HOW RODRIGO ROUSED UP THE COUNTRY, AND DEFEATED THE MOORS IN THE
MOUNTAINS OF OCA
"Up, up, cavaliers of Castile! cover yourselves with your steel coats of
mail, buckle on the golden spurs, bind on the sword, grasp the knee and
the shield, and mount your fiery chargers, which neigh and paw in their
stables, impatient to career over the wide plains. Fly over them, and
close with the Moors, until your battlehorses trample down the Moslem
standard, and the impious Crescent is made a pedestal for the Cross!
"Up, up, cavaliers of Castile! Five Moorish kings have crossed the
Moncayo, and overrun with a large army the dominions of Don Fernando:
they now lay waste the fields; burn the towns; steal and carry off
property from palaces as well as from huts; destroy churches; bear off
women, both single and married; and take prisoners and kill old people
and children, women and men!
"Up, up, knights and squires, those who pay taxes, and those who do not!
Hurry to Burgos, where the honoured cavalier Rodrigo Diaz of Vivar has
raised his green standard,--the son of Diego Lainez, he who was born in
a propitious hour, he of the strong lance, he who fought at Atapuerca,
he who slew the Count of Gormaz, he who conquered Martin Gonzalez of
Aragon in single combat."
Such was the war-cry that resounded throughout Castile, almost
immediately after its invasion by the Moors, on the day when we have
seen Rodrigo abandoning his pursuit of the Count Don Suero, in order to
return to Burgos with the intention of raising an army to march against
the Moorish power. And that cry did not resound in vain; from all sides
armed men hastened to Burgos, and already the cavalier of Vivar had
collected together a number sufficient to instil terror into the
invaders, who, like a wild torrent, which in its rapid and devastating
course tears up everything that lies in its way, had rushed on from the
right bank of the Duero to San Estéban of Gormaz, then to the mountain
chain of Oca, and by the Sierra de Urbiad to Bureva, which it desolated,
without finding any resistance worth speaking of.
Rodrigo was burning with impatience to proceed to the camp; but, as his
prudence was equal to his valour, he did not wish to give any advantage
to the Moslems by leaving their audacity unpunished, and disappointing
the country by marching against them an army incapable, by its numbers,
of conquering the terrible hostile forces. More than two hundred
cavaliers, related to him by blood, had hastened to obey his summons,
and even his nephews, the sons of his natural brother, Don Fernando,
were preparing to set out, notwithstanding that they were all younger
than Rodrigo.
The army was complete, and the hour of departure was approaching.
Rodrigo asked for the blessing of his parents, who gave it to him both
with their hearts and their lips, and, embracing Ximena warmly, he
mounted Babieca, at the same time that Fernan went out to mount his
steed, grumbling at the cowardice and faint-heartedness of woman, for
Mayorica had not been able to restrain a flood of tears on seeing him
set out for the wars, for the young woman loved him more than ever from
the time that he had made peace with her.
The signal was given, and the brilliant army of the knight of Vivar set
out from Burgos in the direction of Bureva, towards which the Moors were
then advancing.
It was a beautiful morning, and as it had not rained for some time, the
road was in good condition. Thanks to this, thanks to the desire that
all had to attack the Moors, and thanks, above all, to the fact that
they had sallied forth from Burgos before the sun had risen in the east,
the troops arrived at the mountains of Oca before midday, having been
joined on the way by additional large bodies of armed men. The territory
at the other side of the mountains had not yet come in sight, when the
scouts, whom Rodrigo had sent forward to explore the country, returned
to meet him, and informed him that the Moors were beginning to ascend
the opposite slopes with great cheering, and other demonstrations of
satisfaction, doubtless on account of the booty they had seized on in
Najera, in Santo Domingo, and other districts of Rioja. On learning that
the enemy was approaching, all those who composed the army uttered
shouts of joy, and Rodrigo, Fernan, and the sons of Fernando Diaz
distinguished themselves not the least in this show of enthusiasm and
valour.
Rodrigo advanced the first, and on arriving on the highest point of the
mountain, he distinguished the vanguard of the enemy, scarcely more
distant than three shots of a crossbow. As he had already given orders
to his captains, as to the manner in which the attack was to be
commenced, he cried out, putting his lance at rest and his shield in
position--
"St James. St James!"
"St. James! onward, Spain!" was the cry which responded to his,--a cry
so resounding and so universal, that not alone did the Moors hear it,
but it even reached the level country.
