Carmen

The narrator introduces the topic of Roma and their presence across Europe. He then describes the traits and practices that he associates with Roma using offensive language to outline racist stereotypes and inaccurate claims. He says that the men typically work in repair, with horses, or with illegal enterprises, while the women tell fortunes, beg, and sell drugs. He provides a description of the physical appearance of a typical Rom, as well as their “national character” which he considers both daring and meek. He insults the looks and virtue of Calé women, but praises their loyalty to their husbands and their fellow Roma, and their Romani nationalism.

He describes his experience meeting Roma of Vosge who, despite their poverty, cared for a dying Rom unrelated to their family. The Roma freely discussed the man’s imminent demise before him. The narrator claimed that the Roma didn’t fear death due to the misery of his earthly life. He claims that Roma are not religious or superstitious, though most won’t touch a dead body, and relates a tale of a Romani fortune teller scamming a customer out of a silk scarf and coins under the guise of performing a curse on a faithless lover. Another Romani man insulted the woman who hired him to charm her stove only after he had already received payment.

The narrator gives an overview of the then-uncertain history of the Roma, and the linguistic indications that they originated in India given that their language descended from Sanskrit. He describes the Romani language and its features, as well as its divergent dialects. He provides etymologies for a handful of Romani words, and for several borrowed French words.