The Song of the Cid (19 page)

This was how they made their journey to meet with the king,
Who had arrived at the Tagus the day before.
When Alfonso saw the worthy Warrior approaching,
He went out to greet him with the honor my Cid deserved,
And when he who had been born lucky saw him,
He ordered everyone to stop, except for fifteen,
Who dismounted with him, as he had planned.
And then my Cid went down on his hands and knees
And with his teeth pulled up grass,
So overjoyed he could not keep from weeping,
For this was how he gave his homage to the king,
Falling at his feet.
But the king was deeply upset.
“Stand up, my Cid, my Warrior! Stand up!
You may kiss my hands, yes, but not my feet!
Stand up, or I cannot grant you my favor!”
My Cid remained on his knees.
“I must ask you, my noble lord,
To show me your favor, exactly as I am now,
So everyone here will know it from your words!”
The king declared: “With all my heart and soul,
I grant it! You are forgiven, I give you my love,
And—from this day—the complete freedom of Castile.”
My Cid replied, and here is what he said:
“I thank you. I accept your pardon: you are my lord.
I thank God in heaven, and I thank you,
And I thank all these men who surround me here!”
Before he rose, my Cid kissed the king's hands;
When he rose, he kissed the king on the mouth.
And everyone watching was deeply pleased—
Except Alvar Díaz and García Ordóñez.
And then my Cid spoke once more:
“I thank our Father in heaven
For this grace I've been given by my lord:
May God be with me by both day and night!
Allow me to be your host, good King Alfonso.”
“Of course,” the king replied, “but not today.
We've been here since last night; you've only just arrived.
quando he la gracia de don Alfonso mio señor;
valer me á Dios de día e de noch.
Fuéssedes mi huésped, si vos ploguiesse, señor.”
Dixo el rrey: “Non es aguisado oy,
vós agora llegastes e nós viniemos anoch;
mio huésped seredes, Cid Campeador,
e cras feremos lo que ploguiere a vós.”
Besóle la mano, Mio Cid lo otorgó.
Essora se le omillan los iffantes de Carrión:
“¡Omillámosnos, Cid, en buen ora nasquiestes vós!
En quanto podemos andamos en vuestro pro.”
Rrespuso Mio Cid: “¡Assí lo mande el Criador!”
Mio Cid Rruy Díaz que en ora buena nasco,
en aquel día del rrey so huésped fue;
non se puede fartar d'él, tántol' querié de coraçón,
catándol' sedié la barba, que tan aínal' creciera.
Maravíllanse de Mio Cid quantos que í son.
És día es passado e entrada es la noch;
otro día mañana claro salié el sol,
el Campeador a los sos lo mandó
que adobassen cozina pora quantos que í son.
De tal guisa los paga Mio Cid el Campeador,
todos eran alegres e acuerdan en una rrazón:
passado avié
tres
años no comieran mejor.
Al otro día mañana, assí como salió el sol,
el obispo don Jerónimo la missa cantó.
Al salir de la missa todos juntados son,
non lo tardó el rrey, la rrazón conpeçó:
“¡Oídme, las escuelas, cuendes e ifançones!
Cometer quiero un rruego a Mio Cid el Campeador,
assí lo mande Christus que sea a so pro.
Vuestras fıjas vos pido, don Elvira e doña Sol,
que las dedes por mugieres a los ifantes de Carrión.
Seméjam' el casamiento ondrado e con grant pro,
ellos vos las piden e mándovoslo yo.
D'ella e d'ella parte quantos que aquí son,
los míos e los vuestros que sean rrogadores;
¡dándoslas, Mio Cid, sí vos vala el Criador!”

You'll be my guest right now, good Cid, my Warrior,
And I will be yours, tomorrow.”
My Cid kissed the king's hand, and it was settled.
Just then the nobles of Carrión came up, bowing:
“We offer our respects, O Cid, born at a fortunate time!
If there are things to be done for you, they will be done.”
My Cid replied: “May God so decree!”
Thus, that day, my Cid, born at a blessèd hour,
Became the king's guest, favored incessantly;
Even his beard, grown long, had Alfonso's attention.
Everyone there was struck by my Cid's presence.
The day rolled down and turned to night;
The sun came up, next morning, clear and bright.
My Cid ordered his men to prepare
An enormous feast for that night,
And people were so delighted they cried:
It was three full years since they had eaten so well!
As the sun rose up, the third morning,
Bishop Don Jerónimo said mass,
And after that, when they were all together,
The king immediately spoke, at his pleasure:
“Hear me, my subjects, you counts, and all my nobles!
I have a request to make of the Warrior, my Cid:
May he respond with favor, in the name of God!
I ask for your daughters, Doña Elvira and Doña Sol,
To be given in marriage to the Carrión heirs.
These seem to me honorable, splendid unions;
The Carrións have asked for your daughters, and I approve.
Let intermediaries be chosen from the best of your men
And the best of mine, among those present here.
Agree, my Cid, as you hope for God's support!”
“I have no daughters ready for marriage,” replied the
Warrior.
“They're still little girls, and very young.
The Carrións come from a noble family,
Fine for my daughters, fine for better-born girls.
I gave them life, and you have fed and schooled them:
This father, these daughters, live at your command,