Scarce was it given, than they rushed on the Moors, who were broken up
and thrown into disorder in a few minutes; such being the terror that
this unexpected and vigorous attack caused them, that even the bravest
warriors amongst them thought at first of seeking safety in flight.
However, Abengalvon, the King of Molina, who was one of the five who
commanded the Moors, raised his voice, loud as thunder, and was the
first to face the Christians; his example encouraged his squadrons. The
conflict then became bloody and obstinate; but the Castilian hosts,
although inferior in numbers, were superior in valour, and were fighting
for their God, for their country, and for their brethren kept in irons
and ill-treated in the Moorish dungeons. Their enemies were therefore in
a short time defeated and routed on all sides, and the field of battle
was covered with Moorish corpses.
The victory was complete: not a Moor had been able to escape from the
onslaught of the Christians, as a very large number were killed in the
battle, and the remainder were taken prisoners. Everything was in the
power of the cavalier of Vivar,--the Moors who had not fallen under the
blows of the Castilian steel, the captives whom they had taken, and the
flocks and herds which they had seized on during their devastating
march. The cries of joy of the rescued prisoners, and the agonised cries
of the dying, were mingled together in one great volume of sound.
Rodrigo, followed by his nephews and by Fernan, all covered with the
blood of the enemy, were riding over the fields of battle, when the
fight was almost terminated. Some wailings, which seemed to be those of
a child or of a woman, came to their ears. Rodrigo hastily went in the
direction from whence they proceeded, and the sight which presented
itself to him moved his heart, which until then had been of stone,
notwithstanding the carnage that had taken place all around him. An old
Moor was breathing his last, and a boy, a Moor also, and very young, was
embracing him, uttering cries of despair, as if he thought he could
preserve the vital heat which was leaving the dying man, by the pressure
against him of his small body. Rodrigo believed that the old man was
already dead, and made a sign with his hand to the boy to approach him;
but the dying man opened his dim eyes, and, seeing that the young
Christian warrior was showing signs of compassion for the disconsolate
child, he made a last effort, and murmured with his failing voice--
"You, Christian captain, who are brave, and must therefore be generous
and good, will protect this unfortunate little creature,--the only
flower of the garden of my love. Oh, Christian, have pity on my son, aid
the helpless orphan!"
"He need never call himself by that name," answered Rodrigo, filled
with emotion, "for if he loses a father in you, he shall find one in
me."
"May Allah send a protector to your sons, if they should ever be in need
of one, and may the Prophet open to you the gates of his holy paradise!"
exclaimed the old man, and tears of gratitude mingled in his eyes with
those of death, which oozed from them, as he fell back a corpse.
Rodrigo removed the unhappy child from the dead body of his father, and
ordered that he should be led to his tent, lavishing on him all the
consolations and endearments which his condition required.
Some hours afterwards, the victorious army set out on its return to
Burgos, bringing with it the rich spoils which it had taken from the
enemy. The inhabitants of all the towns and villages on the way crowded
out to salute the conqueror, and in many places there had been erected,
as if by enchantment, handsome triumphal arches of foliage, and the road
had been strewn with flowers, which perfumed the air. Enthusiastic
cheers arose as Rodrigo passed along, and the sounds of drums and other
instruments enlivened the country, mingling with the fervent
acclamations of the good Castilians.
What a happy day was that for Castile, for Rodrigo, for all who loved
him, and for all good people!
Before the squadrons rode the youthful commander, surrounded by his
relations and his captains; joy shone in his countenance, and warlike
enthusiasm sounded in his words. Babieca moved on swiftly, but Rodrigo
was wishing that he had the wings of Pegasus, that he might arrive in
Burgos with the speed of lightning, for of what value were to the son of
Diego Lainez that victory, those triumphal arches, those acclamations,
those ovations of an enthusiastic and grateful populace, compared with
the triumph, with the glory, with the love which awaited him in Burgos,
beneath the paternal roof? The happiness which filled his soul made
Rodrigo love all about him, and thus it was that Babieca presented
himself to his eyes from a point of view different to that from which he
might have seen him on any other occasion.
"Yes," cried Rodrigo, "this is not alone a day of triumph for us men;
but my good Babieca has gained glory also, and I feel quite sure that
his former master, my godfather Don Peyre, will hold him in more esteem
from this day forward. With what intelligence he let himself be guided
by my hand in the combat! With what ardour and vigour he rushed on the
enemy!"
