The Song of the Cid (22 page)

Colada went through the head and neck
And all the way to the waist.
He'd killed Búcar, and won his sword,
Tizón, worth a thousand golden marks.
It had been a marvelous battle, my Cid had won it:
He and all his men earned great honor.

 

 

119

 

Pursuit ended, everyone returned,
By God, loaded down with loot.
Reaching the tents, they found
Him who was born at the right time,
With a pair of swords, both worth a great deal,
Dashing across the battlefield,
Hood and helmet off, face all bare,
Cap askew on his hair.
And then something pleasant occurred:
Riding toward him he saw
Diego and Fernando,
Both of them sons of Don Gonzalo.
This made Cid happy, he smiled like the sun:
“So here you are, my sons-in-law, now become
My sons! I'm pleased at how you fought;
There'll be word of the honor you gained,
Defeating King Búcar, and Carrión will know.
By God and all his saints, this victory
Is nothing we'll be ashamed of!”
Cid's men were returning from around the field.
Then Minaya Alvar Fáñez arrived,
His battered shield, pierced in places, hung from his neck,
Marked by scattered lance thrusts,
Not one of which had touched him—
Nor had they helped those who'd made them.
Blood from the twenty Moors he'd killed
Still trickled down his arm:
“Thanks to God, and our Father on high,

e a vós, Cid, que en buen ora fuestes nado.
Matastes a Búcar e arrancamos el canpo.
Todos estos bienes de vós son e de vuestros vassallos,
e vuestros yernos aquí son ensayados,
fartos de lidiar con moros en el campo.”
Dixo Mio Cid: “Yo d'esto só pagado,
quando agora son buenos, adelant serán preciados.”
Por bien lo dixo el Cid, mas ellos lo tovieron a mal.
Todas las ganancias a Valencia son llegadas,
alegre es Mio Cid con todas sus conpañas
que a la rración caye seiscientos marcos de plata.
Los yernos de Mio Cid quando este aver tomaron
d'esta arrancada, que lo tenién en so salvo,
cuidaron que en sus días nunqua serién minguados,
fueron en Valencia muy bien arreados,
conduchos a sazones, buenas pieles e buenos mantos.
Mucho son alegres Mio Cid e sus vassallos.

 

 

120

 

Grant fue el día [
por
] la cort del Campeador
después que esta batalla vencieron e al rrey Búcar mató,
alçó la mano, a la barba se tomó:
“Grado a Christus, que del mundo es señor,
quando veo lo que avía sabor
que lidiaran comigo en campo mios yernos amos a dos;
mandados buenos irán d'ellos a Carrión
cómo son ondrados e aver vos [
an
] grant pro.

 

 

121

 

“Sobejanas son las ganancias que todos an ganadas,
lo uno es nuestro, lo otro han en salvo.”

And to you, Cid, born at just the right time!
You killed Búcar, we've swept the field.
All this wealth is yours and ours.
And your sons-in-law have fought hard,
Like all the rest of our fighting men.”
My Cid said: “I'm pleased. I'll say it again.
A start this fine will lead them to finer.”
He meant these words, but the brothers thought he despised
them.

 

They carried their loot into Valencia.
My Cid was happy, and so were his warriors,
Each of whom earned six hundred silver marks.

 

Between them, the Carrión brothers thought,
This was surely riches enough
To last the rest of their lives.
They returned to Valencia with their purses loaded,
From which they bought themselves fine furs and clothing.
My Cid and all his men were delighted.

 

 

120

 

It was a wonderful day at the Warrior's court,
With the battle won and King Búcar dead.
My Cid raised his hand and tugged on his beard:
“Thanks to Christ, great Lord of this world,
For letting me see what I've longed for—
My new sons beside me, fighting our war!
Good news will travel to Carrión: honor
For my sons, and the promise of much, much more.

 

 

121

 

“The spoils of this war are rich, and properly shared.
I take mine, and you take yours—but save some!”

Mandó Mio Cid, el que en buen ora nasco,
d'esta batalla que han arrancado
que todos prisiessen so derecho contado
e la su quinta non fuesse olbidado.
Assí lo fazen todos, ca eran acordados,
cayéronle en quinta al Cid seixcientos cavallos
e otras azémilas e camellos largos,
tantos son de muchos que non serién contados.

