. . . I remember I once knew a Toledo pothecary, that talked like a canary bird, and used to say, wherever come old waiting-women, good luck can happen there to no man. Body of me, he knew them too well and therefore valued them accordingly. He could have eaten them all with a grain of salt.

This passage from "Don Quixote" illustrates a humorous yet cynical view of "old waiting-women" or duennas. Sancho Panza recalls a Toledo apothecary who had a particular disdain for these figures, equating their presence with bad fortune. The phrase "eaten them all with a grain of salt" cleverly combines the literal meaning of making something more palatable with the metaphorical implication of skepticism. The saying suggests that their stories and presence require a figurative 'pinch of salt' to be endured. The quote underscores the novel's theme of mistaken perceptions and highlights Sancho's comedic misinterpretation of noble titles, which echoes the larger satirical tone of Cervantes's work. It encapsulates the humor and social commentary embedded in "Don Quixote," making it a brilliant example of Cervantes’s wit.