Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547 - 1616) had a hard life. He fought in a naval battle and received a wound that permanently crippled his left arm. He was captured by pirates and sold as a slave. He was ransomed at a cost that ruined his family financially, and was later thrown in prison because he could not pay his business debts. Not long before he died, Cervantes finished his masterpiece novel Don Quijote. (The full title is El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha.) He is now credited by many with writing the best work of fiction ever. Don Quijote is considered a complex mix of two conflicting attitudes toward the world: idealism and realism. The work has been appreciated as a satire on unrealistic extremism, an exposition of the tragedy of idealism in a corrupt world, and a plea for widespread reform. Whatever its intended emphasis, the work presented to the world an unforgettable description of the transforming power of illusion, and it has had an indelible effect on the development of the European novel. In the book, the character Don Quijote is a country gentleman who has read too many chivalric romances. He and the peasant Sancho Panza, who serves as his squire, go on a series of extravagant adventures together. Sixteenth century Spanish society is detailed with funny and sometimes saddening insight. The naive idealism of Don Quijote and the sometimes cynical realism of Sancho serve as catalysts for numerous humorous and pathetic exploits and incidents. Its panorama of characters, the excellence of its tales, and its vivid portrayal of human nature contribute to the enduring influence of Don Quijote. The following is Chapter 1 of the first part of the book. (Although there are many new vocabulary words, do your best to get the main idea from the chapter. Feel free to look up key words in a dictionary.) 30 seconds long