The Lay of the Cid

by Unknown

From thence the Heirs of Carrión plied furiously the spur.
Ho! in Molína with the Moor Avengalvón they were.
The Morisco when he heard it in his heart was well content,
And forth with great rejoicings to welcome them he went.
Ah, God! how well he served them in what e 'er their joy might be!
The next day in the morning to horse with them got he.
He bade two hundred horsemen for escort forth to ride.
They crossed the mountains of Luzón (so are they signified),
And the Vale of Arbujuélo to the Jalón they came.
The place where they found lodging, Ansaréra is its name.
Unto the daughters of the Cid, the Moor fair presents gave,
And to either Heir of Carrión beside a charger brave.
For the love he bore the Campeador, all this for them he wrought.

They looked upon the riches that the Moor with him had brought
And then together treason did the brothers twain concert.
"Since the daughters of the Campeador we shortly shall desert,
If but we might do unto death Aengalvon the Moor,
The treasure he possesses for ourselves we should secure
Safe as our wealth in Carrión those goods we will maintain.
And ne'er will the Cid Campeador avenge on us the stain."
While they of Carrión this shame complotted each with each,
In the midst a Moor o'erheard them, that could of Latin speech.
He kept no secret. With it to Avengalvón he ran:
"Thou art my lord. Be wary of these persons, Castellan.
I heard the heirs of Carrión that plotted death for thee."

CXXVII.
This same Avengalvón the Moor, a gallant man was he
He got straightway on horseback with servitors ten score.
He brandished high his weapons, he came the Heirs before.
And the two Heirs with what he said but little pleased they are:
"If for his sake I forebore not, my lord Cid of Bivár,
I would do such deeds upon you as through all the world should
ring,

And then to the true Campeador his daughters would I bring.
And unto Carrión never should you enter from that day.

CXXVIII.
What I have done against you, ho! Heirs of Carrión, say,
For without guile I served you, and lo, my death ye plot.
For wicked men and traitors I will leave you on the spot.
Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra with your good leave I go;
For of these men of Carrión I rate the fame but low.
God will it and command it, who is Lord of all the Earth.
That the Campeador hereafter of this match have joy and mirth."
That thing the Moor has told them, and back he turned him there.
When he crossed over thee Jalón, weapon he waved in air.
He returned unto Molína like a man of prudent heart.

And now from Ansaréra did Carrión's Heirs depart;
And they began thereafter to travel day and night.
And they let Atiénza on the left, a craggy height.
The forest of Miédes, now have they overpassed,
And on through Montes Claros they pricked forward spurring fast.
And then passed Griza on the left that Alamos did found.
There be the caves where Elpha he imprisoned underground.
And they left San Estévan, on their right that lay afar.
Within the woods of Corpes, the Heirs of Carrión are.
And high the hills are wooded, to the clouds the branches sweep,
And savage are the creatures that roundabout them creep;
And there upon a bower with a clear spring they light
And there the Heirs of Carrión bade that their tent be pight.
There with their men about them, that night they lay at rest.
With their wives clasped to their bosom their affection they
protest,
But ill the twain fulfilled it, when the dawn came up the East.
They bade put goods a plenty on the back of every beast.
Where they at night found lodging, now have they struck the tent.
The people of their household far on before them went.
Of the two Heirs of Carrión so the commandment ran,
That none behind should linger, a woman or a man.
But Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra their wives shall tarry still,
With whom it is their pleasure to dally to their fill.

The others have departed. They four are left alone.
Great evil had been plotted by the Heirs of Carrión.
"Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra, ye may take this for true:
Here in the desert wildwood shall a mock be made of you.
Today is our departure, we will leave you here behind.
And in the lands of Carrión no portion shall you find.
Let them hasten with these tidings to the Cid Campeador.
Thus, the matter of the lion, we avenge ourselves therefor."

Their furs and their mantles, from the ladies they have whipped.
In their shifts and their tunics they left the ladies stripped.
With spur on heel before them those wicked traitors stand,
And saddle-girths both stout and strong they have taken in the
hand.
When the ladies had beheld it, then out spake Sol the dame:
"Don Diégo, don Ferrándo, we beeech you in God's name.
You have two swords about you, that for strength and edge are
known.
And one they call Coláda, the other is Tizón.
Strike off our heads together, and martyrs we shall die.
The Moriscos and the Christians against this deed shall cry.
It stands not with our deserving that we should suffer thus.
So evil an example, then do not make of us.
Unto our own abasement, if you scourge us, you consent,
That men will bring against you in parle and parliament."

Naught profits it the ladies, however hard they pray.
And now the Heirs of Carrión upon them 'gan to lay.
With the buckled girths they scourged them in fashion unbeseen,
And exceeding was their anguish from the sharp spurs and keen.
They rent the shifts and wounded the bodies of the two,
And forth upon the tunics the clear blood trickled through.
In their very hearts the ladies have felt that agony.
What a fair fortune were it, if God's will it might be,
Had then appeared before them the Cid the Campeador.

Powerless were the ladies, and the brothers scourged them sore.
Their shifts and their sullies throughout the blood did stain.
Of scourging the two ladies wearied the brothers twain,