Books: Heroes Every Child Should Know

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When Martin Antolinez came into the Cid's tent he said unto him, "I
have sped well, Campeador! you have gained six hundred marks. Now
then strike your tent and be gone. The time draws on, and you may be
with your Lady Wife at St. Pedro de Cardena, before the cock crows."

The cocks were crowing again, and the day began to break, when the
good Campeador reached St. Pedro's. The Abbot Don Sisebuto was
saying matins, and Dona Ximena and five of her ladies of good
lineage were with him, praying to God and St. Peter to help my Cid.
And when he called at the gate and they knew his voice, God, what a
joyful man was the Abbot Don Sisebuto! Out into the courtyard they
went with torches and with tapers, and the Abbot gave thanks to God
that he now beheld the face of my Cid. And the Cid told him all that
had befallen him, and how he was a banished man; and he gave him
fifty marks for himself, and a hundred for Dona Ximena and her
children. "Abbot," said he, "I leave two little girls behind me,
whom I commend to your care. Take you care of them and of my wife
and of her ladies: when this money be gone, if it be not enough,
supply them abundantly; for every mark which you spend upon them I
will give the monastery four." And the Abbot promised to do this
with a right good will. Then Dona Ximena came up weeping bitterly,
and she said to her husband, "Lo now you are banished from the land
by mischief-making men, and here am I with your daughters, who are
little ones and of tender years, and we and you must be parted, even
in your lifetime. For the love of St. Mary tell me now what we shall
do." And the Cid took the children in his arms, and held them to his
heart and wept, for he dearly loved them. "Please God and St. Mary,"
said he, "I shall yet live to give these my daughters in marriage
with my own hands, and to do you service yet, my honoured wife, whom
I have ever loved, even as my own soul." Now hath my Cid left the
kingdom of King Don Alfonso, and entered the country of the Moors.
And at day-break they were near the brow of the Sierra, and they
halted there upon the top of the mountains, and gave barley to their
horses, and remained there until evening. And they set forward when
the evening had closed, that none might see them, and continued
their way all night, and before dawn they came near to Castrejon,
which is upon the Henares. And Alvar Fanez said unto the Cid, that
he would take with him two hundred horsemen, and scour the country
and lay hands on whatever he could find, without fear either of King
Alfonso or of the Moors. And he counselled him to remain in ambush
where he was, and surprise the castle of Castrejon: and it seemed
good unto my Cid. Away went Alvar Fanez, and the two hundred
horsemen; and the Cid remained in ambush with the rest of his
company. And as soon as it was morning, the Moors of Castrejon,
knowing nothing of these who were so near them, opened the castle
gates, and went out to their work as they were wont to do. And the
Cid rose from ambush and fell upon them, and took all their flocks,
and made straight for the gates, pursuing them. And there was a cry
within the castle that the Christians were upon them, and they who
were within ran to the gates to defend them, but my Cid came up
sword in hand; eleven Moors did he slay with his own hand, and they
forsook the gate and fled before him to hide themselves within, so
that he won the castle presently, and took gold and silver, and
whatever else he would.

Alvar Fanez meantime scoured the country along the Henares as far as
Alcala, and he returned driving flocks and herds before him, with
great stores of wearing apparel, and of other plunder. And when the
Cid knew that he was nigh at hand he went out to meet him, and
praised him greatly for what he had done, and gave thanks to God.
And he gave order that all the spoils should be heaped together,
both what Alvar Fanez had brought, and what had been taken in the
castle; and he said to him, "Brother, of all this which God hath
given us, take you the fifth, for you well deserve it"; but Minaya
would not, saying, "You have need of it for our support." And the
Cid divided the spoil among the knights and foot-soldiers, to each
his due portion; to every horseman a hundred marks of silver, and
half as much to the foot-soldiers: and because he could find none to
whom to sell his fifth, he spake to the Moors telling them that they
might come safely to purchase the spoil, and the prisoners also whom
he had taken, both men prisoners and women. And they came, and
valued the spoil and the prisoners, and gave for them three thousand
marks of silver, which they paid within three days: they bought also
much of the spoil which had been divided, making great gain, so that
all who were in my Cid's company were full rich. And the heart of my
Cid was joyous, and he sent to King Don Alfonso, telling him that he
and his companions would yet do him service upon the Moors.