“Non abría fıjas de casar,” rrespuso el Campeador,
“ca non han grant edad e de días pequeñas son.
De grandes nuevas son los ifantes de Carrión,
pertenecen pora mis fıjas e aun pora mejores.
Yo las engendré amas e criásteslas vós,
entre yo y ellas en vuestra merced somos nós;
afellas en vuestra mano don Elvira e doña Sol,
dadlas a qui quisiéredes yós, ca yo pagado só.”
“Gracias,” dixo el rrey, “a vós e a tod' esta cort.”
Luego se levantaron los iffantes de Carrión,
ban besar las manos al que en ora buena nació,
camearon las espadas ant'el rrey don Alfonso.
Fabló el rrey don Alfonso como tan buen señor:
“Grado e gracias, Cid, como tan bueno e primero al Criador
quem' dades vuestras fıjas pora los ifantes de Carrión.
D'aquí las prendo por mis manos don Elvira e doña Sol
e dolas por veladas a los ifantes de Carrión.
Yo las caso a vuestras fıjas con vuestro amor,
al Criador plega que ayades ende sabor.
Afellos en vuestras manos los ifantes de Carrión,
ellos vayan convusco, ca d'aquén me torno yo.
Trezientos marcos de plata en ayuda les do yo
que metan en sus bodas o dó quisiéredes vós;
pues fueren en vuestro poder en Valencia la mayor,
los yernos e las fıjas todos vuestros fıjos son;
lo que vos ploguiere d'ellos fet, Campeador.”
Mio Cid ge los rrecibe, las manos le besó:
“Mucho vos lo gradesco, como a rrey e a señor.
Vós casades mis fıjas ca non ge las do yo.”
Las palabras son puestas . . . . . . . . .
que otro día mañana, | quando salies[
s
]e el sol,
ques' tornasse cada uno dón salidos son.
Aquís' metió en nuevas Mio Cid el Campeador:
tanta gruessa mula e tanto palafré de sazón,
tantas buenas vestiduras que d'alfaya son,
conpeçó Mio Cid a dar a quien quiere prender so don;
cada uno lo que pide nadi nol' dize de no.
Mio Cid de los cavallos
sessaenta
dio en don.
So I put these girls in your grace's hands.
Give them to the men you choose, and I will be pleased.”
“My thanks,” said the king, “to you and to all in this court.”
The noble Carrións rose and kissed the hands
Of the man who'd been born at the right time, and as the king
watched,
They sealed the union by exchanging swords with my Cid,
To whom the king spoke, as his sovereign lord:
“I am pleased and thankful, Cid, that you, so blessed
by God,
Have consigned your daughters to me, for this Carrión
marriage.
And I give them as wives to these noble lords:
I hereby sanction this marriage, with your approval.
May God reward you with his grace!
The Carrión nobles, now joined to your family,
Will go with you; I go in a different direction.
I give them three hundred silver marks,
To spend on their wedding, or whatever you think best.
They will all be your subjects, in Valencia,
Your daughters and your new sons.
Do with them as you think fit!”
My Cid welcomed them, kissing the king's hands:
“You have been very good to me, my king and my lord!
It's you who have made this marriage, not me.”
The pledges having been made, at dawn the next day
The parties were to go their different ways.
My Cid, great Warrior, attracted great attention,
Giving fat mules and fine palfreys away
To everyone who wanted something,
As well as much beautiful, well-made clothing.
Each got what he chose, no one refused the offer,
And my Cid gave away sixty horses, all told.
It grew late, and people wanted to leave.
The king took the Carrións by the hand
And brought them to my Cid, the great Warrior.
“Here are your sons, your new sons-in-law,
Who from this day are subject to your orders.”

Todos son pagados de las vistas, quantos que í son;
partirse quieren que entrada era la noch.
El rrey a los ifantes a las manos les tomó,
metiólos en poder de Mio Cid el Campeador:
“Evad aquí vuestros fıjos, quando vuestros yernos son;
oy de más sabed qué fer d'ellos, Campeador.”
“Gradéscolo, rrey, e prendo vuestro don;
Dios que está en cielo dém' dent buen galardón.”
Sobr'el so cavallo Bavieca Mio Cid salto dava:
“Aquí lo digo ante mio señor el rrey Alfonso:
qui quiere ir a las bodas o rrecebir mi don,
d'aquend vaya comigo, cuedo quel' avrá pro.

