"A child of two worlds -- the son of an aristocratic Spanish military man turned landowner
and a Shoshone warrior woman -- young Diego de la Vega cannot silently bear the brutal
injustices visited upon the helpless in late-eighteenth-century California. And
so a great hero is born -- skilled in athleticism and dazzling swordplay, his persona
formed between the Old World and the New -- the legend known as Zorro."
"This is the story of Diego de la Vega and of how he became the legendary Zorro. At
last I am able to reveal his identity, which for so many years we kept secret, though I do
so with some unease, since a blank page is more intimidating to me than the naked swords of
Moncada's men. With this document I intend to set the record straight before the
slanderers who are determined to defame Zorro have their say. Our enemies are many,
as is often the case with those who defend the weak, rescue damsels in distress, and humiliate
the powerful. Naturally, every idealist attracts enemies, but we prefer to count our
friends, who are much greater in number. I am compelled to recount these adventures
because it serves little purpose for Diego to risk his life for the sake of justice if no
one knows of it. Heroism is a badly remunerated occupation, and often it leads to an
early end, which is why it appeals to fanatics or persons with an unhealthy fascination with
death. There are all too few heroes with a romantic heart and a fun-loving nature.
Let me say it straight out: there is no one like Zorro."
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