Then my Cid assembled together his good men and said unto them,
"Friends, we cannot take up our abode in this castle, for there is
no water in it, and moreover the King is at peace with these Moors,
and I know that the treaty between them hath been written; so that
if we should abide here he would come against us with all his power,
and with all the power of the Moors, and we could not stand against
him. If therefore it seem good unto you, let us leave the rest of
our prisoners here, that we may be free from all encumbrance, like
men who are to live by war." And it pleased them well that it should
be so. And he said to them, "Ye have all had your shares, neither is
there anything owing to any one among ye. Now then let us be ready
to take horse betimes on the morrow, for I would not fight against
my Lord the King." So on the morrow they went to horse and departed,
being rich with the spoils which they had won: and they left the
castle to the Moors, who remained blessing them for this bounty
which they had received at their hands. Then my Cid and his company
went up the Henares as fast as they could go; great were the spoils
which they collected as they went along. And on the morrow they came
against Alcocer. There my Cid pitched his tents upon a round hill,
which was a great hill and a strong; and the river Salon ran near
them, so that the water could not be cut off. My Cid thought to take
Alcocer: so he pitched his tents securely, having the Sierra on one
side, and the river on the other, and he made all his people dig a
trench, that they might not be alarmed, neither by day nor by night.

When my Cid had thus encamped, he went to look at the Alcazar, and
see if he could by any means enter it. And the Moors offered tribute
to him, if he would leave them in peace; but this he would not do,
and he lay before the town. And news went through all the land that
the Cid was come among them. And my Cid lay before Alcocer fifteen
weeks; and when he saw that the town did not surrender, he ordered
his people to break up their camp, as if they were flying, and they
took their way along the Salon, with their banners spread. And when
the Moors saw this they rejoiced greatly, and they praised
themselves for what they had done in withstanding him, and said that
the Cid's bread and barley had failed him, and he had fled away, and
left one of his tents behind him. And they said among themselves,
"Let us pursue them and spoil them." And they went out after him,
great and little, leaving the gates open and shouting as they went;
and there was not left in the town a man who could bear arms. And
when my Cid saw them coming he gave orders to quicken their speed,
as if he was in fear, and would not let his people turn till the
Moors were far from the town. But when he saw that there was a good
distance between them and the gates, he bade his banner turn, and
spurred toward them crying, "Lay on, knights, by God's mercy the
spoil is our own." God! what a good joy was theirs that morning! My
Cid's vassals laid on without mercy; in one hour, and in a little
space, three hundred Moors were slain, and my Cid won the place, and
planted his banner upon the highest point of the castle. And the Cid
said, "Blessed be God and all His saints, we have bettered our
quarters both for horses and men." And he said to Alvar Fanez and
all his knights, "Hear me, we shall get nothing by killing these
Moors--let us take them and they shall show us their treasures which
they have hidden in their houses, and we will dwell here and they
shall serve us." In this manner did my Cid win Alcocer, and take up
his abode therein.

In three weeks time after this returned Alvar Fanez from Castille.
And my Cid rode up to him, and embraced him without speaking, and
kissed his mouth and the eyes in his head. God, how joyful was that
whole host because Alvar Fanez was returned! for he brought them
greetings from their kinswomen and their brethren and the fair
comrades whom they had left behind. God, how joyful was my Cid with
the fleecy beard, that Minaya had purchased the thousand masses, and
had brought him the biddings of his wife and daughters! God, what a
joyful man was he!

Now it came to pass that the days of King Almudafar were fulfilled:
and he left his two sons Zulema and Abenalfange, and Zulema had the
kingdom of Zaragoza, and Abenalfange the kingdom of Denia. And
Zulema put his kingdom under my Cid's protection, and bade all his
people obey him even as they would himself. Now there began to be
great enmity between the two brethren, and they made war upon each
other. And the Count Don Ramon Berenguer of Barcelona helped
Abenalfange, and was enemy to the Cid because he defended Zulema.
And my Cid chose out two hundred horsemen and went out by night, and
fell upon the lands of Alcaniz and brought away great booty. Great
was the talk among the Moors; how my Cid was over-running the
country.

