The Curate Timeline and Summary

Early in the book, the curate debates with Don Quixote about whether or not the stories of knights slaying giants and rescuing princesses are actually real. Both he and Don Quixote have read a lot, and the curate has a tough time convincing Don Quixote that the stories are fake.
When he learns that Don Quixote has tried to become a knight, the curate grabs his buddy Mr. Nicolás, the town barber, and goes in search of him.
When they find Don Quixote the first time around, they bring him home. The curate decides to burn all of the books that have poisoned Don Quixote's mind.
On the second go, the curate tracks down Don Quixote in the mountains and hatches a plan to dress up as a woman and convince Don Quixote to come on a phony quest that will bring him home. On second thought, he decides that his buddy the barber should dress up like a woman instead.
The curate's plan goes through a few changes along the way, but it eventually works in getting Don Quixote to return home.
The curate is largely absent from Part 2 of the book, replaced for the most part by the university grad Sansón Carrasco.
At the very end of the book, the curate greets Don Quixote at his homecoming and agrees to be a shepherd with him whenever he has free time.
After Don Quixote falls ill, the curate stays at his bedside and serves as executor of his will.