Don Quixote of the Mancha, Retold by Judge Parry

by Sir Edward Abbott Parry; Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Whilst they took their ease, a young lad passed by, who looked very earnestly at all those who sat round the spring, and after a moment ran up to Don Quixote, and embracing his legs, burst into tears, crying: 'Ah, my Lord, do not you know me? Look well upon me. I am the boy Andrew whom you unloosed from the oak-tree to which I was tied.'

Don Quixote knew him at once, and, taking him by the hand, turned to those who were present and said: 'That you may see how important it is to have Knights Errant in the world to set right the wrongs and injuries which are done by insolent and wicked men, you must know that a few days ago, as I rode through a wood, I heard piteous screams and cries as of some person in sore distress. I hastened instantly to the place, and there I found tied to an oak this boy whom you see here, and I am glad that he is here, because if I shall not say the truth, he may check me. He was tied to an oak-tree, stark naked from the waist upward, and a certain clown, whom I afterwards learned to be his master, was beating him with a horse's bridle. As soon as I saw him I asked the master the reason of his cruelty. The Farmer replied that he was beating him because he was his servant, and that he had been guilty of carelessness due rather to knavery than stupidity. At which the lad said, "Sir, he beats me only because I ask him for my wages." The Farmer answered with many excuses, which I heard but did not believe. I made him at once untie the boy, and forced him to swear me an oath that he would take him home with him and pay him every real upon the nail. Is not all this true, son Andrew? Answer, nor hesitate in anything. Tell these gentlemen what passed, that they may learn how necessary it is to have Knights Errant up and down the highways.'

'All that your Worship says is very true,' replied the lad;' but the end of the business was very contrary to what you imagine.'

'How contrary?' asked Don Quixote. 'Did not the clown pay thee, then?'

'He not only did not pay me,' answered the boy, 'but as soon as you had passed out of the wood, and we were alone again, he tied me to the same tree and gave me afresh so many blows that I had like to be flayed alive. And at each blow he uttered some jest to make a mock of your Lordship, and if I had not felt so much pain, I could have found it in my heart to have laughed very merrily. In fact, he left me in such a wretched plight that I have been in hospital ever since. And you are at fault in all this, for if you had ridden on your way, and not come meddling in other folk's affairs, perhaps my master would have contented himself with giving me a dozen blows or so, and would presently have let me loose and paid me my wages. But, because you abused him so harshly, his anger was aroused, and as he could not revenge himself on you, as soon as he was alone he let loose the storm of his wrath upon me, in such a manner that I fear I shall never be a man again as long as I live.'

'The mischief was,' said Don Quixote, 'in my going away, for I should not have departed until I had seen thee paid. For I might well have known that no churl will keep his word if he finds that it does not suit him to keep it. But yet, Andrew, thou dost remember how I swore that if he paid thee not, I would return and seek him out, and find him though he should hide himself in the belly of a whale.'

'That is true,' replied Andrew, 'but it is all of no use.'

'Thou shalt see whether it is of use or no presently,' said Don Quixote, and so saying he got up hastily and commanded Sancho to bridle Rozinante, who was feeding whilst they did eat.

Dorothea asked him what it was he meant to do. He answered that he meant to go in search of the Farmer and punish him for his bad conduct, and make him pay Andrew to the last farthing, in spite of all the churls in the world. To which she answered, entreating him to remember that he could not deal with any other adventure, according to his promise, until he had finished hers; and as he knew this better than any one else, he must restrain his anger until he returned from her Kingdom.