When Don Ramon Berenguer the Count of Barcelona heard this, it
troubled him to the heart, and he held it for a great dishonour,
because that part of the land of the Moors was in his keeping. And
he spake boastfully saying, "Great wrong doth that Cid of Bivar
offer unto me; he ravages the lands which are in my keeping, and I
have never renounced his friendship; but since he goes on in this
way I must take vengeance." So he and King Abenalfange gathered
together a great power both of Moors and Christians, and went in
pursuit of the Cid, and after three days and two nights they came up
with him in the pine-forest of Tebar. And when the Cid heard this he
sent to Don Ramon saying, that the booty which he had won was none
of his, and bidding him let him go on his way in peace: but the
Count made answer, that my Cid should now learn whom he had
dishonoured. Then my Cid sent the booty forward, and bade his
knights make ready. "They are coming upon us," said he, "with a
great power both of Moors and Christians, to take from us the spoils
which we have so hardly won, and without doing battle we cannot be
quit of them; for if we should proceed they would follow till they
overtook us: therefore let the battle be here, and I trust in God
that we shall win more honour, and something to boot. They come down
the hill, drest in their hose, with their gay saddles, and their
girths wet. Before they get upon the plain ground let us give them
the points of our lances; and Ramon Berenguer will then see whom he
has overtaken to-day in the pine-forest of Tebar, thinking to
despoil him of booty won from the enemies of God and of the faith."

While my Cid was speaking, his knights had taken their arms, and
were ready on horseback for the charge. Presently they saw the
Frenchmen coming down the hill, and when they had not yet set foot
upon the plain ground, my Cid bade his people charge, which they did
with a right good will, thrusting their spears so stiffly, that by
God's good pleasure not a man whom they encountered but lost his
seat. The Count's people stood firm round their Lord; but my Cid was
in search of him, and when he saw where he was, he made up to him,
clearing the way as he went, and gave him such a stroke with his
lance that he felled him. When the Frenchmen saw their Lord in this
plight they fled away and left him; and the pursuit lasted three
leagues, and would have been continued farther if the conquerors had
not had tired horses. Thus was Count Ramon Berenguer made prisoner,
and my Cid won from him that day the good sword Colada, which was
worth more than a thousand marks of silver. That night did my Cid
and his men make merry, rejoicing over their gains. And the Count
was taken to my Cid's tent, and a good supper was set before him;
nevertheless he would not eat, though my Cid besought him so to do.
And on the morrow my Cid ordered a feast to be made, that he might
do pleasure to the Count, but the Count said that for all Spain he
would not eat one mouthful, but would rather die, since he had been
beaten in battle by such a set of ragged fellows. And Ruydiez said
to him, "Eat and drink, Count, for this is the chance of war; if you
do as I say you shall be free; and if not you will never return
again into your own lands." And Don Ramond answered, "Eat you, Don
Rodrigo, for your fortune is fair and you deserve it; take you your
pleasure, but leave me to die." And in this mood he continued for
three days, refusing all food. But then my Cid said to him, "Take
food, Count, and be sure that I will set you free, you and any two
of your knights, and give you wherewith to return into your own
country." And when Don Ramond heard this, he took comfort and said,
"If you will indeed do this thing I shall marvel at you as long as I
live." "Eat then," said Ruydiez, "and I will do it: but mark you, of
the spoil which we have taken from you I will give you nothing; for
to that you have no claim neither by right nor custom, and besides
we want it for ourselves, being banished men, who must live by
taking from you and from others as long as it shall please God."
Then was the Count full joyful, being well pleased that what should
be given him was not of the spoils which he had lost; and he called
for water and washed his hands, and chose two of his kinsmen to be
set free with him. And my Cid sate at the table with them, and said,
"If you do not eat well, Count, you and I shall not part yet." Never
since he was Count did he eat with better will than that day! And
when they had done he said, "Now, Cid, if it be your pleasure let us
depart." And my Cid clothed him and his kinsmen well with goodly
skins and mantles, and gave them each a goodly palfrey, with rich
caparisons, and he rode out with them on their way. And when he took
leave of the Count he said to him, "Now go freely, and I thank you
for what you have left behind; if you wish to play for it again let
me know, and you shall either have something back in its stead, or
leave what you bring to be added to it." The Count answered, "Cid,
you jest safely now, for I have paid you and all your company for
this twelve--months, and shall not be coming to see you again so
soon."

Then Count Ramond pricked on more than apace, and many times looked
behind him, fearing that my Cid would repent what he had done, and
send to take him back to prison, which the perfect one would not
have done for the whole world, for never did he do disloyal thing.

At last after long and pitiful fighting it was bruited abroad
throughout all lands, how the Cid Ruydiez had won the noble city of
Valencia.

