The Lay of the Cid

by Unknown

Which man should smite most fiercely they had vied each with each.
Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra had no longer power of speech.
Within the wood of Corpes for dead they left the pair.

CXXIX.
Their cloaks and furs of ermine along with them they bare,
In their shifts and tunics, fainting, they left them there behind,
A prey to every wild-fowl and beast of savage kind.

Know you, for dead, not living, they left them in such cheer.
Good hap it were if now the Cid, Roy Diaz, should appear.

CXXX.
The Heirs of Carrión for dead have left them thus arrayed,
For the one dame to the other, could give no sort of aid.
They sang each other's praises as they journeyed through the wood:
"For the question of our marriage we have made our vengeance good.
Unbesought, to be our lemans we should not take that pair,
Because as wedded consorts for our arms unfit they were.
For the insult of the lion vengeance shall thus be ta'en."

CXXXI.
They sang each other's praises, the Heirs of Carrión twain.
But now of Felez Múñoz will I tell the tale once more.
Even he that was nephew to the Cid Campeador.
They had bidden him ride onward, but he was not well content.
And his heart smote within him as along the road he went.
Straightway from all the others' a space did he withraw.
There Felez Múñoz entered into a thick-grown straw,
Till the coming of his cousins should be plain to be perceived
Or what the Heirs of Carrión as at that time achieved.
And he beheld them coming, and heard them say their say,
But they did not espy him, nor thought of him had they.
Be it known death he had not scaped, had they on him laid eye.
And the two Heirs rode onward, pricking fast the spur they ply.
On their trail Felez Múñoz has turned him back again.
He came upon his cousins. In a swoon lay the twain.
And crying "Oh my cousins!" straightway did he alight.
By the reins the horse he tethered, and went to them forthright.

"Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra, cousins of mine that be,
The two Heirs of Carrión have borne them dastardly.
Please God that for this dealing they may get a shameful gain."
And straightway he bestirred him to life to bring the twain.
Deep was their swoon. Of utterance all power they had forlorn.
Of his heart the very fabric thereby in twain was torn.
"Oh my cousins Dame Elvíra and Dame Sol," he cried and spake,
"For the love of the Creator, my cousins twain, awake,
While yet the day endureth, ere falls the evening-hour,
Lest in the wood our bodies the savage beast devour."

In Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra fresh life began to rise;
And they looked on Felez Múñoz when at last they oped their eyes:
"For the love of God my cousins, now be of courage stout.
From the time the Heirs of Carrión shall miss me from their rout,
With utmost speed thereafter will they hunt me low and high.
And if God will not help us, in this place we then must die."
To him out spoke the Lady Sol in bitter agony:
"If the Campeador, our father, deserveth well of thee,
My cousin give us water, so may God help thee too."
A hat had Felez Múñoz, from Valencia, fine and new,
Therein he caught the water, and to his cousins bore.
To drink their fill he gave them, for they were stricken sore.
Till they rose up, most earnestly he begged them and implored.
He comforts them and heartens them until they are restored.
He took the two and quickly set them a-horse again.
He wrapped them in his mantle. He took the charger's rein
And sped them on, and through Corpes Wood they took their way.
They issued from the forest between the night and day.
The waters of Duéro they at the last attain.
At Dame Urráca's tower he left behind the twain,
And then unto Saint Stephen's did Felez Múñoz fare.
He found Diégo Tellez, Alvar Fañez' vassal, there.
When he had heard those tidings on his heart great sorrow fell.
And he took beasts of burden and garments that excel.
Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra to welcome did he go.
He lodged the in Saint Stephen's. Great honor did he show
Those ladies. In Saint Stephen's very gentle are the men,
When they had heard the tidings their hearts were sorry then.
To the Cid's daughters tribute of plenteous fare they yield.
In that place the ladies tarried, till the time when they were
healed.

Loud they sang each other's praises, those Heirs of Carrión,
And of their deeds the tidings through all these lands were known.
Of the good King don Alfonso the heart for grief was torn.
To Valencia the city now are the tidings borne.
To my lord Cid the Campeador that message when they brought,
Thereon for a full hour's space, he pondered and he thought.
His hand he has uplifted and gripped his beard amain:
"Now unto Christ be glory who o'er all the earth doth reign.
Since thus sought they of Carrión to keep mine honor whole.
Now by this beard that never was plucked by living soul,
Thereby the Heirs of Carrión no pleasure shall they gain.
As for the dames my daughters, I shall marry well the twain.

The Cid and all his courtiers were sorry grievously,
Heart and soul Alvar Fañez a sad man was he.
Minaya with Per Vermudóz straightway the steed bestrode,
And good Martin Antolínez in Burgos that abode,
With ten score horse that to that end the Cid set in array.
Most earnestly he charged them to ride both night and day,
And to the town Valencia his daughters twain to bring.
About their lord's commandment there was no tarrying.
Swiftly they got on horseback and rode both day and night.
Into Gormaz they entered, a strong place of might.
In sooth one night they lodged there. To Saint Stephen's tidings
flew
That Minaya was come thither to bring home his cousins two.
The dwellers in Saint Stephen's, as becomes the true and brave,
To Minaya and his henchmen a noble welcome gave,
And for tribute to Minaya brought that night of cheer good store.
He desired not to accept it, but he thanked them well therefor;
"Thanks, stout men of Saint Stephen's, for ye bear you wise and
well.
For the honor that ye did us, for the thing that us befel,
Where bides the Cid the Campeador he gives true thanks to you,
As I do here. May God on high give you your payment due."

Therewith they thanked him greatly, with him were all content
Then swiftly to their lodging to rest that night they went.
Where bode his kin, Minaya to see them went his ways. Dame
Sol and Dame Elvíra upon him fixed their gaze: "So heartily we
thank thee, as our eyes on God were set,
And prithee thank Him for it, since we are living yet.
In the days of ease thereafter, in Valencia when we dwell,
The tale of our affliction, we shall have strength to tell.