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DON QUIXOTE OF LA MANCHA
CHAPTER XXX
"Clavileño"
(SYNOPSIS)
After the joke on Don Quixote is over, the duchess presses Sancho to comply
with his end of the farse by lashing himself. Sancho then gives her a letter
to be delivered to his wife, Teresa Panza, in which he details all of the adventures
befallen him since he left home.
Just then we hear a sad musical theme being played and an old man appears on scene. He claims to be Trifaldía of the White Beard, squire to the Countess of Trifaldi, and says that he is bearer of a message for Don Qiixote from the Countess.
The duke and duchess then bade the squire and his countess enter the castle. The countess tells them that she has just returned from far away Candaya, over which Queen Maguncia reigned, she being the mother of the lovely Princess Antonomasia. All of the noble princess for leagues around were madly in love with Antonomasia but only one had stolen her heart, and he was a dashing young knight who answered to the name of Clavijo.
They were wed despite her mother's protests. The Queen died of disgust and the Giant Malambruno, cousin of the Queen, took revenge on the young couple by converting him into a tin crocodile and her into a bronze monkey, besides making a heavy beard grow on the face of the Countess Trifaldi and other ladies of her country.
In order to cure them all of this enchantment, Malbruno is sending Don Quixote a flying horse named Clavileño, which has been fabricated by Merlin. Only if the Manchegan Nobleman will dare to fly on this horse, will Antonomasia, Clavijo and the ladies of Candaya be freed of this bewitchment and return to their natural forms.
That night some savages make their appearance in the garden of the castle, bearing the flying horse on their shoulders. They give instructions as to how to operate it. Then they withdraw Don Quixote hurries to mount the machine but Sancho balks. Finally, however, he climbs onto. the croup, behind his master. They are blindfolded and our intrepid knight punches the button that sets off the horse.
With the internal machinery now running, the horse begins to shake, all
those present bid the adventurers farewell and good journey. As they have
their eyes covered, they really believe that they are flying through space.
With enormous bellows, Trifaldín, the feigned Countess Trifaldi and another
lady (all of whom work for the duke and duchess), create a
tremendous current of air over Don Quixote and Sancho, who think that
they must now be up in the highest part of the atmosphere. Then some burlap
is burned near them, the heat from which makes them think that they must now
be nearing the sun. As a final touch of irony, the servants of the duke and
duchess set fire to Clavileño's tail and, as the horse is stuffed with
fireworks, it is thrust into the air, tossing Don Quixote and Sancho into the
garden pool, then burning furiously and finally being totally consumed in a
Cloud of fireworks.
Our two travelers then take off their blindfolds, climb out of the pool, thinking that they have flown over Candaya, and discover that Trifaldín and the ladies are no longer there. Then they see that the duke and duchess are sound asleep. They also find a lance stuck in the ground, with a message that says: "The famous knight Don Quixote de la Mancha has brought an end to the adventure of the Countess Trifaldi.
Malambruno is satisfied and the ladies no longer have beards, their faces turned back into silken skin, as before, and King Clavijo and Queen Antonomasia have been disenchanted and are once again happy.
Now, as soon as Sancho Panza has complied with his penitence, Dulcinea
del Toboso will be free of her enchantment and returned to the arms of her lover
and knight; for this is the way that it all has been ordered by the Wizard Merlin..."