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