Disputa de l'ase facts for kids
| Author | Anselm Turmeda |
|---|---|
| Country | Tunis |
| Language | Catalan |
| Genre | Novel |
Disputa de l’ase (which means The Donkey's Debate) is a famous story from the Middle Ages. It was written in 1417 in the Catalan language.
The story is about a big discussion between a monk and a donkey. They argue about whether humans are better than all other animals. After a very long debate, the donkey surprisingly wins! This means that human superiority over animals cannot be proven in the story.
The book was written by Anselm Turmeda. He was a writer from Majorca, an island near Spain. He used to be a Catholic friar (a type of monk). Later, he moved to Tunis and became a Muslim. This book is his longest work written in Catalan, which was his first language. The story was inspired by Arabic tales, but it also has many new ideas from Turmeda. It even shows a strong feeling against some church leaders of the time.
About the Book
The Donkey's Debate is a unique story. It makes readers think about how we see ourselves compared to animals. The book uses a clever debate to explore these ideas.
Why Was It Hidden?
Sadly, we don't have any original handwritten copies (called manuscripts) of the full book. Only a small part of it, where the donkey makes a prediction, still exists from the original.
We know the book was printed in Barcelona in 1509. But no copies of that first Catalan edition have survived either. This is probably because the Spanish Inquisition added the book to its list of forbidden books in 1583. The Inquisition was a powerful group that controlled what people could read and believe. If a book was on their "prohibited list," it was very hard to find or keep.
How We Know the Story Today
Luckily, the story was translated into French. These French versions were printed in Lyons, France, at least three times in the 1500s. Thanks to these French books, we still know the story today.
Later, in the early 1600s, the book was also translated into German and printed in a place called Montbéliard.
It wasn't until less than a hundred years ago that scholars from Spain and Catalonia rediscovered the book. They brought it back from being forgotten. Now, the book has been translated back into Catalan. It has become popular again, just like it might have been when it was first written!
See also
In Spanish: Disputa del asno para niños
