The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
Children's literature
"That is true," said Don Quixote; "but thou mayest safely leave it to
chance whether he be lost or found, for after this battle we shall
have so many horses that even Rozinante runs a risk of being changed
for another. And now let us withdraw to that hillock yonder that we
may get a better view of both those great armies."
They did so, and standing on the top of a hill gazed at the two great
clouds of dust which the imagination of Don Quixote had turned into
armies. And then Don Quixote, with all the eloquence he could muster,
described to Sancho the names of the different knights in the two
armies, with their colours and devices and mottoes, and the numbers of
their squadrons, and the countries and provinces from which they came.
But though Sancho stood and listened in wonder he could see nothing as
yet of knights or armies, and at last he cried out: "Where are all
these grand knights, good my master? For myself, I can see none of
them. But perhaps it is all enchantment, as so many things have been."
"How! Sayest them so?" said Don Quixote. "Dost thou not hear the
horses neigh and the trumpets sound and the noise of the drums?"
"I hear nothing else," said Sancho, "but the great bleating of sheep."
And so it was, indeed, for by this time the two flocks were
approaching very near to them.
"The fear thou art in," said Don Quixote, "permits thee neither to see
nor hear aright, for one of the effects of fear is to disturb the
senses and make things seem different from what they are. If thou art
afraid, stand to one side and leave me to myself, for I alone can give
the victory to the side which I assist."
So saying he clapped spurs to Rozinante, and, setting his lance in
rest, rode down the hillside like a thunderbolt.
Sancho shouted after him as loud as he could: "Return, good Sir Don
Quixote! Return! For verily all those you go to charge are but sheep
and muttons. Return, I say! Alas that ever I was born! What madness is
this? Look, there are neither knights, nor arms, nor shields, nor
soldiers, nor emperors, but only sheep. What is it you do, Wretch that
I am?"
For all this Don Quixote did not turn back, but rode on, shouting in a
loud voice: "So ho! knights! Ye that serve and fight under the banner
of Pentapolin of the Naked Arm, follow me, all of you. Ye shall see
how easily I will revenge him on his enemy Alifamfaron of Trapobana!"
With these words he dashed into the midst of the flock of sheep, and
began to spear them with as much courage and fury as if he were
fighting his mortal enemies.
The shepherds that came with the flock cried to him to leave off, but
seeing their words had no effect, they unloosed their slings and began
to salute his head with stones as big as one's fist.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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