have stayed the hand of the errant
revenger.

So Don Quixote drew forth, and caught up with the cart as it was close
to the village. He commanded the players to halt, saying he wanted to
teach them how to be courteous to donkeys and animals that served
squires and knights errant for steeds. The merrymakers could tell by
his stentorian tone that he was not jesting, so they all quickly
jumped out of the cart and armed themselves with stones.

By this time Sancho had reached the scene of action, and as soon as
he saw the threatening attitude of the strollers, he begged his master
not to fight against either Death or the angels, particularly since
neither one of them was a knight errant; nor was there any one in the
whole company who was. This point Don Quixote thought was wisely
taken, and he ordered his squire to fight the battle himself. But
Sancho said he preferred to show a Christian spirit and forgive, and
promised his master he would come to an agreement with his donkey to
leave his end of the grievance to the squire's goodwill.

Don Quixote let Sancho have his way; and when they had seen the
caravan of mountebanks disappear, Sancho was happy in the thought that
he had averted a great calamity for himself and his master.

CHAPTER XII

OF THE STRANGE ADVENTURE WHICH BEFELL THE VALIANT DON
QUIXOTE WITH THE BOLD KNIGHT OF THE GROVE

They passed that night under some cork-trees, and while they were
eating their supper, Sancho as usual became talkative and again gave
proof of his chronic weakness for proverbs. Every phrase abounded with
them. As ever, he would use them to fit the wrong case, or twist them
so as to fit what he wanted them to fit. Don Quixote had to laugh at
his squire's simplicity, and at the way he tried to imitate his
master's manner of speaking. His words and expressions were indeed a
strange mixture. One moment he would use the most abominable grammar
and the next he would borrow the language of Don Quixote, repeating in
stilted fashion the polite phrases he had heard Don Quixote use in his
flowery discourses on knighthood and chivalry.

Soon after they had fallen asleep, Don Quixote was awakened by the
sound of men's voices. He quickly rose, curious and anxious to learn
who the disturbers were, and was amazed to behold a real knight, clad
in full armor, dismount from his horse, while speaking words that
indicated he was lovesick and in despair. Don Quixote hastened to call
Sancho, wh