| Prefacio da 2.ª edição | 5 | |
| I | —O tio Joaquim | 13 |
| II | —O romance de um sceptico d’aldeia | 21 |
| III | —A proposito da missa do dia | 37 |
| IV | —Os domingos de fóra da terra | 49 |
| V | —Os retratos de familia | 59 |
| VI | —O fructo prohibido | 69 |
| VII | —A gallinha da minha visinha | 95 |
| VIII | —O guarda do cemiterio | 107 |
| IX | —Como se ganha uma demanda | 133 |
| X | —O sexto mandamento | 155 |
| XI | —O Thomaz dos passarinhos | 173 |
| XII | —A historia do narrador | 199 |
About This Book
A suite of twelve short stories presents scenes from provincial Portuguese village life, told in an economical, conversational voice that captures local speech and customs. Episodes range from domestic sketches and humorous neighborly conflicts to reflections on faith, mortality, legal quarrels and small romantic tensions, sketching vivid characters — elders, farmers, priests and town eccentrics — whose gestures and habits reveal community values. The collection balances gentle satire with moral feeling, using clear, immediate description and anecdotal structure to render everyday moments with warmth and comic precision.