Conde Fernan Gonzalez was a bold lance. Restless as brave; when not
engaged in chasing the Moors, he kept his appetite for noble exploits
whetted with the dangers of the chase.
One day, the furious course of a wild boar, and his own impetuosity
in the pursuit, led him far away from his companions, and the hills
and leafy oaks of Lara soon hid him from sight. On went the boar,
and on went the Conde after him, till, in the thickest of the forest,
the brute took refuge in a hermit's cell long deserted and forgotten,
and overgrown with ivy. The trees grew so close round the spot, that
the horse could not go through for the low interlacing branches, so
Gonzalez dismounted, taking his sword in his hand, and wrapping his
cloak round his arm by way of shield [85]. Cutting his way through
to the low doorway, he found the boar lying panting at the foot of
a little altar which was there.
The good Count would not hurt the animal under such circumstances,
so he put up his sword into the sheath, and, before he turned to go,
knelt to offer up a prayer upon the sacred spot.
Suddenly, as he knelt, there appeared before him a vision of the
former inhabitant of the place. He was a venerable man, dressed in
white, with bald head and a long grey beard, his feet were bare and
he leant upon a crook.
"Good Conde Fernan Gonzales," he said, "Behold, the King Almanzor
[86] is even now preparing to come out to meet thee. Now, go out and
give him battle, and be of good heart; for though thou shalt be badly
wounded, and the infidels shall spill much of thy blood, yet shall a
hundred of them fall for one of thine. God guard thee, Conde, and that
which thou shalt do this day shall resound throughout all Spain. But
this sign must come to pass first; and when it is fulfilled do not
lose courage, for all that are with thee shall be stricken with fear
and ready to flee away; but only stand thou fast, and the day shall
be given thee. After that shall come days of peace; and a good wife
shall be given thee, who shall be called Sancha. And now return to
Lara, for thy people are seeking thee with fear and anxiety; and when
these things come to pass, remember the hermit who foretold them."
Then, without answering him a word, the good Count rose from his
knees, and, mounting his horse, rode back to Lara. There he found
his people, all running hither and thither in search of him. But he,
without telling them what had befallen, ranged them in order of battle,
and went out to meet King Almanzor.
Thus they went their way, and sure enough they were none too soon; for
even as the hermit had said, King Almanzor was on his way to meet him.
When the followers of Gonzalez saw the host that was marching towards
them, they were stricken with fear, for they were but a handful. But
Gonzalez, seeing their disorder, turned and said to them, "It is a
shame, noble Castilian knights, to flee at sight of an infidel host;
for who is there that can stand against our banner and our arms? At
them! my friends, at them! Let there be not one of us wanting!"
With that he set spurs to his charger, and rode into the midst of
the Moors; and he did so valiantly, that all his followers dashed
into them with like impetuosity, and none could stand before them;
and for one of them that was slain, a hundred of the infidels lay
stretched upon the ground. But the good Conde was wounded, and his
blood was poured out upon the ground; yet they pushed their way into
the camp, where they found much precious spoil.
And when they divided the treasure, Gonzalez remembered the hermit,
and set aside a portion of his share; and with it he built the church
of San Pedro de Arlanza.