And now the Cid bethought him of Dona Ximena his wife, and of his
daughters Dona Elvira and Dona Sol, whom he had left in the
monastery of St. Pedro de Cardena and he called for Alvar Fanez and
Martin Antolinez of Burgos, and spake with them, and besought them
that they would go to Castille, to King Don Alfonso and take him a
present from the riches which God had given them; and the present
should be a hundred horses, saddled and bridled; and that they would
kiss the King's hand for him, and beseech him to send to him his
wife Dona Ximena, and his daughters; and that they would tell the
King all the mercy which God had shown him, and how he was at his
service with Valencia and with all that he had. Moreover he bade
them take a thousand marks of silver to the monastery of St. Pedro
de Cardena, and give them to the Abbot, and thirty marks of gold for
his wife and daughters, that they might prepare themselves and come
in honourable guise. And he ordered three hundred marks of gold to
be given them, and three hundred marks of silver, to redeem the
chests full of sand which he had pledged in Burgos to the Jews; and
he bade them ask Rachel and Vidas to forgive him the deceit of the
sand, for he had done it because of his great need.

Then Alvar Fanez and Martin Antolinez dispeeded themselves of the
King, and took their way toward Burgos. When they reached Burgos
they sent for Rachel and for Vidas, and demanded from them the
chests, and paid unto them the three hundred marks of gold and the
three hundred of silver as the Cid had commanded, and they besought
them to forgive the Cid the deceit of the chests, for it was done
because of his great necessity. And they said they heartily forgave
him, and held themselves well paid; and they prayed God to grant him
long life and good health, and to give him power to advance
Christendom, and put down Pagandom. And when it was known through
the city of Burgos the goodness and the gentleness which the Cid had
shown to these merchants in redeeming from them the chests full of
sand and earth and stones, the people held it for a great wonder,
and there was not a place in all Burgos where they did not talk of
the gentleness and loyalty of the Cid; and they besought blessings
upon him, and prayed that he and his people might be advanced in
honour. When they had done this, they went to the monastery of St.
Pedro de Cardena, and the porter of the King went with them, and
gave order everywhere that everything which they wanted should be
given them. If they were well received, and if there was great joy
in St. Pedro de Cardena over them, it is not a thing to ask, for
Dona Ximena and her daughters were like people beside themselves
with the great joy which they had, and they came running out on foot
to meet them, weeping plenteously.

After a long life-time of adventure the Cid sickened of a malady.
And the day before his weakness waxed great, he ordered the gates of
Valencia to be shut, and went to the Church of St. Peter; and there
the Bishop Don Hieronymo being present, and all the clergy who were
in Valencia, and the knights and honourable men and honourable
dames, as many as the church could hold, the Cid Ruydiez stood up,
and made a full noble preaching, showing that no man, however
honourable or fortunate he may be in this world, can escape death,
to which, said he, "I am now full near; and since ye know that this
body of mine hath never yet been conquered, nor put to shame, I
beseech ye let not this befall it at the end, for the good fortune
of man is only accomplished at his end." Then he took leave of the
people, weeping plenteously, and returned to the Alcazar, and betook
himself to his bed, and never rose from it again; and every day he
waxed weaker and weaker. He called for the caskets of gold in which
was the balsam and the myrrh which the Soldan of Persia had sent
him; and when these were put before him he bade them bring him the
golden cup, of which he was wont to drink; and he took of that
balsam and of that myrrh as much as a little spoonful, and mingled
it in the cup with rose-water, and drank of it; and for the seven
days which he lived he neither ate nor drank aught else than a
little of that myrrh and balsam mingled with water. And every day
after he did this, his body and his countenance appeared fairer and
fresher than before, and his voice clearer, though he waxed weaker
and weaker daily, so that he could not move in his bed.

