 Carpentier was a great admirer of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, having cited him in a number of different texts throughout his career.The Prologue begins with a quote from Cervantes' "Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda" ("Persiles and Sigismunda"), which is subsequently mentioned, with a focus on the character of Rutilio.The mention of Rutilio is noteworthy, as the episode has been of interest to critics due to its magical subject matter, concerning lycanthropy.