SOURCE: Previtali, Giovanni. “Works of Ricardo Güiraldes.” In Ricardo Güiraldes and Don Segundo Sombra: Life and Works, pp. 143-57. New York: Hispanic Institute in the United States, 1963.

In the following essay, Previtali explains Güiraldes's motivations and aims in writing Don Segundo Sombra as being from a need to capture and romanticize the disappearing gaucho culture.

The Tales

Two tales are introduced into the novel as separate narrative units. They are told by don Segundo. The first, which appears in Chapter XII, is the story of Dolores and the son of the Devil. Dolores, a young paisano, fell in love with a beautiful girl, Consuelo, while spying on her as she bathed in the Paraná River. Suddenly a large, red flamingo swooped down, changed her into a midget, and flew off with her. Running away in a daze, Dolores stumbled upon a good witch who took...