Miguel Cervantes

THE HISTORY OF DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA
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CHAPTER XV.

Of what happened to Don Quixote's Squire, with the famous device of the Curate and the Barber.

The history recounting what the Knight of the Sorrowful Figure did when he found himself alone, informs us that, having performed [Pg 85] many strange antics after Sancho's departure, he mounted the top of a high rock, and began to deliberate on a subject that he had often considered before, without coming to any resolution; that was, which was the best and most proper model for his imitation, Orlando in his furious fits, or Amadis in his melancholy moods; and thus he argued with himself: "If Orlando was as valiant a knight as he is allowed to have been, where is the wonder? since, in fact, he was enchanted, and could only be slain by having a needle thrust into the sole of his foot; therefore he always wore shoes of iron. But setting aside his valour, let us consider his madness; and if he was convinced of his lady's cruelty, it was no wonder he ran mad. But how can I imitate him in his frenzy without a similar cause? I should do my Dulcinea manifest wrong if I should be seized with the same species of frenzy as that of Orlando Furioso. On the other side, I see that Amadis de Gaul, finding himself disdained by his Lady Oriana, only retired to the poor rock, accompanied by a hermit, and there wept abundantly until Heaven succoured him in his great tribulation. All honour, then, to the memory of Amadis! and let him be the model of Don Quixote de la Mancha, of whom shall be said, that if he did not achieve great things, he at least died in attempting them; and though neither rejected nor disdained by my Dulcinea, it is sufficient that I am absent from her. Now to the work; come to my memory, ye deeds of Amadis, and instruct me in the task of imitation!" He thus passed the time, and in writing and graving on the barks of trees many verses of a plaintive kind, or in praise of his Dulcinea. Among those afterwards discovered, only the following were entire and legible:

 

 I.
 
 Ye lofty trees, with spreading arms,
 The pride and shelter of the plain;
 Ye humbler shrubs and flowery charms,
 Which here in springing glory reign!
 If my complaints may pity move,
 Hear the sad story of my love!
 While with me here you pass your hours,
 Should you grow faded with my cares,
 I'll bribe you with refreshing showers;
 You shall be watered with my tears.
 Distant, though present in idea,
 I mourn my absent Dulcinea
 Del Toboso.
 
 II.
 
 While I through honour's thorny ways
 In search of distant glory rove,
 Malignant fate my toil repays
 With endless woes and hopeless love.[Pg 86]
 Thus I on barren rocks despair,
 And curse my stars, yet bless my fair.
 Love, armed with snakes, has left his dart,
 And now does like a fury rave,
 And scourge and sting on every part,
 And into madness lash his slave.
 Distant, though present in idea,
 (...)
(......)