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Don Quixote XII. The Knight Avenges Princess Micomicona

THE KNIGHT AVENGES PRINCESS MICOMICONA

To Don Quixote everything that had an air of the miraculous was utterly credible. That is why he showed no sign of surprise when the tailor disguised as princess and heir to the kingdom of Micomicona told him the most hair-raising stories about a wicked giant - and even Sancho Panza's flesh began to creep, although he was in league with the tailor! "I shall deal with that giant as though he were a ridiculous dwarf!", Don Quixote interrupted the princess with a dismissive gesture. Between the lies and the assurances they had arrived at an inn where they decided to rest for the night. Don Quixote once again promised the princess to take frightful revenge, and withdrew with Sancho Panza to his chamber. Don Quixote swears to take revenge When the "Knight of the Sad Countenance" was alone with his squire, he inquired at once how his mistress "Dulcinea of Toboso" was faring, and what she had said on the subject of the lovesickness of such a mighty hero. Sancho Panza, the "postillon d'amour" replied that he had seen her thresh a bushel of wheat in the barn with naked legs, and that her only reply to his report was that she didn't want to have anything to do with a foolish person like Don Quixote who spent his time wandering around in the wilderness like an imbecile. "Why don't you forget about that peasant girl and devote yourself to the beautiful princess, who after all will bring you a kingdom!" Sancho Panza added. - "Silence, you common creature with the soul of a peasant!" Don Quixote ordered, his face darkening. "Do you dare to insult my revered mistress Dulcinea?! You mongrel dog, you, you good-for-nothing, you miserable scoundrel you!" - Sancho Panza quickly left his master's chamber and ran into the tavern, where he found the disguised tailor engrossed in conversation with the innkeeper. They had a good laugh together and waited to see what would happen. After about an hour they hear screams, roars and tumult coming from the bedchamber of the restless hero. All three rushed up, tore open the door and saw Don Quixote in the midst of a frightful battle. Picture 95. The Battle with the Wine Skins"Good heavens, he has sliced the head off the giant, that shameful enemy of Princess Micomicona, as if it were a mere turnip!" cried the tailor. "What is your idle tongue chattering about, woman?" roared the innkeeper. "That ludicrous knight is mad - he is a lunatic! He takes my full wine skins for giants and lets my good red wine flow as if it were blood!" Don Quixote howled like the devil himself, thrashed around, dealing out mighty blows, breaking everything that came within his reach and making a deafening noise. He had probably dreamt that he was already in the kingdom of Micomicona and was about to begin a battle to the death with the giant who had unlawfully seized the land. That was why he had attacked the wineskins and dealt them so many murderous blows that the whole chamber was flooded with wine. "You shameful rascal!" shouted the innkeeper, attacking the knight with both fists. He would have killed him had not the tailor and and Sancho Panza not taken action and delivered a solemn promise that the spilt wine would be paid for to the last penny.


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