Refranes (Ladino Sayings) in The Familiar: Magic, Heritage, and Survival

What Are Refranes in The Familiar?

In Leigh Bardugo’s novel, refranes are short Ladino proverbs—a mix of Hebrew, Spanish, Turkish, and Greek—that the protagonist Luzia Cotado sings to perform small acts of magic. These sayings are not just linguistic relics; they are the engine of her supernatural power. Luzia learned them from her aunt Hualit, who received them in letters carried across the Mediterranean. The Author’s Note acknowledges that the specific forms of these refranes are likely anachronistic to the novel’s 16th-century setting, a choice Bardugo made to reflect the living nature of the Ladino language. For Luzia, a conversa (a forced convert to Christianity) hiding her Jewish ancestry, the refranes become a vital tool for survival and a dangerous mark of her true identity.

The first refrán we see is “Aboltar kazal, aboltar mazal” (a change of scene, a change of fortune), which Luzia sings over a burnt loaf of bread in the Casa Ordoño kitchen (Chapter 1). Later, she uses “Onde iras, amigos toparas” (wherever you go, may you find friends) to double her eggs at the market (Chapter 2). These initial uses are domestic and discreet—tiny miracles to ease her grueling life as a scullion.

Where Refranes Appear in the Novel

The refranes recur at several key moments, each time carrying different weight:

Chapter 1 (Bread) – Luzia repairs the burnt bread with a whispered song, unaware that Valentina has already seen the ruined loaf. This sets the entire plot in motion.
Chapter 2 (Eggs) – She doubles her shopping, but when she tries the same trick on coins, the magic backfires, producing biting spiders.
Chapter 7 (Irises) – Hualit teaches Luzia the refrán “Ken no rizika, no rozika” (whoever doesn’t laugh, doesn’t bloom). When Luzia sings it, the wilted irises burst into new bloom. Hualit sees both wonder and fear in the result.
Chapter 18 (Hualit’s confession) – Hualit explicitly connects the refranes to the mixed language of the Sephardic diaspora, calling them “just like the refranes you use to work your miracles.” She reveals that the power doesn’t need to be understood, only wielded.
Chapter 54 (Climax) – At the stake, Luzia sings a refrán one final time, targeting Fortún Donadei’s emerald talisman. Her magic becomes destructive as she tears open the world, creating an illusion of their execution that allows her and Santángel to escape.
Author’s Note – Bardugo explains that the refranes are placed anachronistically, crossing time and oceans to reach Luzia.

How the Meaning of Refranes Evolves

The refranes shift from a survival tool to a liability, and finally to a weapon of liberation.

Tool for survival – In the early chapters, Luzia uses refranes to fix food, stretch her shopping, and hide her exhaustion. They are small acts of rebellion against poverty and servitude. She never questions the source of the power; she only cares that it makes her days “a little more bearable.”

Mark of hidden identity – As the Inquisition’s threat grows, the refranes become markers of Luzia’s conversa heritage. Her aunt teaches them precisely because they are not pure Hebrew or Arabic or Spanish—they belong nowhere and everywhere, just like the Jews of the diaspora. To use a refrán is to risk exposure; it is a secret language that both empowers and endangers her.

Destructive climax – In the final scene, Luzia abandons restraint. She no longer sings for doubling or blooming; she sings to tear the world apart. The refrán becomes a conduit for her wild, unfiltered magic—a direct challenge to the Inquisition and its symbols of power.

Character Connections

The refranes tie intimately to three characters:

Luzia – She is the sole performer of the spoken magic. The tune is always her own invention. Her aunt teaches her the words, but Luzia supplies the melody, which seems to come from an innate source.
Hualit – The aunt who passes down the refranes, along with the knowledge that they are both precious and perilous. She admits she does not know why they work, but she understands their cultural weight: they are a remnant of the world the Inquisition tried to erase.
Santángel – He never tries to control Luzia’s magic. In chapter 18, he tells her, “We don’t need to understand where that power comes from, only that it is yours to wield.” His acceptance contrasts with Víctor de Paredes’s exploitative interest.

Theme Connections

Hidden Identity and Heritage – The refranes are a coded inheritance. They link Luzia and Hualit to a lineage of forced converts and secret Jews. Hualit’s confession in chapter 18 (“Just like the refranes you use to work your miracles… only secrecy can protect us”) makes explicit the tie between language and ancestral concealment.
Ambition Versus Safety – Luzia’s willingness to use the refranes draws dangerous attention. Her aunt warned her: “the Church owned miracles.” Each use is a gamble between advancement and annihilation.
The Cost of Power – Magic requires sacrifice. Luzia’s aunt teaches her “Ken no rizika, no rozika” (whoever doesn’t laugh, doesn’t bloom). The refranes can double eggs or resurrect bread, but they also kill a man (Álvaro in chapter 18) and nearly cost Luzia her life.
Inquisition and Institutional Fear – The refranes are heretical in the Church’s eyes. The man with the red beard is an informer; any slip could lead to torture and burning.
Freedom and Servitude – The refranes offer Luzia small freedoms—a better meal, a repaired dress—but they also chain her to scrutiny. Only in the final escape does she use them to win genuine liberty.

4 Study Questions with Answers

1. How do the refranes reflect Luzia’s dual identity as a conversa?

The refranes are a hybrid language (Ladino) that mirrors Luzia’s own hybrid identity: outwardly Christian, secretly Jewish. Her aunt Hualit explicitly connects the refranes to the forced converts of the diaspora. Luzia cannot speak them openly without risking an accusation of heresy. They are both her heritage and her danger.

2. Why does Luzia’s magic require a tune of her own making, even though the words are taught?

The text states that the tune “was always Luzia’s” (Chapter 1). The melody emerges naturally from her, as if the magic recognizes her personal voice. This suggests that power is not merely in the formula but in the individual’s connection to it. When she tries to use a song to double coins, the spell fails, implying that intent and resonance matter.

3. How does the final use of the refrán in Chapter 54 differ from earlier uses?

Earlier uses were small and hidden—fixing bread, doubling eggs, reviving flowers. The final refrán is destructive and public. Luzia targets Fortún Donadei’s emerald talisman, and her magic tears open the world in a way she expects could kill everyone. It is no longer a survival trick but an act of defiant, creative destruction.

4. What role do refranes play in Luzia’s relationship with her aunt Hualit?

The refranes are the primary inheritance Hualit gives Luzia. Hualit insists they are “secrets that may do some good,” unlike the Hebrew prayers of Luzia’s mother, which carry no magic. Through the refranes, Hualit passes down not only the language of the Sephardic diaspora but also a philosophy: power does not require complete understanding, only the courage to wield it. This bond forms the emotional core of Luzia’s journey.