He was reciting the ballad of the Marquess of Mantua, in which a noble knight has an adventure similar to his own, when there chanced to pass by a labouring man, a neighbour of Don Quixote's, who was going to take a load of wheat to the mill.
He, seeing a man stretched on the ground, came over to him and asked who he was and what mishap had befallen him.
Don Quixote at once believed that the labourer was no other than the Marquess of Mantua himself, and went on with his ballad which gave an account of his disgrace.
The labourer was astonished at all these follies, and taking off the Knight's visor, which was all broken to pieces with the beating, he wiped his face, which was covered with dust; and when he had wiped it he recognised him and cried: 'Senor Quixada (for so was he named before he became a Knight Errant), who has brought your Worship to this plight?'
But the Knight only went on with his ballad, and made no answer.
Seeing this, the good man took off as well as he could his breastplate and corselet to see if he had any wound, but he found no blood nor sign of any. He tried to raise him from the ground, which he did at last with much ado. Then he mounted him upon his ass, which seemed a safer carriage than the Knight's steed. Gathering up his arms, even to the fragments of the lance, he fastened them upon Rozinante, whose bridle he took hold of, as well as of the ass's halter; and so they journeyed towards the village, Don Quixote continuing to mutter his nonsensical stories.
In this manner they arrived at last at their village about sunset, but the labourer waited until it grew somewhat dusk, so that folk should not see the Knight so simply mounted.
When he entered the village and went to Don Quixote's house, he found all in uproar there. For the Curate and the Barber—Don Quixote's great friends—were there, and his Housekeeper was crying to them at the top of her voice: 'What think ye has befallen my Master? For two days both he and his horse, together with the target, lance, and armour, have been missing. Woe is me! I am certain those horrid books of Knighthood have turned his brain, for I have often heard him say that he would become a Knight Errant and go and seek adventures throughout the world.'
And Don Quixote's Niece, who was there also, said to Master Nicholas the Barber: 'And indeed I have known my dear Uncle continue reading these unhappy books of "disadventures" two days and two nights together. At the end of which, throwing down the book, he would lay hand on his sword and would fall a-slashing of the walls. And when he was wearied he would say that he had slain four Giants as great as four towers. And I take great blame to myself that I did not tell you all this before, that you might have burned those wretched books which have caused all the mischief.'