It happened at this moment that one of the horses of the four who were seeking admittance went to smell Rocinante, who melancholy, dejected, and with drooping ears stood motionless, supporting his sorely stretched master; and as he was, after all, flesh, though he looked as if he were made of wood, he could not help giving way and in return smelling the one who had come to offer him attentions. But he had hardly moved at all when Don Quixote lost his footing; and slipping off the saddle, he would have come to the ground, but for being suspended by the arm, which caused him such agony that he believed either his wrist would be cut through or his arm torn off; and he hung so near the ground that he could just touch it with his feet, which was all the worse for him; for, finding how little was wanted to enable him to plant his feet firmly, he struggled and stretched himself as much as he could to gain a footing; just like those undergoing the torture of the strappado, when they are fixed at "touch and no touch," who aggravate their own sufferings by their violent efforts to stretch themselves, deceived by the hope which makes them fancy that with a very little more they will reach the ground.
Sucedió en este tiempo que una de las cabalgaduras en que venían los cuatro que llamaban se llegó a oler a Rocinante, que, melancólico y triste, con las orejas caídas, sostenía sin moverse a su estirado señor; y como, en fin, era de carne, aunque parecía de leño, no pudo dejar de resentirse y tornar a oler a quien le llegaba a hacer caricias; y así, no se hubo movido tanto cuanto, cuando se desviaron los juntos pies de don Quijote, y, resbalando de la silla, dieran con él en el suelo, a no quedar colgado del brazo: cosa que le causó tanto dolor que creyó o que la muñeca le cortaban, o que el brazo se le arrancaba; porque él quedó tan cerca del suelo que con los estremos de las puntas de los pies besaba la tierra, que era en su perjuicio, porque, como sentía lo poco que le faltaba para poner las plantas en la tierra, fatigábase y estirábase cuanto podía por alcanzar al suelo: bien así como los que están en el tormento de la garrucha, puestos a toca, no toca, que ellos mesmos son causa de acrecentar su dolor, con el ahínco que ponen en estirarse, engañados de la esperanza que se les representa, que con poco más que se estiren llegarán al suelo.