| "The Little Gypsy Girl" | |
|---|---|
| Short story by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra | |
 Don Juan en Constançe (Proef-steen van den Trou-ringh, 1636) A. Mattham naar Adriaen van de Venne | |
| Original title | La gitanilla |
| Translator | Walter Kelly |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
| Genre(s) | Short story, exemplary novel, novella |
| Publication | |
| Published in | Novelas ejemplares de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra |
| Publisher | Juan de la Cuesta |
| Publication date | 1613 |
| Published in English | 1846 |
La gitanilla ("The Little Gypsy Girl") is the first novella contained in Miguel de Cervantes' collection of short stories, the Novelas ejemplares (The Exemplary Novels).
La gitanilla is the story of a 15 year old gypsy girl named Preciosa, who is said to be talented, extremely beautiful, and wise beyond her years. Accompanied by her adoptive grandmother and other members of her gypsy family group, Preciosa travels to Madrid, where she meets a charming nobleman, named Juan de Carcome. Juan proposes to Preciosa, only to be challenged to spend two years as a member of Preciosa's gypsy family group, under the alias of Andres Caballero. During these adventurous two years, much is learned both by the main characters and about them, resulting in an unexpected happy ending. The main themes of the story include the making and breaking of stereotypes, female power and freedom, the importance of word, and the so-called truth behind the mystery of gypsy life.