The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
Children's literature
Don Quixote asked her how she was called, that he might know to whom
he was obliged for the favours he had received. She answered with
great humility that she was named Tolosa, and was a butcher's daughter
of Toledo. Don Quixote replied requesting her to call herself from
henceforth the Lady Tolosa, which she promised to perform. The other
damsel buckled on his spurs, and when Don Quixote asked her name she
told him it was Molinera, and that she was daughter of an honest
miller of Antequera. Don Quixote entreated her also to call herself
Lady Molinera, and offered her new services and favours.
These strange and never-before-seen ceremonies being ended, Don
Quixote could not rest until he was mounted on horseback that he might
go to seek adventures. He therefore caused Rozinante to be instantly
saddled, leaped on his back, and embracing the innkeeper, thanked him
in a thousand wild and ridiculous ways for the great favour he had
done him in dubbing him knight. The innkeeper, who was only eager to
be rid of him without delay, answered him in the same fashion, and let
him march off without demanding from him a single farthing for his
food or lodging.
THE GREADFUL ADVENTURE OF THE WINDMILLS
Retold by Judge Parry
Don Quixote persuaded a certain labourer, his neighbour, an honest
man, but one of very shallow wit, to go away with him and serve him as
squire. In the end he gave him so many fair words and promises that
the poor fellow determined to go with him. Don Quixote, among other
things, told him that he ought to be very pleased to depart with him,
for at some time or other an adventure might befall which should in
the twinkling of an eye win him an island and leave him governor
thereof. On the faith of these and other like promises, Sancho Panza
(for so he was called) forsook his wife and children and took service
as squire to his neighbour.
Whilst they were journeying along, Sancho Panza said to his master: "I
pray you have good care, sir knight, that you forget not that
government of the island which you have promised me, for I shall be
able to govern it be it never so great."
And Don Quixote replied: "Thou must understand, friend Sancho, that it
was a custom very much used by the ancient knights-errant, to make
their squires governors of the islands and kingdoms they conquered,
and I am resolved that so good a custom shall be kept up by me. And if
thou livest and I live it may well be that I might conquer a kingdom
within six days, and crown thee king of it."
"By the same token," said Sancho Panza, "if I were a king, then should
Joan my wife become a queen and my children princes?"
"Who doubts of that?" said Don Quixote.
"That do I," replied Sancho Panza, "for I am fully persuaded that
though it rained kingdoms down upon the earth, none of them would sit
well on my wife Joan. She is not worth a farthing for a queen. She
might scrape through as a countess, but I have my doubts of that."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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