The Children's Hour, v 5. Stories From Seven Old FavoritesTappan, Eva March
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The Children's Hour, v 5. Stories From Seven Old Favorites
Tappan, Eva March
Children's stories; Literature -- Adaptations
am verily persuaded that cursed necromancer Freston, who carried away
my study and my books, has transformed these giants into windmills to
deprive me of the honor of the victory; such is his inveterate malice
against me; but in the end, all his pernicious wiles and stratagems
shall prove ineffectual against the prevailing edge of my
sword."--"Amen, say I," replied Sancho. And so heaving him up again
upon his legs, once more the knight mounted poor Rozinante, that was
half shoulder-slipped with his fall.
[Illustration: Covering himself with his shield, and couching his
lance, he rushed with Rozinante's utmost speed upon the first windmill
he could come at and running his lance into the sail, the wind whirled
it about with such swiftness, that the rapidity of the motion
presently broke the lance into shivers, and hurled away both knight
and horse along with it, till down he fell, rolling a good way off in
the field. Sancho Panza ran as fast as his ass could drive to help his
master, whom he found lying and not able to stir, such a blow had he
and Rozinante received]
This adventure was the subject of their discourse, as they made the
best of their way towards the pass of Lapice, for Don Quixote took
that road, believing he could not miss of adventure in one so mightily
frequented. However, the loss of his lance was no small affliction to
him; and as he was making his complaint about it to his squire, "I
have read," said he, "friend Sancho, that a certain Spanish knight,
whose name was Diego Perez de Vargas, having broke his sword in the
heat of an engagement, pulled up by the roots a huge oak tree, or at
least tore down a massy branch, and did such wonderful execution,
crushing and grinding so many Moors with it that day, that he won
himself and his posterity the surname of The Pounder, or Bruiser. I
tell thee this, because I intend to tear up the next oak or holm tree
we meet; with the trunk whereof I hope to perform such wondrous deeds
that thou wilt esteem thyself particularly happy in having had the
honor to behold them, and been the ocular witness of achievements
which posterity will scarce be able to believe."--"Heaven grant you
may," cried Sancho; "I believe it all, because your worship says it.
But, an't please you, sit a little more upright in your saddle; you
ride sideling methinks; but that, I suppose, proceeds from your being
bruised by the fall."--"It does so," replied Don Quixote; "and if I do
not complain of the pain, it is because a knight-errant must never
complain of his wounds, though his bowels were dropping out through
them."--"Then I have no more to say," quoth Sancho; "and yet Heaven
knows my heart, I should be glad to hear your worship hone a little
now and then when something ails you: for my part, I shall not fail to
bemoan myself when I suffer the smallest pain, unless indeed it can be
proved, that the rule of not complaining extends to the squires as
well as knights."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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