And he added, giving the noble animal a slap on the neck with his hand,
which raised his head as if he understood the praises which his master
was so freely giving him, and was filled with pride by them--
"Babieca, if you have taken part in the efforts we have made to win the
victory, you also shall have a share in the spoils of it; I promise to
give you the handsomest trappings that we have captured. Many another
day, like this, you shall have to fight against the Moorish forces, and
mingle your sweat with infidel blood. You shall be my companion in camps
and in cities, on the roads and in combats; and if you ever want food
and shelter, it will be only for the reason that my lance has not been
able to procure them for you."
If Rodrigo was well satisfied with the conduct of his steed in the
battle which he had just won, it was not so with Fernan with regard to
his.
"I vow by Judas Iscariot," said Fernan to some squires, on hearing
Rodrigo praise Babieca, "that my master must have taken lessons from
Beelzebub himself, to judge by the knowledge he has of everything. It
seemed to me that it was an ass and not a horse that he selected in the
stables of Don Peyre; but he took it into his head that he was a good
one, and, as it has turned out, knight or squire never bestrode a
better. Now look at mine, which looks as if he were fit for an emperor,
and with all that he nearly left me in the clutches of four Moors, as
big as four Goliaths."
"Tell us all about it," said one of the squires, "for I have an idea
myself of what would likely happen you when you followed into the ravine
those who fled from the main body of the army."
"I shall do so in a few words. I spurred on my horse after four Moors,
as tall as towers, and I continued the pursuit for a considerable
distance; I was nearly touching them with my lance, when, just about
jumping over a wide ditch, my horse stopped; I spurred him violently,
and he sprang forward, but not far enough, and he went down into the
ditch. The Moors saw my mishap, and turned on me, crying out, 'You shall
die there, Christian dog!' They had already raised their powerful
scimitars over my head, when Overo,[1] ashamed, I suppose of his
conduct, made an effort, raised himself, and got out of the ditch. 'It
is ye that shall die,' I cried in my turn; 'I vow it by the bones of
Mahomet!' And closing with the Moors, will ye, nill ye, two of them were
transfixed by my lance, and the others fled, without waiting to help
their companions."
[1] Speckled red and white.
"And you complain of your horse?"
"I find fault with him for good cause; and I would have thrown him over
a precipice, only that in the end he retrieved his character; but if he
ever acts in that way again, I swear by the soul of Beelzebub that he
shall not do so a third time. I am always unfortunate with regard to
horses."
"But you are very fortunate with regard to women, though it is not quite
the same thing," said Alvar; and he added with a malicious smile, "If I
only had such a sweetheart as Mayorica, I would be satisfied with a bad
ass."
Fernan heaved a deep sigh, drawn from him by the remembrance of
Mayorica, and also perhaps by that of Beatrice and that of Aldonza.
"It is some time now since I saw scratches on your face, Fernan," said a
squire. "I suppose you have been faithful to Mayorica?"
"I have been always so," replied Fernan, with much seriousness, which
caused his comrades to laugh maliciously.
"Aldonza would be able to testify to it; is not that so?" retorted the
inquisitive squire.
"And Beatrice also," added Alvar.
"I vow by Judas Iscariot, that you, Alvar, are the most confounded
chatterer that ever was known. Had the son of my mother ever
love-affairs with Beatrice?"
"But it was not your fault that he had not."
"By Beelzebub, I'll break every bone in your body as soon as we
dismount."
Alvar, who knew well the danger of offending the vanity of Fernan,
thought it best to retract what he had said; by that he pacified the
squire of Rodrigo.
Another, however, of the order of squires, named Lope, a serious man,
advanced in years, who had a wife and children, and who some time before
had been scandalised by hearing of the liking of Fernan for plurality in
love-affairs, profited by the occasion to throw his weakness in his face
and to endeavour to convert the amorous squire.
"Brother," he said to him, "in vain will you try to persuade us that you
have been discreet in your love affairs; your weaknesses have been
notorious in Vivar, in Burgos, in Leon, and in all places where you have
resided even a few days. That an inexperienced youth should have as
little sense as you have might be tolerated, but such cannot be excused
in a man of your age. This Mayorica, to whom you pay your homage, and
whom I scarcely know,--if she is not worthy of your affection, well,
then, leave her, and do not continue to look on her with carnal eyes;
she will soon find another that suits her, and you also one who may
please you better. On the other hand, if she is worthy of your
affection, then, brother, serve her with your soul and with your life;
but do not serve more than her, for to be in love with two women at the
same time will neither be pleasing to God nor to the women. If not, tell
me on your honour what you would do if Mayorica shared her love with you
and with another man."
