This head, Señor Don Quixote, has been fabricated . . .

"This head, Señor Don Quixote, has been fabricated and made by one of the greatest enchanters and wizards the world has ever seen, a Pole, I believe, and a disciple of the famous Escotillo,* about whom so many marvels are told; he was here in my house, and for a thousand escudos, which I paid him, he fashioned this head, which has the property and virtue of responding to any question spoken into its ear."

*The translator;s note regarding the name Escotillo is of particular interest to magicians: "*Martín de Riquer is certain the reference is to Michael Scot (d. ca. 1232) who studied at Oxford, Bologna, Paris and eventually Toledo, where he learned Arabic, the language from which he translated (or supervised the translation of) many of Aristotle's writings into Latin. Escotillo is the diminutive of Escoto, his name in Spanish. For a variety of reasons, including his interests in astrology, alchemy, and the occult sciences, he was widely known as a magician and soothsayer."

Who was Michael Scot? Is it possible that he ever wrote or translated work on magic as a performing art?

. . . Miguel de Cervantes (Trans. Edith Grossman) . . . Don Quixote . . . 866 . . .