Libro de los exiemplos del Conde Lucanor et de Patronio or simply El Conde Lucanor is the main work of Don Juan Manuel, King Alfonso X ''the Wise'''s nephew, first published sometime between 1331 and 1335.
The didactic and moral purpose is the mark of the book. Count Lucanor begins the conversation with his adviser Patronio, posing a problem ("A man has made a proposal to me ..." or "I am afraid that this or that person is trying ...") and asks for advice to solve it. Patronio always responds with great humility, assuring that it is not necessary to give advice to a person as illustrious as the count, but offering to tell him a story from which he can draw a teaching to solve his problem. The stories are exempla (singular exiemplo), a genre established in the medieval literary tradition.
This work provides examples of:
- An Aesop. The book consists in a compilation of exiemplos.
- The Consigliere: Patronio
- Cool Old Guy: Patronio
- The Good Chancellor: Patronio
- Intergenerational Friendship: Between Lucanor and Patronio.
- The Wise Prince: Lucanor, combined with Warrior Prince.