"What I would do?" replied Fernan angrily. "I would kill both Mayorica
and the fellow that dared to look on her!"
"Well, then, brother, God has said, 'Do unto others as you would that
others should do unto you.' Love Mayorica faithfully, if she is
deserving of your love, and marry her if your means permit it; for a
woman without means to support herself and the children that God may
give her, is miserable in her house."
"I shall do so, as soon as I am a little better off, and I trust that
will be in a very short time; for you must know, comrades, that since
the marriage of my lord and master, Don Rodrigo, I am most desirous of
getting married also; and if I can't marry two, I must be satisfied with
one. Besides, do you think I would cease to love Mayorica if I took a
fancy to twenty or a hundred others? Your great simplicity astonishes
me, brothers. Does she who loves the child of her neighbour love her own
less? Certainly, since I fell in love with Mayorica, I have also been in
love with Leonora, Brianda, Sol, Alfonsa, Ivana, Aldonza, Beatrice, and
twenty more; but I only loved them with my eyes, whilst I loved Mayorica
with my heart, and that is the only real love. Apart from that, I have
got a certain idea into my head, and all the preachers in the world
could not get it out of it, and that is: a man can safely be in love
with two women at the same time--provided that they do not know of it."
"On my conscience, comrade, you are either very simple or very depraved.
Did that old witch, Mari-Perez, whom you used to visit near the torrent,
teach you that? According to you, if to-morrow you marry Mayor, and
your wife, whilst you are away on a campaign, should be seduced by
another man, it would be no harm as long as you did not know of it. What
answer have you to that?"
Fernan bowed his head and remained silent in face of this argument of
Lope. The conviction, which he said all the preachers in the land could
not overcome, had just been pulverised by that rough squire.
"Lope," he said at last, "you have convinced me. I confess to you that
until to-day I have been blind, and have understood love-affairs no
better than my horse. I swear to all of you, that even if Beelzebub
himself should come to tempt me in the shape of the best-looking girl in
the world, I would not let myself fall into temptation."
"I hope in goodness," Alvar ventured to say, "that the witch,
Mari-Perez, who has her power from Satan, will not make you fall into
temptation by presenting the devil to you under the form of Aldonza."
"Have no fear of that, Alvar, for if such a devil should appear before
my eyes, I would drive him away, not with holy water, but with the reins
of my horse. I'd like to confess one thing, now that we're speaking of
Aldonza. You know, comrades, that I was in love with her once; but I
think only through the witchcraft of her mother. Well, then, I took a
turn against her on account of a certain kind of caresses which she
lavished on me one morning, and I swore I'd never look on her as long as
I lived. But as time went on, I began to think of her again, also, I
believe, by reason of the incantations of her mother; and I was almost
tempted to hunt her up once more, when I learned yesterday that Don
Suero had brought her off to his castle at Carrion; stolen, according to
what Mari-Perez says, but, as I believe, of her own free will. My soul
was fired by this act of Don Suero, whom I look on as an enemy since the
time when my master and I fought with him and his followers in order to
rescue Beatrice, whom they were forcibly carrying off; and I thought of
seeking out the Count of Carrion, in order to take the girl away from
him; but I now swear that I shall do no such thing, and that from this
day forward I shall have nothing to do with any woman except Mayorica."
"I trust in God it may be so," said Lope; "but he who has bad habits"--
The worthy squire was interrupted by the exclamations of some of his
companions, who, on seeing at the door of a house near the road three or
four maidens, as bright-looking as May roses, commenced to address
tender words to them, at which they laughed and seemed much pleased.
"I vow by Judas Iscariot, that girls like these are enough to make even
a saint go wrong. What eyes, what complexions, what figures, what
sprightliness!"
And, thus speaking, Fernan stopped his horse to gaze on the young girls,
and seemed even inclined to ride towards them. However, as his comrades,
far from imitating him, continued their onward course, laughing at him,
he rode on to overtake them, muttering rather angrily, and looking up
towards heaven--
"O Lord, you have created angels like those who stand at the door of
that house, only that fools like my companions may pass them by without
being thankful for such wonders. What faint hearts the majority of men
have!"