lways wise to be ready. Fore-warned is fore-armed. Give me my helmet,
Sancho!"

Snatching it out of Sancho's unwilling hands, he clapped it on his
head without looking into it.

"What is this, Sancho?" he cried, as the whey ran down his face. "What
is the matter with me? Is my brain melting, or am I breaking out in a
cold sweat? If I am, it is not from fear. This must be a dreadful
adventure that is coming. Quick. Sancho! give me something to wipe
away the torrent of sweat, for I am almost blinded."

Without a word, Sancho handed to his master a cloth. Don Quixote dried
himself, and then took off his helmet to see what it was that felt so
cold on his head.

"What is this white stuff?" said he, putting some of the curds to his
nose. "Sancho, you vile traitor, you have been putting curds in my
helmet!"

"Curds!--I?" cried Sancho. "Nay, the devil must have put them there.
Would I dare to make such a mess in your helmet, sir? It must have
been one of those vile enchanters. Where could I get curds? I would
sooner put them in my stomach than in your helmet."

"Well, that's true, I dare say," said Don Quixote. "There's something
in that."

Then again he put on the helmet, and made ready for the adventure.

"Now come what may, I dare meet it," he cried.

The wagon had now come near to them. On top was seated a man, and the
driver rode one of the mules that drew it. Don Quixote rode up.

"Whither go ye, my friends?" said he. "What wagon is this, and what
have you in it? What is the meaning of the flags?"

"The wagon is mine," said the driver, "and I have in it a lion that is
being sent to the King, and the flags are flying to let the people
know that it is the King's property."

"A lion!" cried Don Quixote, "Is it a large one?"

"The biggest I ever saw," said the man on top of the wagon. "I am the
keeper, and I have had charge of many lions, but I never saw one so
large as this. Pray get out of the way, sir, for we must hurry on to
our stopping-place. It is already past his feeding-time; he is
beginning to get hungry, and they are always savage when they are
hungry."

"What!" cried Don Quixote, "lion whelps against me! I'll let those
gentlemen know who send lions this way, that I am not to be scared by
any of their lions. So, Mr. Keeper, just jump down and open his cage,
and let him out. In spite of all the enchanters in the world that have
sent him to try me, I'll let the animal see who Don Quixote de la
Manc