Don Quixote Volume 2, Chapter 11

As they travel towards Zaragoza, Don Quijote remains in a dark mood thinking about this latest trick that the wicked magicians had played on him -- the transformation of Dulcinea. They spot a cart coming towards them filled with alarming figures. The driver looks like the demon of Death and he is accompanied by an angel, an emperor, cupid and a knight wearing a multi-feathered hat. Setting himself up as a roadblock, Don Quijote demands that they identify and explain themselves. They explain that they are a troupe of actors who are performing the play "Parliament of Death" in village nearby. Don Quijote tells them he is a great fan of the theater and blesses them and tells them they can now go.

Topic Tracking: Grandiosity 26

A clown, jingling with bells and banging a stick with inflated ox bladders on the ground, performs for Don Quijote. This startles Rocinante making her run away with Don Quijote upon her back until they somehow fall down. As Sancho runs to help, the clown climbs upon his donkey and mimes the funny scene he has just witnessed and then returns the donkey. But Sancho and Don Quijote are angry because he hit the donkey with the ox bladders to get him to run away. Don Quijote yells that he wants to teach this troupe a lesson about how to treat animals. The actors quickly pick up rocks and form a defensive line and await DQ's next move.

Topic Tracking: Donkey Imagery 1

Sancho successfully talks Don Quijote out of this fight by reminding him that none of these people are knights, so Don Quijote is not allowed to do battle with them. Don Quijote asks if Sancho would like to revenge the insult done his donkey, and Sancho says it wouldn't be a Christian thing to do and his donkey has agreed to abide by any decisions Sancho makes regarding slights to him. Sancho also admits being more interested in living peaceably than fighting. Don Quijote calls Sancho good, wise, Christian and honest, and they ride away from the actors.