So, enchantments avaunt! and Heaven prosper truth, justice, and true knight-errantry!  Shut the door, as I bid thee, while I make signs to those that ran away from us, and get them to come back, that they may have an account of this exploit from my own mouth.”  The keeper obeyed, and Don Quixote, clapping on the point of his lance the handkerchief with which he had wiped off the deluge of curds from his face, began to call to the fugitives, who fled nevertheless, looking behind them all the way, and trooped on in a body with the gentleman at the head of them.

At last, Sancho observed the signal of the white flag, and calling out to the rest, “Hold,” cried he, “my master calls to us; I will he hanged if he has not got the better of the lions.”  At this they all faced about, and perceived Don Quixote flourishing his ensign; whereupon recovering a little from their fright, they little by little came back, till they could plainly distinguish Don Quixote’s voice; and then they came up to the wagon.  As soon as they were got near it, “Come on, friend,” said he to the carter; “put to thy mules again, and pursue thy journey; and, Sancho, do you give him two gold crowns for the lion-keeper and himself, to make them amends for the time I have detained them.”—­“Ay, that I will with all my heart,” quoth Sancho; “but what is become of the lions?  Are they dead or alive?” Then the keeper very formally related the whole action, not failing to exaggerate, to the best of his skill, Don Quixote’s courage; how at his sight alone the lion was so terrified, that he neither would nor durst quit his stronghold, though for that end his cage door was kept open for a considerable time; and how upon his remonstrating to the knight, who would have had the lion forced out, that it was presuming too much upon Heaven, he had permitted, though with great reluctancy, that the lion should be shut up again.  “Well, Sancho,” said Don Quixote to his squire, “what dost thou think of this?  Can enchantment prevail over true fortitude?  No, these magicians may perhaps rob me of success, but of fortitude and courage it would be impossible.”

Sancho gave the wagoner and the keeper the two pieces.  The first harnessed his mules, and the last thanked Don Quixote for his bounty, and promised to acquaint the king himself with his heroic action when he came to court.  “Well,” said Don Quixote, “if his majesty should chance to inquire who did this thing, tell him it was the Knight of the Lions; a name I intend henceforth to take up, in lieu of that which I hitherto assumed, of the Knight of the Doleful Countenance; in which proceeding I do but conform to the ancient custom of knights-errant, who changed their names as often as they pleased, or as it suited with their advantage.”

THE RIDE ON THE WOODEN HORSE

By Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

[An enchanter has revenged himself upon some ladies by putting heavy beards upon their faces.  Don Quixote has been persuaded that the beards will vanish if he will take a journey of three thousand leagues on a wooden horse.]