The first thing the lion did was to turn round in the cage in which he lay, and protrude his claws and stretch himself thoroughly; he next opened his mouth and yawned very leisurely; having done this he put his head out of the cage and looked all round with eyes like glowing coals, a spectacle and demeanor to strike terror into temerity itself. Don Quixote merely observed him steadily, longing for him to leap from the cart and come to close quarters with him, when he hoped to hew him to pieces.

So far did his unparalleled madness go; but the noble lion, more courteous than arrogant, not troubling himself about silly bravado, after having looked all around, as has been said, turned about and very coolly and tranquilly lay down again in the cage. Seeing this, Don Quixote ordered the keeper to take a stick to him and provoke him to make him come out.

"That I will not," said the keeper; "for if I anger him, the first he'll tear in pieces will be myself. Be satisfied, Sir Knight, with what you have done, which leaves nothing more to be said on the score of courage, and do not seek to tempt fortune a second time. The lion has the door open; he is free to come out or not to come out ; but as he has not come out so far, he will not come out today. The greatness of your worship's courage has been fully manifested already; no brave champion, so it strikes me, is bound to do more than challenge his enemy and

wait for him on the field; if his adversary does not come, on him lies the disgrace, and he who waits for him carries off the crown of victory."

"That is true," said Don Quixote; "close the door,

my friend, and let me have, in the best form thou canst, what thou hast seen me do, by way of certificate; to wit, that thou didst open the door of the lion's cage, that I waited for him, and that he did not come out. I am not bound to do more; enchantments avaunt, and God uphold the right, the truth, and true chivalry! Close the door, as I bade thee, while I make signals to the fugitives that have left us, that they may learn this exploit from thy lips."

The keeper obeyed, and Don Quixote, fixing his kerchief on the point of his lance, proceeded to recall the others, who still continued to fly, looking back at every step. Sancho, however, happening to observe the signal, exclaimed, “May I die if my master has not overcome the wild beasts, for he is calling to us."

They stopped, and perceived that it was Don Quixote who was making signals, and shaking off their fears to some extent, they approached slowly until they were near enough to hear distinctly Don Quixote's voice calling to them. They returned at length to the cart, and as they came up, Don Quixote said to the carter, "Put your mules to the cart once more, brother, and continue your journey; and do thou, Sancho, give him two gold crowns for him

self and the keeper, to compensate for the delay they have incurred through me."

"That will I give with all my heart," said Sancho; "but what has become of the lions? Are they dead or alive?"

The keeper then in full detail, and bit by bit, described the end of the contest, exalting to the best of his power and ability the valor of Don Quixote, at the sight of whom the lion quailed, and would not and dared not come out of the cage, although he had held the door open ever so long; and showing how, in consequence of his having represented to the knight that it was tempting God to provoke the lion in order to force him out, which he wished to have done, he very reluctantly, and altogether against his will, had allowed the door to be closed.

"What dost thou think of this, Sancho?" said Don Quixote. "Are there any enchantments that can prevail against true valor? The enchanters may be able to rob me of good fortune, but of fortitude and courage they cannot."

Sancho paid the crowns, the keeper kissed Don Quixote's hands for the bounty bestowed on him, and promised to give an account of the valiant exploit to the king himself, as soon as he saw him at court. The cart went its way, and Don Quixote and Sancho went theirs.

- MIGUEL DE CERVANTES.

Don Quixote pursued his journey with satisfaction and complacency, fancying himself the most valorous knighterrant in the world because of his late victory. He, however, met with no further adventure that day, and at the approach of evening he returned to spend the night in the grove where he had vanquished the Knight of the Mirrors. Don Quixote settled himself at the foot of an elm and Sancho at the foot of a beech, for trees of this kind and others like them have feet but no hands. With the

appearance of daylight they pursued their journey, and they had not been long on the way when they came to the banks of a river. The sight of it was a great delight to Don Quixote as he contemplated the clearness of its stream, the gentleness of its current, and the abundance of its crystal waters.

The Don and his squire had just begun to follow down the stream when they discovered a small boat, without oars or any other gear, that lay at the water's edge, tied to the trunk of a tree growing on the bank. Don Quixote 1 See note on page 260.

2 Find the definition and pronunciation of these words in the vocabulary.