Novelist Miguel de Cervantes y Savedra, imprisoned for debts during the Spanish inquision, tells a story to his fellow prisoners about Don Quixote. Quixote follows his dream of virginal Dulcinea as he pursues Aldonza, the serving wench, for whom he does battle in order to be worthy of knighthood, Though she scorns him for his foolishness, Aldonza is eventually won over... as the Don lays dying, she comes to believie in his dream.