Rinconete and Cortadillo. "Exemplary Novels"

Their whole life revolves around a deck of cards: using a thousand tricks to win “gold coins*”; frequenting taverns and “cups*”; using “swords*” if necessary, though they make do with simple knives; and being on the receiving end of “clubs*”. At the Molinillo inn, one summer’s day, two youths – aged about fourteen – happen to meet and henceforward become inseparable: Rincón, who handles cards like a conjurer; and Cortado, a tailor’s son, whose speciality is “cutting” purses. They are two rogues who earn a haphazard living from fleecing people using marked cards, or practicing the art of purse-cutting. They tell each other about their lives and so begins their literary tale: they are going to cheat a muleteer out of as much as they can; and when he tries to recover his lost money, they get out their half-sword and knife.
*The suits of the traditional Spanish deck of cards.