Final answer:
Quixote hit the mule drivers for removing straw from the trough, reflecting his chivalric illusions and misguided sense of justice in the story.
Step-by-step explanation:
Don Quixote hit the mule drivers because they removed straw from the trough. In the story of Don Quixote, which is a classic work of literature, there are many episodes where the main character, Don Quixote, acts out in ways that reflect his chivalric beliefs and illusions. One such incident involves him attacking the mule drivers after they interfere with what he perceives as the welfare of his horse, Rocinante, by taking the straw away. This display of aggression is one of the many ways in which the character's misguided sense of knighthood and justice is portrayed in the narrative.