 

 

122

 

Todas estas ganancias fızo el Canpeador:
“¡Grado a Dios que del mundo es señor!
Antes fu minguado, agora rrico só,
que he aver e tierra e oro e onor
e son mios yernos ifantes de Carrión.
Arranco las lides como plaze al Criador,
moros e cristianos de mí han grant pavor;
allá dentro en Marruecos, ó las mezquitas son,
que abrá
n
de mí salto quiçab alguna noch;
ellos lo temen, ca non lo piesso yo.
No los iré buscar, en Valencia seré yo,
ellos me darán parias, con ayuda del Criador,
que paguen a mí o a qui yo ovier sabor.”
Grandes son los gozos en Valencia con Mio Cid el Canpeado[
r
]
de todas sus conpañas e de todos sus vassallos;
grandes son los gozos de sus yernos amos a dos:
d'aquesta arrancada que lidiaron de coraçón
valía de cinco mill marcos ganaron amos a dos;
muchos' tienen por rricos los ifantes de Carrión;
ellos con los otros vinieron a la cort.
Aquí está con Mio Cid el obispo do Jerónimo,
el bueno de Álbar Fáñez, cavallero lidiador,
e otros muchos que crió el Campeador;
quando entraron los ifantes de Carrión,
rrecibiólos Minaya por Mio Cid el Campeador:
“Acá venid, cuñados, que más valemos por vós.”

My Cid, he who was born at the right hour, was heard
And obeyed. They counted out accurate sums,
My Cid's great share among them,
And everything quietly, calmly done:
The Warrior's share was six hundred horses,
Plus many mules and camels—
Far too much for this song to tell!

 

 

122

 

But that was how much the Warrior won:
“I thank you, Lord, ruler of this world!
I began poor, and now I have earned
So much—land, and gold, and honor,
And the Carrión heirs have become my sons.
My victories, Lord, come
At your pleasure: Moors and Christians fear me.
In far-off Morocco, inside their mosques, they hear me
Coming in the darkness, and they tremble,
Though conquering them is not my plan.
I'm not on the hunt: right here is where I am,
In my Valencia. Morocco may pay me tribute,
Lord, if that is what you
Want—me, or anyone else I tell them to pay.”

 

How they were celebrating, in great Valencia,
All his men and himself, my Cid, the Warrior!
The Carrión pair were just as delighted,
Their spirits fairly soaring as they learned
How much they had won, how much they were worth:
Five thousand marks. They were rich; they had earned it!
They came to court, these Carrión brothers,
Along with all the others:
Alvar Fáñez, Bishop Don Jerónimo,
And everyone who regularly attended there.
The Carrións were welcomed by Minaya, on behalf

Assí como llegaron, pagós' el Campeador:
“Evades aquí, yernos, la mi mugier de pro
e amas la[
s
] mis fıjas, don Elvira e doña Sol;
bien vos abracen e sírvanvos de coraçón.
Venciemos moros en campo e matamos
a aquel rrey Búcar, provado traidor.
Grado a Sancta María, madre del nuestro señor Dios,
d'estos nuestros casamientos vós abredes honor.
Buenos mandados irán a tierras de Carrión.”

 

 

123

 

A estas palabras fabló Ferrán Gonçález:
“Grado al Criador e a vós, Cid ondrado,
tantos avemos de averes que no son contados,
por vós avemos ondra e avemos lidiado;
pensad de lo otro, que lo nuestro tenémoslo en salvo.”
Vassallos de Mio Cid seyénse sonrrisando:
quien lidiara mejor o quien fuera en alcanço,
mas non fallavan í a Diego ni a Ferrando.
Por aquestos juegos que ivan levantando
e las noches e los días tan mal los escarmentando,
tan mal se consejaron estos iffantes amos.
Amos saliero[
n
] apart, veramientre son ermanos,
d'esto que ellos fablaron nós parte non ayamos:
“Vayamos pora Carrión, aquí mucho detardamos;
los averes que tenemos grandes son e sobejanos,
mientra que visquiéremos despender no lo podremos.

 

 

124

 

“Pidamos nuestras mugieres al Cid Campeador,
digamos que las levaremos a tierras de Carrión
[
e
] enseñar las hemos dó las heredades son.

Of my Cid, the great Warrior:
“Come in, kinsmen; we're proud to have you!”
And my Cid, the Warrior, was also pleased:
“Come here, my sons! Let my dignified wife
And my daughters, Doña Elvira and Doña Sol,
Embrace you and serve you from the bottom of their hearts.
Thanks to Saint Mary, mother of our Lord!
Your weddings have brought you honor;
Good news of you will go to Carrión.”

