Ramuntcho

"Ramuntcho" (1897) is a novel by French author Pierre Loti. It is a story about contraband runners in the Basque province of France. It is one of Loti's best and most popular works. It was adapted on screen in 1958 by French director Pierre Schoendoerffer.

Characters and places

The novel is notable for its documentary description of French Basque culture.

Characters

*Ramuntcho. The bastard son of Franchita (father unknown), he struggles to be an accepted member of Basque society in the village of Etchezar. An accomplished pelota player and smuggler.
*Franchita. Mother of Ramuntcho, she has a mysterious and possibly scandalous past.
*Ignatio. Franchita's oldest brother (Ramuntcho's uncle) who lives in the America's.
*Gracieuse Detcharry (also Gatchutcha and Mary Angelique). Ramuntcho's beautiful blonde girlfriend.
*Dolores Detcharry. Gracieuse's mother.
*Arrochkoa Detcharry. Brother of Gracieuse. Friend of Ramuntcho, accomplished pelota player and smuggler.
*Pantchika Daraignaratz. Blonde girl engaged to Arrochkoa. Mother is "Madame."
*Olhagarray. Cousins of Madame Daraignaratz who live in Erribiague.
*Itchola. Leader of the band of smugglers, he is older and hardened.
*Florentiono. Ramuntcho's friend and fellow smuggler. Red hair.
*Marcos and Joachim Iragola. Two brothers who are renowned singers and lyricists. Members of the band of smugglers.
*Jose Bidegarray, mysterious stranger who brings tidings from Ignatio in the America's.

Places and things

*Etchezar. Town in Basque France where the story mainly takes place.
*Bidasoa river that separates Spain and France. The smugglers often cross it at night.
*Gizune Mountain that dominates the landscape of Etchezar.
*Erribiague, a neighboring village higher up the mountain and more primitive.
*Amezqueta, a distant village where the nunnery is located.
*Pelota, an ancient Basque game played with a ball and wicker glove against the side of a church wall.
*Kalsomine, a white-wash used to cover stone buildings and walls.
*Mantilla, a head-dress often worn by Basque women.
*Fandango, a favorite Basque dance with castanets.

External links

* [http://www.archive.org/details/ramuntcho00lotiiala "Ramuntcho"] , trans. by Henri Pène du Bois. From Internet Archive.