by instinct
to be the object of pursuit. He ordered Sancho to take up the helmet;
who, holding it in his hand, said, "Before Heaven, the basin is a
special one, and is well worth a piece of eight, if it is worth a
farthing."

He then gave it to his master, who immediately placed it upon his head,
turning it round in search of the visor; but not finding it he said,
"Doubtless the pagan for whom this famous helmet was originally forged
must have had a prodigious head--the worst of it is that one half is
wanting."

When Sancho heard the basin called a helmet, he could not forbear
laughing; which, however, he instantly checked on recollecting his
master's late choler.

"What dost thou laugh at, Sancho?" said Don Quixote.

"I am laughing," answered he, "to think what a huge head the pagan had
who owned that helmet, which is for all the world just like a barber's
basin."

"Knowest thou, Sancho, what I conceive to be the case? This famous
piece, this enchanted helmet, by some strange accident must have fallen
into the possession of one who, ignorant of its true value as a helmet
and seeing it to be of the purest gold, hath inconsiderately melted down
the one-half for lucre's sake, and of the other half made this, which,
as thou sayest, doth indeed look like a barber's basin; but to me, who
know what it really is, its transformation is of no importance, for I
will have it so repaired in the first town where there is a smith, that
it shall not be surpassed nor even equalled by that which the god of
smiths himself made and forged for the god of battles. In the mean time
I will wear it as I best can, for something is better than nothing; and
it will be sufficient to defend me from stones."

Be brief in thy discourse, for what is prolix cannot be
pleasing.

Never stand begging for that which you have the power to
take.

There are two kinds of lineages in the world. Some there are
who derive their pedigree from princes and monarchs, whom
time has gradually reduced until they have ended in a point,
like a pyramid; others have had a low origin, and have risen
by degrees, until they have become great lords. So that the
difference is, that some have been what they now are not,
and others are now what they were not before.

A leap from a hedge is better than the prayer of a bishop.

A snatch from behind a bush is better than the prayer of
good men.

Customs come not all together, neither wer