 

 

105

 

“Yo vos pido merced a vós, rrey natural:
pues que casades mis fıjas assí como a vós plaz,
dad manero a qui las dé, quando vós las tomades;
non ge las daré yo con mi mano, nin de[
n
]d non se alabarán.”
Rrespondió el rrey: “Afé aquí Álbar Fáñez,
prendellas con vuestras manos e daldas a los ifantes,
assí como yo las prendo d'aquent, como si fosse delant,
sed padrino d'ell
a
s a tod' el velar;
quando vos juntáredes comigo, quem' digades la verdat.”
Dixo Álbar Fáñez: “Señor, afé que me plaz.”

 

 

106

 

Tod' esto es puesto, sabed, en grant rrecabdo.
“Ya rrey don Alfonso, señor tan ondrado,
d'estas vistas que oviemos, de mí tomedes algo.
Tráyovos
veínte
palafrés, éstos bien adobados,
e
treínta
cavallos corredores, éstos bien ensellados;
tomad aquesto e beso vuestras manos.”
Dixo el rrey don Alfonso: “Mucho me avedes enbargado;
rrecibo este don que me avedes mandado;

“Thank you, my king; I accept this gift.
May God on high be pleased with what I've done!”
My Cid mounted Babieca, and then spoke:
“Let me announce, in the presence of my lord and king:
Those who wish to attend the weddings,
And have gifts from me, can follow me now. They'll be glad
they did.

 

 

105

 

“But I beg a favor from you, my lord and king:
Since you have married my daughters as you think best,
I ask that you name someone you think fit
To replace me in the ceremony, giving my daughters away.”
The king replied: “Who better than Alvar Fáñez?
Minaya, take them by the hands and give them to the Carrións,
Just as I have taken them—without their presence—from Cid.
You will be in charge of them till the wedding night.
When you see me next, tell me exactly what happens.”
Alvar Fáñez said: “My lord, I am glad to accept.”

 

 

106

 

So this was how, as you see, it was all arranged.
“Ah, King Alfonso,” said Cid, “my honored lord!
You too must take something of mine with you.
I've brought you twenty palfreys, saddles and reins and all,
And thirty racing horses, nicely saddled.
Take them, as I kiss your hand in farewell.”
The king replied: “You give too much, I'm afraid!
But I will accept this offer, now that you've made it.

plega al Criador con todos los sos sanctos
este plazer | quem' feches que bien sea galardonado.
Mio Cid Rruy Díaz, mucho me avedes ondrado,
de vós bien só servido e tengon' por pagado,
aún bivo seyendo de mí ayades algo.
A Dios vos acomiendo, d'estas vistas me parto.
¡Afé Dios del cielo que lo ponga en buen logar!”

 

 

107

 

Yas' espidió Mio Cid de so señor Alfonso,
non quiere quel' escurra, quitól' dessí luego.
Veriedes cavalleros que bien andantes son
besar las manos [
e
] espedirse del rrey Alfonso:
“Merced vos sea e fazednos este perdón:
iremos en poder de Mio Cid a Valencia la mayor,
seremos a las bodas de los ifantes de Carrión
e de las fıjas de Mio Cid, de don Elvira e doña Sol.”
Esto plogo al rrey e a todos los soltó,
la conpaña del Cid crece e la del rrey mengó,
grandes son las yentes que van con el Canpeador,
adeliñan pora Valencia, la que en buen punto ganó.
E a don Fernando e a don Diego aguardarlos mandó
a Pero Vermúez e Muño Gustioz,
en casa de Mio Cid non á dos mejores,
que sopiessen sos mañas de los ifantes de Carrión.
E va í A[
s
]sur Gonçález, que era bullidor,
que es largo de lengua mas en lo ál non es tan pro.
Grant ondra les dan a los ifantes de Carrión.
Afelos en Valencia, la que Mio Cid gañó,
quando a ella assomaron los gozos son mayores.
Dixo Mio Cid a don Pero e a Muño Gustioz:
“Dadles un rreyal a los ifantes de Carrión,
[
e
] vós con ellos sed, que assí vos lo mando yo.
Quando viniere la mañana, que apuntare el sol,
verán a sus esposas, a don Elvira e a doña Sol.”

May God and all his saints
Reward you for the many, many pleasures
You've given me! I've been much honored, my Cid, Ruy Díaz.
You've served me well, I leave here happy.
May I live to do as well by you!
I commend you to God, as I ride away:
May God in heaven, in time, make all of us glad!”