the adventure with the windmills
(After the usual brief theme song, SANTIAGO and MARGARITA smile softly into the cameras. They are proud of themselves for being ready seconds before the camera turned on rather than after.)
MARGARITA: Good morning, people of La Mancha. We have a very exciting day ahead with the official vote for the candidates for city council. Candidates include Javier Palacios, Juan Maria Aburto, Carlos Gonzalez Serna, Francisco Cuenca Rodriguez, Dona Maria del Carmen Sanchez Diaz…
(MARGARITA drones on listing long and complicated councilperson candidate names until SANTIAGO clutches his earpiece and whips his head to look into the camera.)
SANTIAGO: Margarita, I am sorry to interrupt you during such an exciting announcement but I have just received word that Don Quixote and his squire Sancho Panza are quickly preparing for departure on their very first adventure! We have Diego there at the scene to report live to us.
(The camera pans to DIEGO, standing at the edge of town against an open field of waving grass. He holds the microphone and stares past the camera, eagerly looking for the knight and squire duo and appearing slightly enthused for once.)
DIEGO: Thanks, Santiago! We were standing here to cover the city councilperson votes today when we saw Don Quixote and Sancho Panza gathering satchels and loading their horses. Er, horse and donkey. We have reason to suspect that they may be trying to sneak off early in the morning so as not to rouse the city with their departure. If this is the case, we will indeed be following them to document their travel and-
(The sound of hooves is heard from behind the camera before two figures shoot past. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza gallop off into the distance down the gravel road. DIEGO stares in awe at the speed he did not think the two were capable of and pauses for a second before gathering his belongings and setting off in pursuit. The cameraman tries to keep up and accidentally drops the camera as much bumbling and clumsiness ensues.
The camera returns to MARGARITA and SANTIAGO staring wordlessly into the screen, unsure of what to say following such a scene. They instead cut to a commercial break before returning with more information.)
SANTIAGO: Welcome back, folks. We have an update from Diego and our cameraman who are live at the scene following Don Quixote and Sancho Panza on their first adventure. Let’s hear what to Diego has to say.
(The camera cuts to Diego who is crouched beside a bush next to Sancho Panza. Sancho is holding onto his donkey desperately and his eyes glance back and forth from the camera to something in the distance.)
DIEGO: Hello, Sancho Panza. Can you tell us a little bit about what you’re doing hiding beside this bush? Is this part of your first adventure?
SANCHO PANZA: Well, uh…yes, yes it is. We were traveling down the road when we came across what Mr. Don Quixote said were thirty giants. I didn’t really know what he was talking about… I only saw windmills. But he just kept saying they were huge giants and that he wanted to fight them all. He told me to come over here and pray so I-
(A large bang erupts from the distance and Sancho jumps to his feet to run to his master’s side. DIEGO and the cameraman stumble to their feet as well and follow. They find DON QUIXOTE on the ground with his lance bent in the blade of a windmill and his steed, Rozinante, on its side. DON QUIXOTE groans as SANCHO PANZA pulls him to his feet.)
DIEGO: Hello, Don Quixote! We’re to report on your first journey and were wondering if you tell us what just happened in this battle?
(DON QUIXOTE looks wearily into the camera while wiping perspiration from his forehead.)
DON QUIXOTE: Why, yes, I can… we were riding along when I saw these terrible giants and I knew… I just knew I had to fight them. They were glaring so viciously at me. So I rode my horse right into their leader and threw my lance right at his neck. I called out to my beautiful Aldonza to guide my lance, but as soon as it struck, the giants were turned into these dreadful windmills by the infamously evil enchanter. I just know it was him… I will get even with him in the end!
(DON QUIXOTE sighs and makes a grand exit with SANCHO PANZA following. DIEGO watches until they are out of sight and then turns to the windmills. Double checking that no one was watching, he cautiously reaches out to touch the closest windmill. Even though it does not move in response to his touch, he wonders if the windmills had really been giants at one point. His hand lingers for a moment.)
DIEGO: Uh, hello there… do you have any comments on what just happened?
(The camera pans to the windmills standing tall with slowly rotating blades. There is an uncomfortable silence for several seconds before DIEGO realizes how ridiculous his question is and turns bright red.
DIEGO: Well, that’s all the updates we have for now. Back to you, Margarita!
(The camera returns to the studio where SANTIAGO and MARGARITA have equally confused faces, trying to hide their amusement.)
MARGARITA: People of La Mancha, you heard him! That’s all the news we have for now but be sure to stay tuned later today for any updates. Until then, have a good day.
Bibliography: Stories of Don Quixote, Written Anew for Young People by James Baldwin (Originally written in Spanish by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra).
Author’s Note: This story is the original source idea that made me want to try this for my Storybook so I have been excited to write it! In the original, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are riding along and see windmills that Don Quixote thinks are giants and Sancho hides while he fights them. He is knocked to the ground and believes that an enchanter turned the giants into windmills during their fight. He is slightly injured but they ride off together to pursue their next adventure. I kept the basic premise of the plot the same and included Diego and the cameraman so that someone could be there to witness the ridiculousness of the “battle.” I used the same manner of interviewing the other people before Don Quixote so readers could know what really happened before hearing from him. I also thought it would be hilarious (though maybe I’m the only to think so) if Diego tried to interview the windmills but was obviously unsuccessful due to their inanimate nature. It was hard to think of a different topic for the beginning of the news special, since I have already used weather and traffic, so I thought an insignificant local election that people were not too excited about would be good. I actually googled names of Spanish council people, but was unable to find any, so I used Spanish mayors instead. I thought having their long and authentic names would be funnier than anything I could create myself. Overall, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I’m glad I was able to include what my initial inspiration was!