Don Quixote

The sheep scene concludes with catastrophic consequences and one of the novel's most disgusting moments. After Quixote charges into the flock spearing sheep, the shepherds respond with slings and stones. A stone buries itself in Quixote's ribs. He reaches for his magical balsam. Another stone smashes the flask and knocks out three or four teeth, crushing two fingers. He falls backwards off Rocinante. The shepherds, thinking they've killed him, gather their flock (seven sheep dead) and flee. Sancho watched the whole thing from the hill, tearing his beard and cursing the day he met Quixote. He finds his master badly hurt but conscious and delivers the reality check: 'Did I not tell you those were sheep, not armies?' Quixote's response is peak unfalsifiability: the evil sage who persecutes him transformed the armies into sheep to rob him of victory. He tells Sancho to follow the flock and watch them transform back into men. Then he asks Sancho to check his missing teeth. Sancho leans in close to examine Quixote's mouth. At that exact moment, the balsam's emetic effect hits. Quixote vomits with force of a musket directly into Sancho's beard. Sancho thinks it's blood at first, then realizes by color, taste, and smell it's the balsam. This triggers his own vomiting. He vomits all over Quixote. Both men are now covered in vomit. Sancho runs to his donkey for cleaning supplies—discovers his saddlebags are gone (stolen during the chaos). This is the final straw. He nearly loses his mind. He curses himself. And in his heart resolves to quit his master and go home, even though it means forfeiting his wages and all hope of the promised island. The chapter ends with Sancho at his breaking point: broken, vomit-covered, supplies stolen, no food, his master missing teeth and blaming enchanters. This is as low as they've gotten. And Quixote is still explaining that the sheep will transform back into soldiers if you wait long enough.