Don Quixote - Part I

"Daughter, is this true, what he says?" cried the Moor.

"It is," replied Zoraida.

"That thou art in truth a Christian," said the old man, "and that thou

hast given thy father into the power of his enemies?"

To which Zoraida made answer, "A Christian I am, but it is not I who have

placed thee in this position, for it never was my wish to leave thee or

do thee harm, but only to do good to myself."

"And what good hast thou done thyself, daughter?" said he.

"Ask thou that," said she, "of Lela Marien, for she can tell thee better

than I."

The Moor had hardly heard these words when with marvellous quickness he

flung himself headforemost into the sea, where no doubt he would have

been drowned had not the long and full dress he wore held him up for a

little on the surface of the water. Zoraida cried aloud to us to save

him, and we all hastened to help, and seizing him by his robe we drew him

in half drowned and insensible, at which Zoraida was in such distress

that she wept over him as piteously and bitterly as though he were

already dead. We turned him upon his face and he voided a great quantity

of water, and at the end of two hours came to himself. Meanwhile, the

wind having changed we were compelled to head for the land, and ply our

oars to avoid being driven on shore; but it was our good fortune to reach

a creek that lies on one side of a small promontory or cape, called by

the Moors that of the "Cava rumia," which in our language means "the

wicked Christian woman;" for it is a tradition among them that La Cava,

through whom Spain was lost, lies buried at that spot; "cava" in their

language meaning "wicked woman," and "rumia" "Christian;" moreover, they

count it unlucky to anchor there when necessity compels them, and they

never do so otherwise. For us, however, it was not the resting-place of

the wicked woman but a haven of safety for our relief, so much had the

sea now got up. We posted a look-out on shore, and never let the oars out

of our hands, and ate of the stores the renegade had laid in, imploring

God and Our Lady with all our hearts to help and protect us, that we

might give a happy ending to a beginning so prosperous. At the entreaty

of Zoraida orders were given to set on shore her father and the other

Moors who were still bound, for she could not endure, nor could her

tender heart bear to see her father in bonds and her fellow-countrymen

prisoners before her eyes. We promised her to do this at the moment of

departure, for as it was uninhabited we ran no risk in releasing them at

that place.