ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Smile and Learn English Don Quixote de la Mancha for kids – Classic stories for children
Once upon a time, in a small village in La Mancha, there lived a man named Alonso Quijano. He loved reading books, especially those about brave knights and their adventures. He read so much that he started to mix up the stories with real life. Inspired by the heroes in his books, he decided to become a knight himself and called himself Don Quixote de la Mancha.
Don Quixote wanted to be just like the knights in his books. He found some old armor, a rusty spear, and a dented shield in his attic. “I need a horse too,” he thought. So, he went to the stables and found Rocinante, a skinny old horse. Just then, his neighbor Sancho, a kind and chubby farmer, walked by. Don Quixote asked Sancho to join him on his adventures as his squire, promising him the chance to become the governor of an island if they succeeded.
Sancho, who was a bit gullible, agreed to join Don Quixote. Together, they set off on their adventures, much to the amusement of their neighbors who laughed at their unusual partnership.
As they traveled across the plains of La Mancha, Don Quixote spotted some windmills in the distance. “Look, Sancho! Do you see those giants? I must fight them!” he exclaimed.
Sancho tried to explain, “Those aren’t giants, my lord. They’re just windmills, and those ‘arms’ are the blades that spin in the wind.”
But Don Quixote was convinced they were giants and charged at them. The windmill blades knocked him off his horse, leaving both him and Rocinante injured.
“I told you they were windmills,” Sancho said, helping him up.
“It’s the magician Freston’s fault,” Don Quixote insisted. “He turned the giants into windmills to stop me. But I won’t give up!”
Don Quixote believed that every knight needed a lady to honor. He chose a young peasant girl named Dulcinea del Toboso as the lady of his dreams. He wrote her a letter, expressing his love and longing to see her again.
On another adventure, Don Quixote saw a cloud of dust and thought it was a great army. Sancho tried to tell him it was just a flock of sheep, but Don Quixote charged at them anyway. The shepherds, angry at his attack, threw stones at him, forcing Don Quixote and Sancho to flee.
After many adventures filled with laughter, mistakes, and lessons, Don Quixote realized that life wasn’t like the stories he read. He decided to return home, where he could continue enjoying the tales of knights and their quests.
This story, written by the famous author Miguel de Cervantes, is full of exciting adventures. If you want to read the whole novel or explore more stories, you can try the Smile and Learn platform for free for a month. Enjoy games, videos, and interactive stories on your mobile, tablet, or PC!
Imagine you are a knight like Don Quixote. Write a short story about an adventure you would go on. Include a sidekick, a challenge you face, and how you overcome it. Share your story with the class!
Knights often had a coat of arms that represented their family or values. Design your own coat of arms using symbols that represent your personality and interests. Present your design and explain your choices to the class.
In groups, build a model windmill using craft materials. Test how well your windmill can spin in the wind. Discuss what makes a windmill effective and how Don Quixote might have seen them differently.
With a partner, act out the scene where Don Quixote mistakes the windmills for giants. One of you can be Don Quixote and the other Sancho. Add your own dialogue and perform for the class.
Write a letter as if you are Don Quixote writing to Dulcinea. Express your admiration and describe one of your adventures. Use your imagination to make the letter exciting and heartfelt.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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In a village in La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to recall, lived Alonso Quijano, most commonly known as Don Quixote. Don Quixote loved books so much that he would spend entire hours reading them. Without a doubt, his favorite stories were about the great knights of old Spain. As Don Quixote read through these novels about great deeds of chivalry and accomplishments, he started confusing fantasy with reality. He strived to imitate the heroes in the stories, becoming a knight-errant.
“The world needs brave men like myself to fight for justice against evil. From now onwards, I’ll go down in history as Don Quixote de la Mancha!”
Don Quixote made all the necessary arrangements to become a knight like those in his books. He went up to the attic and found some armor, an old spear, and a dented shield which he had to fix. “I almost forgot! I will also need a horse.” He went down to the stables and found Rocinante, a skinny old nag. Just then, his neighbor Sancho, a kind, chubby peasant, was passing by. Don Quixote remembered that he also needed a companion for his wanderings.
“Dear Sancho, every knight needs a faithful squire and adventure companion. I can’t promise you the world, but if we win fortune and glory, I’ll grant you the privilege of becoming the governor of an isle.”
