The passage explains that someone is hiding silently as they are passing through, which also suggests the thought that they are being watched over by some unseen spirit, but in this sense, a negative one. The ellipses scattered throughout this passage simply add to the quiet and suspense that is present within the setting of the story, and suggest that time goes by slowly and quietly. The referral to a big almond tree “snowy with blossoms and moonlight” is very significant because almond trees on their own are representative of God’s promises to his people, and by expressing this specific almond tree to be “immense” and “mingling with a white cloud” and “sheltering the path from arrows shot by March stars”, it gives off the sense that this tree is representing God and his powerful promises to protect those who trust in him, and also suggests that no matter how deep into the darkness and fear and sin one is, there is always someone protecting and watching over them, even if they didn’t see it at first.
The asyndeton that is present next in the passage is significant in that it elucidates the choppiness and loneliness of this part of the story, and suggests that there is no real indicator of time in this sense. The presence of the “pungent scent of oranges” is significant because it is very inviting and lures the travelers close because of natural human curiosity, but then leads to “dampness, silence”, which indicates that they sense the sickly scent of oranges is a trap, and finally is leads to “the Vale of the Witches”, which also relates back to the allusion to the Wizard of Oz, and represents the supernatural forces in the world that attempt to reach the equivalence of God in His holiness, but simply cannot measure up to the natural sweetness and beauty that comes from God. This is significant because it implies that nothing can truly match the glory of God and his creation, and all things that are supernatural or come from human makings are immeasurable to God. In the story, as Platero “breaks into a trot, steps into the stream, steps upon the moon and breaks it to pieces,” it represents how Platero (representing the innocence and purity of a wise donkey) realizes that the moon he sees in the water is simply a reflection of the world’s portrayal of the real moon, and therefore lacks any of the purity and surety of the real moon. This ultimately relates to the human search for the truth, and the rite of passage as one loses their innocence when they become more aware of reality and the dangers of the traps of the world.
The entire passage is full of duality ad antithetical elements, including cold vs. warmth, light vs. dark, natural vs. supernatural, fear vs. faith, instinct vs. reason, and human instinct vs. animal instinct. The beginning of the story is very dark, cold and alone, while it ends with warmth, light, and the company of the village.