Panza hatches a plan: He will find a random peasant girl and bring her to Quixote, then claim the girl is Dulcinea. If Quixote objects, he will blame the girl’s appearance on magicians. When Panza points at a passing girl, Quixote accepts the explanation about magicians. He curses the magicians while the peasant girl rides away as quickly as she can. 

On the road, Quixote and Panza encounter a group of traveling actors. The actors are dressed in elaborate costumes, including Cupid, Death, an angel, a demon, a clown, a soldier, and an emperor. Rocinante is surprised by the actors and throws Quixote to the ground. The actor dressed as a clown steals Panza’s donkey to imitate Quixote being thrown from his horse. Quixote demands revenge for the theft but backs off when he realizes that the actors have rocks in their hands. The donkey is eventually returned, and the actors go back to the road. 

After setting up camp in a forest grove, Quixote and Panza meet a man who also claims to be a knight. The knight introduces himself as Casildea de Vandalia, and he recites a poem about his broken heart.