La gueuse parfumée: Récits provençaux

Born under a blooming fig tree on a cicada‑filled day, the narrator introduces himself as Jean‑des‑Figues, a child swaddled in earthy breeches and carried on an old donkey to the village of Canteperdrix. His humble arrival is painted with the scent of jasmine, orange blossoms and the sweet drip of figs, instantly immersing listeners in a sun‑kissed Provençal landscape where every corner bears a nickname and a story.

From this vivid beginning, the collection unfolds as a lively tapestry of provincial characters—farmers, rogues, and claim‑ants to forgotten nobility—each recounted with humor and a sharp eye for local customs. Jean‑des‑Figues boasts a lineage he half‑seriously traces back to Naples, weaving anecdotes of an ancestor who introduced the pomegranate tree and a great‑grandfather who wielded an ornamental sword for cutting firewood. The tales celebrate the quirks of rural life while gently probing the thin line between pride and humility, inviting listeners to wander through a world where even the simplest moments feel richly fragrant.