humor scene donkey Sancho relief leagues armor Dulcinea patience moored purpose Don Quixote Fair and softly, and step by step, did Don Quixote and his squire wend their way through field and wood and village and farmland. Many and strange were their adventures--so many and strange, indeed, that I shall not try to relate the half of them. At length, on a sunny day, they came to the banks of the river Ebro. As the knight sat on Rozinante’s back and gazed at the flowing water and at the grass and trees which bordered the banks with living green, he felt very happy. His squire, however, was in no pleasant humor, for the last few days had been days of weary toil. Presently Don Quixote observed a little boat which was lying in the water near by, being moored by a rope to the trunk of a small tree. It had neither oars nor sail, and for that reason it seemed all the more inviting. The knight dismounted from his steed, calling at the same time to his squire to do the same. “Alight, Sancho,” he said. “Let us tie our beasts to the branches of this willow.” Sancho obeyed, asking, “Why do we alight here, master?” “You are to know,” answered Don Quixote, “that this boat lies here for us. It invites me to embark in it and hasten to the relief of some knight, or other person of high degree, who is in distress.” “I wonder if that is so,” said Sancho. “Certainly,” answered his master. “In all the books that I have read, enchanters are forever doing such things. If a knight happens to be in danger, there is sometimes only one other knight that can rescue him. So a boat is provided for that other knight, and, in the twinkling of an eye, he is whisked away to the scene of trouble, even though it be two or three thousand leagues.” “That is wonderful,” said Sancho. “Most assuredly,” answered Don Quixote; “and it is for just such a purpose that this enchanted bark lies here. Therefore let us leave our steeds here in the shade and embark in it.” “Well, well,” said Sancho, “since you are the master, I must obey. But I tell you this is no enchanted bark. It is some fisherman’s boat.” “They are usually fishermen’s boats,” said Don Quixote. “So, let us begin our voyage without delay.” He leaped into the little vessel. Sancho followed, and untied the rope. The boat drifted slowly out into the stream. When Sancho saw that they were out of reach of the shore and had no means of pushing back, he began to quake with fear. “We shall never see our noble steeds again,” he cried. “Hear how the poor donkey brays and moans because we are leaving him. See how Rozinante tugs at his bridle. Oh, my poor, dear friends, good-by!” Then he began such a moaning and howling that Don Quixote lost all patience with him.