Text from Don Quixote
In the midst of this their conversation, they discovered thirty or forty wind-mills all together on the plain, which the knight no sooner percieved, that he said to his squire, “Chance has conducted our affairs even better than we could either wish or hope for; look there, friend Sancho, and behold thrity of forty outrageous giants, with whom, I intend to engage in battle, and put every soul of them to death, so that we may begin to enrich ourselves with their spoils; for, it is a meritorious warfare and serviceable both to God and Man, to extipate such a wicked race from the face of the earth.”
“What giants do you mean?” said Sancho Panza in amazement.
“Those you see yonder,” replied his master, “with vast extended arms; some of which are two leagues long.”
“I would your worship would take notice,” replied Sancho, “that those you see yonder are no giants, but wind-mills; and what seem arms to you,a re sails; which being turned with the wind, make the millstone work.”
“It seems very plain,” said the knight, “that you are but a novice in adventures: these I affim to be giants, and if thou art afraid, get out of the reach of danger, and put up thy prayers for me, while I join with them in fierce and unequal combat.”
…he put his Rocinante to full speed, and assaulting the nearest wind-mill, thrust it into one of the sails, which was driven about by the wind with so much fury, that the lance was splintered to pieces, and both knight and steed whirled aloft, and overthrown in very bad plight upon the plain.
Sanch Pnaza rode as fast as the donkey could carry him to his assistance, and when he came up, found him unable to stir, by reason of the bruises which he and Rocinante had received. “Lord have mercy upon us! Said the squire, did not I tell your worship to consider well what you were about? Did not I assure you, they were no other than wind-mills? Indeed nobody could mistake them for any thing else, but one who has wind-mills in his own head!”
“Prithee, hold thy peace, friend Sancho, replied Don Quixote; the affairs of war, more than any thing else, are subject to change.”
-Something like this happened to me the other day, though I have no lance, or a man servant, or a horse, and there wasn’t a wind-mill involved. The subtext was very similar.
