El licenciado Vidriera facts for kids

El licenciado Vidriera (which means "The Lawyer of Glass") is a famous short story. It was written by Miguel de Cervantes, a well-known Spanish author. This story was first published in 1613 as part of his collection called Novelas ejemplares.

The Story of Tomás Rodaja

A Bright Young Boy

The story begins with a young boy named Tomás Rodaja. Some strangers found him, and it seemed he had been left alone. Tomás was very smart and quick-witted. He impressed the strangers so much that they decided to take him in. They treated him like their own son.

Tomás was sent to school, where he quickly became known for how much he learned. As he grew up, he traveled all over Europe. He saw many different places and learned even more. Eventually, he settled in Salamanca, a city in Spain. There, he studied hard and earned a law degree.

A Strange Illness

A young woman fell in love with Tomás. She wanted him to love her back, so she got a special potion. She put this potion on a quince fruit, and Tomás ate it. But the potion did not work as she planned. Instead, it made Tomás very sick for several months. The woman quickly left and was never seen again.

After a long time, Tomás started to get better physically. However, his mind was not fully recovered. He began to believe a very strange thing: he thought his entire body was made of glass. He was completely sure of this idea.

The Famous "Vidriera"

Because of his unusual belief, Tomás was very careful. He thought he might break easily. Even with this strange idea, Tomás was still very clever. He would say wise and memorable things when he talked to people. His unique condition and smart sayings made him famous across Spain. People started calling him 'Vidriera', which comes from the Spanish word vidrio, meaning 'glass'.

Eventually, Tomás was invited to the royal court. He was so delicate in his own mind that he traveled in a carriage filled with soft hay. This was to make sure he wouldn't break during the journey.

Life After Recovery

Over time, Tomás slowly got his good sense back. He was no longer convinced he was made of glass. But he soon faced a new problem. Many people wanted to see the famous 'Vidriera'. They would follow him everywhere, curious about the man who thought he was glass.

Tomás did not like being so famous. He found it hard to continue his work as a lawyer because of all the attention. So, he decided to join the army as a soldier. He fought in battles and eventually died in one.

Interesting Fact

The phrase licenciado vidriera is now used in the Spanish language. It describes someone who is overly shy or very delicate.

See also

In Spanish: El licenciado Vidriera para niños