DON QUIXOTE AND THE WINDMILLS.

I. As Don Quixote and Sancho Panza were riding, they perceived some thirty or forty windmills on the plain. As soon as Don Quixote spied them, he said to his squire:

"Fortune disposes our affairs better than we ourselves could have desired; look yonder, friend Sancho Panza, where you may discern somewhat more than thirty monstrous giants, with whom I intend to fight, and take away all their lives; with whose spoils we will begin to enrich ourselves; for it is lawful war, and doing God service to take so wicked a generation from off the face of the earth.” 2. "What giants?" said Sancho Panza.

"Those you see yonder," answered his master, "with those long arms; for some of them are wont to have them of the length of almost two leagues."

3. "Consider, sir," answered Sancho, "that those which appear yonder are not giants, but windmills; and what seem to be arms are the sails which are whirled about by the wind and make the millstone go.'

"One may easily see," answered Don Quixote, "that you are not versed in the business of adventures; they are giants, and if you are afraid, stand aside and pray, whilst I engage them in a firm and unequal combat."

4. So saying, he clapped spurs to his horse without minding the cries his squire sent after him. He went on, crying out aloud:

"Fly not yet, ye cowards and vile caitiffs, for it is a single knight who assaults you!"

Now the wind rose a little, and the great sails began to move, which Don Quixote perceiving, he said, "Well, though you should move more arms than Briareus, you shall pay for it."

*

5. So saying, he rushed on as fast as his horse could carry him, and attacked the first mill before him; running his lance into the sail, the wind whirled it about with so much violence that it broke the lance to shivers, dragging horse and rider after it, and tumbling them over and over on the plain in very evil plight. Sancho Panza hastened to his assistance as fast as his donkey could carry him, and when he came up to him he found him not able to stir-so violent was the blow he had received in falling.

"God save me!" quoth Sancho; "did I not warn you to have a care of what you did, for that they were nothing but windmills ?”

6. "Peace, friend Sancho," answered Don Quixote, "for matters of war are of all others most subject to continual mutations. Now I verily believe that the wizard who stole away my books has metamorphosed these giants into windmills on purpose to deprive me of the glory of vanquishing

* Briar'eus, or Æge'on, a giant with fifty heads and a hundred hands.

them, but his wicked arts will avail little against the goodness of my sword."

"God grant it!" answered Sancho Panza; and helping him to rise, he mounted him again upon his horse, who was half shoulder-slipped.

Miguel de Cervantes.

THE WIND IN A FROLIC.

. THE wind one morning sprang up from sleep, Saying, "Now for a frolic! Now for a leap! Now for a madcap galloping chase!

I'll make a commotion in every place!"

So it swept with a bustle right through a great
town,

Creaking the signs and scattering down
Shutters, and whisking, with merciless squalls,
Old women's bonnets and gingerbread stalls.
There never was heard a much lustier shout,
As the apples and oranges tumbled about;
And the urchins that stand with their thievish

eyes

Forever on watch ran off with each prize.

2. Then away to the fields it went blustering and humming,

And the cattle all wondered whatever was com

ing.

It plucked by their tails the grave matronly

COWS,

And tossed the colts' manes all about their brows,

Till, offended at such a familiar salute,

They all turned their backs and stood silently

mute.

So on it went capering and playing its pranks;
Whistling with reeds on the broad river-banks;
Puffing the birds as they sat on the spray,
Or the traveler grave on the king's highway.
It was not too nice to bustle the bags

Of the beggar and flutter his dirty rags.

'Twas so bold that it feared not to play its joke With the doctor's wig and the gentleman's

cloak.

Through the forest it roared, and cried gayly,

"Now,

You sturdy old oaks, I'll make you bow!"
And it made them bow without more ado,

Or it cracked their branches through and
through.

3. Then it rushed like a monster o'er cottage and farm,

Striking their inmates with sudden alarm;

And they ran out like bees in a midsummer

swarm.

There were dames with their kerchiefs tied over

their caps,

To see if their poultry were free from mishaps; The turkeys they gobbled, the geese screamed aloud,

And the hens crept to roost in a terrified crowd;

There was rearing of ladders, and logs laying on, Where the thatch from the roof threatened soon to be gone.

But the wind had passed on, and had met in a lane

With a schoolboy, who panted and struggled in

vain,

For it tossed him, and twirled him, then passed, and he stood

With his hat in a pool and his shoe in the

mud.

William Howitt.

HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE.

1. LARS PORSENA of Clusium

By the Nine Gods he swore
That the great house of Tarquin
Should suffer wrong no more.
By the Nine Gods he swore it,
And named a trysting-day,
And bade his messengers ride forth,
East and west and south and north,
To summon his array.

2. They held a council standing

Before the River-gate;

Short time was there, ye well may guess,

For musing or debate.