Sancho, being slightly naive, believed him and accepted the proposal. And this was how such an atypical pair set off seeking adventures. Their neighbors couldn’t believe their eyes. What were these two up to? They laughed at them for hours but couldn’t stop them.
Don Quixote, Sancho, and Rocinante were strolling along the plains of La Mancha when they saw some windmills in the distance.
“Look, my friend! Do you see those enormous giants? I shall do battle with them to stop their evil deeds!”
“What giants, my lord? Those over there in the distance are at least thirty of them! Can’t you see how huge their arms are?”
“Those aren’t giants, Don Quixote. They’re windmills, and those that look like arms to you aren’t arms; they are the blades that spin around with the wind.”
“Fear doesn’t let you see clearly. Step aside! I’ll battle them! Don’t run away, creatures!”
Sancho’s warnings didn’t do any good. The blades pushed Don Quixote off his horse, and both he and Rocinante fell to the ground, badly injured.
“My lord, I told you they were not giants; they were windmills, but you didn’t listen.”
“Hush, Sancho! It’s the magician Freston’s fault who changed the giants into windmills to deprive me of victory. But I won’t give up! The power of my sword is greater than the magician’s evil doing.”
Sancho Panza helped his lord up, treated his wounds, and they both set off once again in search of more adventures.
“Sancho, my friend, every knight needs to have a fair lady to dream of and to honor with his deeds, because a knight without love is like a tree without leaves.”
Don Quixote had chosen Dulcinea del Toboso, a young peasant girl whom he idealized, and decided she would become the lady of his dreams. He wrote a letter to his beloved:
“Sweetest Dulcinea del Toboso, your absence hurts dearly in my heart. My fair beloved, I dream about the day we’ll meet again and you’ll heal my wounds forever. Yours, the knight of the sad countenance.”
Don Quixote set out on his new path together with Sancho. Suddenly, he saw a thick cloud of dust; a vast army was approaching with the capacity to defeat them.
“There’s no vast army of soldiers; it’s just a large flock of sheep!” Sancho warned him.
Don Quixote didn’t listen and charged at the sheep. He hurt many of them with his spear and trampled others with his horse. The shepherds were furious and started throwing stones at him, forcing both Sancho and Don Quixote to flee with great speed.
Don Quixote felt exhausted. Life wasn’t the way he had imagined it. He had come across nothing but mockery, attacks, and disappointments. This was how Don Quixote commenced his journey back home, where other adventurers awaited him, those told in the books he loved reading so much.
This story, written by the famous author Miguel de Cervantes, is great in length and filled with adventures like the ones we told you about. Would you like to read the whole novel? If you want to keep on learning, try our Smile and Learn platform for free for a month and enjoy all of our games, videos, and interactive stories. Download Smile and Learn on your mobile, tablet, or PC!
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while ensuring clarity and appropriateness.
Knight – A warrior in the past who served a king or lord, often wearing armor and riding a horse – In the play, the brave knight set out on a journey to rescue the princess from the tower.
Adventures – Exciting or unusual experiences, often involving travel or exploration – The book was filled with the adventures of a young hero traveling through magical lands.
Armor – Protective metal clothing worn by knights during battles – The knight’s armor gleamed in the sunlight as he prepared for the tournament.
Horse – A large, strong animal that people ride, often used by knights in stories – The knight mounted his horse and galloped across the field to join the battle.
Squire – A young assistant to a knight, learning to become a knight himself – The squire carried the knight’s shield and sword, eager to prove his bravery.
Giants – Huge, mythical creatures often found in fairy tales and legends – In the story, the hero had to outsmart the giants to save his village.
Windmills – Structures with sails that turn in the wind, often featured in stories as obstacles or challenges – The knight mistook the windmills for giants and charged at them with his lance.
Lady – A noblewoman or a woman of high social status, often featured in tales of knights – The lady watched from the castle tower as the knights jousted in her honor.
Dreams – Thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep, or aspirations and hopes – The young actor had dreams of performing on the grand stage one day.
Stories – Narratives or tales that describe events, often with characters and a plot – The teacher read stories from different cultures to the class, sparking their imaginations.
