the
somewhat oriental serenity of the stories can be construed in the background of
the diverse landscape of woods, forests and places of Galicia. Or, in other words,
the mystery of the reconstruction by the traditional Galician society of the topics
that shape the collection of stories from Europe and further away, which will feel
close to the readers of this book. Secondly, there is the mystery of the destiny of its
characters who, through the art of translation and the complicity of those that start
their journey with this book, will perpetuate their search for fortune in the world.
The aim of Contos de ida e volta is not that of creating a framework of morality that
does not match the expectations of our society, in which neither the female figure
nor certain social and professional categories come out unscathed, and where, in
line with the broadest Aarne-Thompson traditional classification system, the domi-
nating clergy is satirised.
However, this lack of modernity is only apparent. These stories have served their
purpose as a popular lab to test the scope of the Galician language usage, histori-
cally subjugated to the laws of Spanish. These stories seek that the listeners inter-
pret, in order to understand them, these actions that are not described or perceived
but in their most physical form: everything is movement and gestures, running and
birdsongs. Sometimes the voice of wisdom can be heard, like when the incurably
metaphysical fox turns round to make her sententious statement while running
away forever in haste. Also, the Other World and its boat keeper Death are never
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