Symbols The familiar Leigh Bardugo

Refranes: Ladino Proverbs as Symbols of Heritage and Magic in The Familiar

What Are Refranes?

In Leigh Bardugo's The Familiar, refranes are Ladino proverbs—short, rhyming sayings drawn from the Sephardic Jewish language that blends Hebrew, Spanish, Turkish, and Greek. More than folk wisdom, these refranes act as incantations. When Luzia sings them, they perform actual miracles: restoring burnt bread, reviving wilted flowers, or regrowing a pile of shattered glass. The author's note confirms that refranes are "kenmerkend voor Ladino" (characteristic of Ladino) and a key reason the language still exists. Bardugo acknowledges taking creative license with their historical precision, but justifies their inclusion because they "hebben zeeën en grote afstanden overbrugd om Luzia te vinden" — crossed seas and distances to reach her, and thus could also cross time.

Recurrence and Evolution

Refranes appear at several crucial moments in the novel, each time with a slightly different shade of meaning.

  • Chapter 7 (Hoofdstuk 7): Hualit first teaches Luzia the refrán "Ken no rizika, no rozika" (Who does not laugh, will not bloom). She demonstrates its power on withered irises, then makes Luzia try. The words "kietelden op Luzia's tong" (tickled on Luzia's tongue), and when Luzia sings them, new buds burst from the stems. This scene establishes the refranes as inherited, almost instinctual magic—a secret passed down despite danger. Hualit's warning, "Cuidado, querida," reveals the risk.

  • Chapter 1 (Hoofdstuk 1): Luzia secretly uses "Aboltar kazal, aboltar mazal" (Change your place, change your luck) to fix burnt bread for doña Valentina. Here the refrán is a small, desperate act of survival—a way to avoid punishment in the Ordoño household. Luzia knows she must be cautious, "maar het was moeilijk om bepaalde dingen niet op de makkelijke manier te doen terwijl verder alles zo zwaar was" (but it was hard not to do certain things the easy way when everything else was so hard).

  • Chapter 24 (Hoofdstuk 24): During the tournament, Luzia uses the refrán "El ombre es mas sano del fierro, mas nezik del vidro" (Men are stronger than iron and more fragile than glass) to restore shattered glass. This is a public performance before Antonio Pérez. The proverb becomes a tool of social performance—showing off her power to win favor, while also subtly conveying a commentary on human vulnerability. Luzia recalls Hualit reciting the same refrán from a letter, and "de woorden hadden haar gered" (the words had saved her).

  • Author's note (Enkele opmerkingen): Bardugo explicitly states that refranes are a defining feature of Ladino. This paratextual chapter explains the cultural authenticity behind the motif, even as it admits historical liberties.

Character Connections

The refranes are intimately tied to Luzia's identity and relationships.

  • Luzia Cotado ([/books/the-familiar/characters/luzia-cotado/]): She is the vessel for the refranes. She does not fully understand their origin; Hualit taught her "de kostbare, gevaarlijke flarden van de taal" (the precious, dangerous scraps of the language). The refranes are a link to her mother's side of the family—a secret heritage that bypasses her father's unreliable Hebrew. They give her a voice and agency in a world that sees her as a nameless kitchen maid.

  • Hualit Catalina de Castro de Oro ([/books/the-familiar/characters/hualit-catalina-de-castro-de-oro/]): Hualit is the transmitter. She teaches Luzia the refranes, but also warns of their danger. In chapter 18, she reveals that their family are anusim (forced converts) and that the refranes are part of a "naam die vol kracht zit" (name full of power) that blends all languages. Hualit's own name, she explains, is "geen Hebreeuws, Spaans of Arabisch, maar al die talen tegelijk" — just like the refranes.

  • Guillén Santángel ([/books/the-familiar/characters/guill-n-sant-ngel/]): Santángel helps Luzia refine her technique. He teaches her that the power is not in the spoken words but in holding them in the mind "alsof je ze bijna zegt" (as if you almost say them). He recognizes that she sings the words, and his own multilingual background (Arabic, Aramaic, Hebrew) allows him to see the refranes as a legitimate magical language—not demonic but learned.

  • Víctor de Paredes ([/books/the-familiar/characters/v-ctor-de-paredes/]): Víctor seeks to exploit Luzia's power. He interrogates her about the language, suspecting a heretical source. The refranes are a threat to him because they are uncontrollable and come from outside the approved Christian framework.

Thematic Significance

The refranes intersect with nearly every major theme of the novel:

  • Identity and Concealment: The refranes are a hidden language—spoken only in secret. Luzia must hide her Sephardic heritage, and the refranes are both a gift and a liability. They reveal who she truly is, even as she must pretend to be a pious Christian.

  • Power and Control: The refranes give Luzia a form of power that defies the control of the Church and nobility. Yet using them publically draws dangerous attention. The motif shows how marginalized people can wield power through cultural memory.

  • Magic as Survival: Magic in The Familiar is not a game; it is a means of staying alive. Luzia fixes bread, heals herself? (evidence of healing? not in provided text, but survival is clear), and charms the nobles to avoid poverty or persecution. The refranes are her toolkit for survival.

  • Love vs. Sacrifice: Hualit's love for Luzia leads her to share the refranes, but that love also puts Luzia in greater danger. Luzia must decide how much to risk for the people she cares about.

  • Faith and Heresy: The Inquisition views any miraculous language not sanctioned by the Church as heresy. The refranes are a form of heretical magic, tied to the Jewish faith that her family was forced to abandon. Using them is an act of defiance against religious oppression.

Study Questions with Answers

1. Why does Hualit teach Luzia refranes instead of formal Hebrew?
Hualit explains that Luzia's father's Hebrew has "evenveel gaten als in zijn hersenen" (as many holes as his brain). The refranes come from letters that crossed land and sea, and they are a living, oral tradition rather than a fragmented text. Hualit also understands that the refranes have real power—"mijn geheimen leveren je misschien nog iets op" (my secrets might get you something). They are a practical inheritance of magical survival, not a scholarly one.

2. How does the meaning of "refrán" change from Luzia's childhood to the tournament?
As a child, the refrán is a playful rhyme that makes flowers bloom. During the tournament, the same refrán (about men and glass) becomes a weapon of social advancement. Luzia uses it not just for wonder but to assert her place in a dangerous competition, and to silently mock the fragility of the powerful men around her.

3. In what way do the refranes link Luzia to the theme of cultural survival?
The refranes are part of a language that survived the expulsion of Jews from Spain and the forced conversions. In the author's note, Bardugo says refranes are "de belangrijkste reden dat de taal nog altijd bestaat" (the main reason the language still exists). Luzia's use of them keeps the Sephardic heritage alive within herself, even when she must hide her identity. The proverbs carry the memory of a persecuted people.

4. Why does Santángel say "de kracht zit niet in het uitspreken" (the power is not in speaking)?
Santángel teaches Luzia to interiorize the magic—to hold the words in her mind and hum the melody without speaking them aloud. This reflects the need for secrecy in a world where any audible foreign language could lead to accusations of heresy. It also deepens the motif: the refranes are not just spoken incantations but an internal, spiritual resource that the Inquisition cannot see or hear.