OF THE GOOD FORTUNE WHICH THE VALIANT DON QUIXOTE HAD IN THE TERRIBLE AND

UNDREAMT-OF ADVENTURE OF THE WINDMILLS, WITH OTHER OCCURRENCES WORTHY TO

BE FITLY RECORDED

At this point they came in sight of thirty forty windmills that there are

on plain, and as soon as Don Quixote saw them he said to his squire,

"Fortune is arranging matters for us better than we could have shaped our

desires ourselves, for look there, friend Sancho Panza, where thirty or

more monstrous giants present themselves, all of whom I mean to engage in

battle and slay, and with whose spoils we shall begin to make our

fortunes; for this is righteous warfare, and it is God's good service to

sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth."

"What giants?" said Sancho Panza.

"Those thou seest there," answered his master, "with the long arms, and

some have them nearly two leagues long."

"Look, your worship," said Sancho; "what we see there are not giants but

windmills, and what seem to be their arms are the sails that turned by

the wind make the millstone go."

"It is easy to see," replied Don Quixote, "that thou art not used to this

business of adventures; those are giants; and if thou art afraid, away

with thee out of this and betake thyself to prayer while I engage them in

fierce and unequal combat."

So saying, he gave the spur to his steed Rocinante, heedless of the cries

his squire Sancho sent after him, warning him that most certainly they

were windmills and not giants he was going to attack. He, however, was so

positive they were giants that he neither heard the cries of Sancho, nor

perceived, near as he was, what they were, but made at them shouting,

"Fly not, cowards and vile beings, for a single knight attacks you."

A slight breeze at this moment sprang up, and the great sails began to

move, seeing which Don Quixote exclaimed, "Though ye flourish more arms

than the giant Briareus, ye have to reckon with me."

So saying, and commending himself with all his heart to his lady

Dulcinea, imploring her to support him in such a peril, with lance in

rest and covered by his buckler, he charged at Rocinante's fullest gallop

and fell upon the first mill that stood in front of him; but as he drove

his lance-point into the sail the wind whirled it round with such force

that it shivered the lance to pieces, sweeping with it horse and rider,

who went rolling over on the plain, in a sorry condition. Sancho hastened

to his assistance as fast as his ass could go, and when he came up found

him unable to move, with such a shock had Rocinante fallen with him.




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