 

 

123

 

Fernando answered for them both:
“Thanks to God, and to you, honored Cid!
We've gained uncountable wealth.
Our honor depends on you, and for you we have fought,
Defeating the Moors in battle, and killing that King Búcar,
Truly a proven traitor.
Our thoughts now turn from fighting, with our fortune secure.”
But my Cid's soldiers were smiling,
For they'd been right there, in battle and final chase,
Not seeing Diego or Fernando in any of those places.
They joked about this, and laughed, again and again,
Rubbing it in, over and over, all night, every day;
They made wicked fun of both Carrións.
The brothers sneaked out—what a fine pair!—
And began to plan what we're not supposed to know:
“We've stayed here too long; let's head for home.
We're wealthier than wealthy, now:
In the rest of our lives we couldn't spend it all!

 

 

124

 

“Let's ask the Cid to let us take our wives
And show them the world at Carrión,
And all the land we own.

Sacar las hemos de Valencia de poder del Campeador,
después en la carrera feremos nuestro sabor,
ante que nos rretrayan lo que cuntió del león;
nós de natura somos de condes de Carrión.
Averes levaremos grandes que valen grant valor,
escarniremos las fıjas del Canpeador.”
“D'aquestos averes sienpre seremos rricos omnes,
podremos casar con fıjas de rreyes o de enperadores,
ca de natura somos de condes de Carrión.
Assí las escarniremos a las fıjas del Campeador,
antes que nos rretrayan lo que fue del león.”
Con aqueste consejo amos tornados son,
fabló Ferrán Gonçález e fızo callar la cort:
“¡Sí vos vala el Criador, Cid Campeador!
Que plega a doña Ximena e primero a vós
e a Minaya Álbar Fáñez e a quantos aquí son:
dadnos nuestras mugieres que avemos a bendiciones,
levar las hemos a nuestras tierras de Carrión,
meter las hemos en las villas
que les diemos por arras e por onores,
verán vuestras fıjas lo que avemos nós,
los fıjos que oviéremos en qué avrán partición.”
Nos' curiava de ser afontado el Cid | Campeador:
“Dar vos he mis fıjas e algo de lo mío;
vós les diestes villas por arras en tierras de Carrión,
yo quiero les dar axuvar
tres
mill marcos de plata;
dar vos é mulas e palafrés muy gruessos de sazón,
cavallos pora en diestro, fuertes e corredores,
e muchas vestiduras de paños de ciclatones;
dar vos he dos espadas, a Colada e a Tizón,
bien lo sabedes vós que las gané a guisa de varón.
Mios fıjos sodes amos quando mis fıjas vos do,
allá me levades las telas del coraçón.
Que lo sepan en Gallizia e en Castiella e en León
con qué rriqueza enbío mios yernos amos a dos.
A mis fıjas sirvades, que vuestras mugieres son,
si bien las servides yo vos rrendré buen galardón.”
Atorgado lo han esto los iffantes de Carrión,

Once we've got them away from Valencia, and their powerful
father,
And we're out of his reach, we can do what we like—
Instead of staying here, teased by the tale of that lion!
We're heirs of the grand counts of Carrión!
We'll carry our riches with us,
We'll massacre these daughters of our great Warrior!”
“We've got gold enough to be rich forever!
We could marry the daughters of kings or emperors—
Because we're heirs of the counts of Carrión!
We'll beat them to a bloody pulp, these Warrior's daughters,
And never hear another word about that lion!”
Their minds made up, they returned to court.
Asking for silence, Fernando said:
“With the Lord's blessing, Warrior Cid!
If Doña Jimena agrees, and you, too,
As well as Minaya Alvar Fáñez, and many others here,
Let us have our wives, as we have already been granted them,
So we can bring them to our Carrión home
And give them, in person, the lands we owe them,
In all honor, as bridal presents,
And so your daughters can see what we own
And what our children will inherit, when they are born.”
The Warrior said: “You will have my daughters, and something
more.”
My Cid had no suspicion of possible shame or injury.
“You gave them villas, as marriage gifts,
And I will add three thousand marks,
And give you mules and sleek and sturdy palfreys,
And strong, fast warhorses,
And quantities of wool and fine silk clothing.
And two swords, Colada and Tizón—
Which as you know I won in wars.
When I gave you my daughters, you became my sons—
Though parting with them is like pulling my heartstrings.
Let them know in Galicia, and in Castile and León,
That both my new sons have been richly endowed!
Be good to my daughters, who are now your wives: