ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Smile and Learn English Don Quixote for Kids – Text Version – Literature for Kids
In a small village in La Mancha, there lived a man named Alonzo Quijano, who was better known as Don Quixote. Don Quixote loved reading books, especially those about brave knights and their heroic adventures in old Spain. He read so much that he started to mix up the stories with real life. Inspired by these tales, he decided to become a knight himself and set out to fight for justice.
Don Quixote was determined to become a knight like the ones in his books. He found some old armor in his attic, grabbed a rusty spear, and fixed a dented shield. “I need a horse too,” he thought. So, he went to the stables and found Rosinante, a skinny old horse. Just then, his neighbor Sancho, a kind and chubby peasant, walked by. Don Quixote remembered that every knight needs a companion.
“Sancho, my friend, every knight needs a loyal squire. Join me, and if we find fortune, I’ll make you the governor of an island,” Don Quixote promised. Sancho, a bit naive, believed him and agreed to join the adventure. The two of them, along with Rosinante, set off on their quest. Their neighbors laughed at them, wondering what they were up to, but nothing could stop them.
As they traveled across the plains of La Mancha, they saw windmills in the distance. “Sancho, look at those enormous giants! I will fight them!” Don Quixote exclaimed.
“But those are windmills, not giants,” Sancho tried to explain. “Their arms are just blades that spin in the wind.”
Don Quixote didn’t listen. He charged at the windmills, but the spinning blades knocked him off his horse. Both he and Rosinante fell to the ground, injured.
“I told you they were windmills,” Sancho said, helping him up.
“It’s the magician’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 dream of and honor. He chose Dulcinea del Toboso, a young peasant girl, as the lady of his dreams. He wrote her a letter expressing his love and longing to see her again.
On their journey, Don Quixote saw a cloud of dust and thought it was an army. Sancho tried to warn him, “It’s just a flock of sheep!” But Don Quixote charged at the sheep, causing chaos. The angry shepherds threw stones at them, and they had to flee quickly.
Feeling tired and disappointed, Don Quixote realized that being a knight wasn’t as he imagined. He faced mockery and challenges, but he decided to return home, where more adventures awaited him in the books he loved.
This story was written by the famous author Miguel de Cervantes and is full of exciting adventures. If you enjoyed this tale, you might want to read the whole novel. Keep exploring and learning with fun games, videos, and interactive stories on the Smile and Learn platform. Download it on your mobile, tablet, or PC and start your adventure today!
Imagine you are a knight like Don Quixote. Draw a picture of yourself in armor, and write a short story about your first adventure. What kind of armor would you wear? What would your horse look like? Share your story with the class!
Using paper, scissors, and glue, create a model of a windmill. Learn how windmills work and discuss why Don Quixote might have mistaken them for giants. Present your windmill to the class and explain its parts.
With a partner, act out a scene from Don Quixote’s adventures. One of you can be Don Quixote and the other Sancho Panza. Use props from around the classroom to make your performance more exciting. What challenges will you face?
Write a letter as if you are Don Quixote writing to Dulcinea. Express your feelings and describe your latest adventure. Share your letter with a classmate and discuss how Don Quixote’s imagination influences his actions.
Create a map of Don Quixote’s journey through La Mancha. Mark important locations such as his village, the windmills, and where he encountered the flock of sheep. Use your map to retell the story to a friend.
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 Alonzo 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. In like manner, 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. He laid his hands on 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 Rosinante, a skinny old nag. Just then, his neighbor Sancho, a kind and chubby peasant, was passing by. Don Quixote remembered right away that he also needed a companion for his wanderings.
“Dear Sancho, every knight needs a faithful squire, an adventurous 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 Rosinante were strolling along the plains of La Mancha when they saw some windmills in the distance. “Sancho, my friend, do you see those enormous giants? I shall do battle with them unto the death!”
“Stop! What giants, my lord? Those over there in the distance? There 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.”
“Sancho, fear doesn’t let you see clearly. Step aside! I’ll battle them! Don’t run away!”
Sancho’s warnings didn’t do any good. The blades pushed Don Quixote off his horse, and both he and Rosinante fell to the ground, badly injured.
“My lord, I told you they weren’t giants; they were windmills, but you didn’t listen.”
“Hush, Sancho! It’s the magician’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 doings.”
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 heroic 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.
Don Quixote decided to write a letter to his beloved: “Sweet Dulcinea del Toboso, your absence hurts dearly, 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. Sancho warned him of such insanity.
“There’s no vast army of soldiers; it’s just a large flock of sheep.”
Don Quixote didn’t listen and charged at the sheep. He hurt many of them with his spear and trampled others. The shepherds were furious and started throwing stones at him, so many that both Sancho and Don Quixote had to flee with great speed.
Don Quixote felt exhausted. Knight life wasn’t the way he had imagined it. He had come across nothing but mockery, attacks, and disappointments. And this was how Don Quixote commenced his journey back home, where other adventures 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. How would you like to read the whole novel? Do you want to keep on learning? Try for free our Smile and Learn platform for a month and enjoy all of our games, videos, and interactive stories. Go for it! Download Smile and Learn on your mobile, tablet, or PC.
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language and ensuring clarity.
Don Quixote – A fictional character who is a nobleman that becomes a knight and goes on adventures, often confusing reality with his imagination. – In the story, Don Quixote believes he is a brave knight destined to bring justice to the world.
Knight – A person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a monarch or other leader for service to the country, especially in a military capacity. – The knight rode his horse bravely into battle, determined to protect the kingdom.
Adventure – An exciting or unusual experience, often involving exploration or risk. – The young girl dreamed of going on an adventure like the heroes in her favorite books.
Sancho – A fictional character who is the loyal squire and companion of Don Quixote in the novel. – Sancho followed Don Quixote on his quests, providing humor and wisdom along the way.
Windmills – Large structures with sails that turn in the wind, often mistaken by Don Quixote for giants. – Don Quixote charged at the windmills, believing they were fearsome giants he needed to defeat.
Giants – Mythical beings of great size and strength, often appearing in fairy tales and legends. – In his imagination, Don Quixote saw giants where there were only windmills.
Armor – Protective clothing worn by knights to shield them from weapons during battles. – The knight’s armor clanged as he moved, shining brightly in the sunlight.
Justice – The quality of being fair and reasonable, often a central theme in stories about heroes and knights. – The hero fought for justice, ensuring that everyone in the kingdom was treated fairly.
Dulcinea – A fictional character who is the idealized lady love of Don Quixote, representing beauty and perfection. – Don Quixote dedicated all his brave deeds to his beloved Dulcinea.
Stories – Accounts of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment. – The teacher read stories from a big book, capturing the students’ imaginations with tales of adventure and heroism.
