The gentleman in green, finding that words were thrown away on Don Quixote, now quickly followed the driver, who had hastily taken his mules as far away as he could beyond the brow of the hill.  Sancho hurried after them at the top speed of his ass, kicking him in the ribs all the while to make him go even faster, and loudly bewailing his master’s coming death.  The keeper made one more attempt to turn Don Quixote from his folly, but again finding it useless, very unwillingly opened the cage door.

Meantime the Knight had been thinking whether it would be best to fight the lion on foot or on horseback, and he had made up his mind to fight on foot, for the reason that “Rozinante” would probably be too much afraid to face the lion.  So he got off his horse, drew his sword, and holding his shield in front of him, marched slowly up to the cage.  The keeper, having thrown the door wide open, now quickly got himself out of harm’s way.

The lion, seeing the cage open, and Don Quixote standing in front, turned round and stretched out his great paws.  Then he opened his enormous mouth, and, letting out a tongue as long as a man’s arm, licked the dust off his face.  Now rising to his feet, he thrust his head out of the door and glared around with eyes like burning coals.

It was a sight to make any man afraid; but Don Quixote calmly waited for the animal to jump out and come within reach of his sword.

The lion looked at him for a moment with its great yellow eyes—­then, slowly turning, it strolled to the back of the cage, gave a long, weary yawn, and lay quietly down.

“Force him to come out,” cried Don Quixote to the keeper, “beat him.”

“Not I,” said the man.  “I dare not for my life.  He would tear me to pieces.  And let me advise you, sir, to be content with your day’s work.  I beseech you, go no further.  You have shown how brave you are.  No man can be expected to do more than challenge his enemy and wait ready for him.  If he does not come, the fault and the disgrace are his.”

“’Tis true,” said the Knight.  “Shut the door, my friend, and give me the best certificate you can of what you have seen me do; how you opened the door, and how I waited for the lion to come out, and how he turned tail and lay down.  I am obliged to do no more.”

So saying, Don Quixote put on the end of his spear the cloth with which he had wiped the curds from his face, and began to wave to the others to come back.

“I’ll be hanged,” cried Sancho when he saw this signal, “if my master has not killed the lion.”  And they all hurried up to the wagon where the keeper gave them a long account of what had happened, adding, that when he got to court he would tell the King of Don Quixote’s bravery.

“If his Majesty should happen to ask who did this thing, tell him,” said Don Quixote, “that it was the Knight of the Lions, for that is the name by which I shall now call myself.”