On the twenty-ninth day, being the day before he departed, he called
for Dona Ximena, and for the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Don Alvar
Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez, and his trusty Gil Diaz; and when
they were all five before him, he began to direct them what they
should do after his death; and he said to them, "Ye know that King
Bucar will presently be here to besiege this city, with seven and
thirty Kings whom he bringeth with him, and with a mighty power of
Moors. Now therefore the first thing which ye do after I have
departed, wash my body with rose-water many times and well, and when
it has been well washed and made clean, ye shall dry it well, and
anoint it with this myrrh and balsam, from these golden caskets,
from head to foot, so that every part shall be anointed. And you, my
Dona Ximena, and your women, see that ye utter no cries, neither
make any lamentation for me, that the Moors may not know of my
death. And when the day shall come in which King Bucar arrives,
order all the people of Valencia to go upon the walls, and sound
your trumpets and tambours and make the greatest rejoicings that ye
can. For certes ye cannot keep the city, neither abide therein after
they know of my death. And see that sumpter beasts be laden with all
that there is in Valencia, so that nothing which can profit may be
left. And this I leave especially to your charge, Gil Diaz. Then
saddle ye my horse Bavieca, and arm him well; and apparel my body
full seemlily, and place me upon the horse, and fasten and tie me
thereon so that it cannot fall: and fasten my sword Tizona in my
hand. And let the Bishop Don Hieronymo go on one side of me, and my
trusty Gil Diaz on the other, and he shall lead my horse. You, Pero
Bermudez, shall bear my banner, as you were wont to bear it; and
you, Alvar Fanez, my cousin, gather your company together, and put
the host in order as you are wont to do. And go ye forth and fight
with King Bucar: for be ye certain and doubt not that ye shall win
this battle; God hath granted me this. And when ye have won the
fight, and the Moors are discomfited, ye may spoil the field at
pleasure. Ye will find great riches."

And this noble Baron yielded up his soul, which was pure and without
spot, to God, on that Sunday which is called Quinquagesima, being
the twenty and ninth of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand
and ninety and nine, and in the seventy and third year of his life.
After he had thus made his end they washed his body and embalmed it
as he had commanded. And then all the honourable men, and all the
clergy who were in Valencia, assembled and carried it to the Church
of St. Mary of the Virtues, which is near the Alcazar, and there
kept their vigil, and said prayer and performed masses, as was meet
for so honourable a man.

Three days after the Cid had departed King Bucar came into the port
of Valencia, and landed with all his power. And there came with him
thirty and six Kings, and one Moorish Queen, and she brought with
her two hundred horsewomen, all negresses like herself, all having
their hair shorn save a tuft on the top, and they were all armed in
coats of mail and with Turkish bows. King Bucar ordered his tents to
be pitched round about Valencia. And his people thought that the Cid
dared not come out against them, and they were the more encouraged,
and began to think of making engines wherewith to combat the city.

All this while the company of the Cid were preparing all things to
go into Castille, as he had commanded before his death; and his
trusty Gil Diaz did nothing else but labour at this. And the body of
the Cid was prepared and the virtue of the balsam and myrrh was such
that the flesh remained firm and fair, having its natural colour and
his countenance as it was wont to be, and the eyes open, and his
long beard in order, so that there was not a man who would have
thought him dead if he had seen him. And on the second day after he
had departed, Gil Diaz placed the body upon a right noble saddle.
And he took two boards and fitted them to the body, one to the
breast and the other to the shoulders; these were so hollowed out
and fitted that they met at the sides and under the arms, and these
boards were fastened into the saddle, so that the body could not
move. All this was done by the morning of the twelfth day; and all
that day the people of the Cid were busied in making ready their
arms, and in loading beasts with all that they had. When it was
midnight they took the body of the Cid fastened to the saddle as it
was, and placed it upon his horse Bavieca, and fastened the saddle
well: and the body sate so upright and well that it seemed as if he
was alive. And it had on painted hose of black and white, so
cunningly painted that no man who saw them would have thought but
that they were grieves, unless he had laid his hand upon them; and
they put on it a surcoat of green sendal, having his arms blazoned
thereon, and a helmet of parchment, which was cunningly painted that
every one might have believed it to be iron; and his shield was hung
around his neck, and they placed the sword Tizona in his hand, and
they raised his arm, and fastened it up so subtly that it was a
marvel to see how upright he held the sword. And the Bishop Don
Hieronymo went on one side of him, and the trusty Gil Diaz on the
other, and he led the horse Bavieca, as the Cid had commanded him.
And when all this had been made ready, they went out from Valencia
at midnight, through the gate of Roseros, which is towards Castille.
Pero Bermudez went first with the banner of the Cid, and with him
five hundred knights who guarded it, all well appointed. Then came
the body of the Cid with an hundred knights, all chosen men, and
behind them Dona Ximena with all her company, and six hundred
knights in the rear. All these went out so silently, and with such a
measured pace, that it seemed as if there were only a score. And by
the time that they had all gone out it was broad day.

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