"The Challenge" is Mario Vargas Llosa's short story of machismo and honor among young Hispanic men in a classic scenario of physical conflict, man versus man.

At the beginning of the story, the narrator describes how a man named Leonidas enters the River Bar where the narrator and some other friends are having some beers, as is their usual Saturday night routine. The narrator pours a beer for Leonidas and can tell that Leonidas is preoccupied with something. When prompted, Leonidas reveals that a man named Justo will be fighting another man tonight and wants his friends in the bar to come.

One of the men at the table, Briceno, asks Leonidas what caused the fight, and Leonidas says that Justo met up with his opponent at a place called Catacaos earlier today. One of the other friends, Leon, tells the distracted Leonidas that Justo...