this they rejoiced greatly, and they praised themselves for what they had done in withstanding him, and said that the Cid’s bread and barley had failed him, and he had fled away, and left one of his tents behind him.  And they said among themselves, “Let us pursue them and spoil them.”  And they went out after him, great and little, leaving the gates open and shouting as they went; and there was not left in the town a man who could bear arms.  And when my Cid saw them coming he gave orders to quicken their speed, as if he was in fear, and would not let his people turn till the Moors were far from the town.  But when he saw that there was a good distance between them and the gates, he bade his banner turn, and spurred toward them crying, “Lay on, knights, by God’s mercy the spoil is our own.”  God! what a good joy was theirs that morning!  My Cid’s vassals laid on without mercy; in one hour, and in a little space, three hundred Moors were slain, and my Cid won the place, and planted his banner upon the highest point of the castle.  And the Cid said, “Blessed be God and all His saints, we have bettered our quarters both for horses and men.”  And he said to Alvar Fanez and all his knights, “Hear me, we shall get nothing by killing these Moors—­let us take them and they shall show us their treasures which they have hidden in their houses, and we will dwell here and they shall serve us.”  In this manner did my Cid win Alcocer, and take up his abode therein.

In three weeks time after this returned Alvar Fanez from Castille.  And my Cid rode up to him, and embraced him without speaking, and kissed his mouth and the eyes in his head.  God, how joyful was that whole host because Alvar Fanez was returned! for he brought them greetings from their kinswomen and their brethren and the fair comrades whom they had left behind.  God, how joyful was my Cid with the fleecy beard, that Minaya had purchased the thousand masses, and had brought him the biddings of his wife and daughters!  God, what a joyful man was he!

Now it came to pass that the days of King Almudafar were fulfilled:  and he left his two sons Zulema and Abenalfange, and Zulema had the kingdom of Zaragoza, and Abenalfange the kingdom of Denia.  And Zulema put his kingdom under my Cid’s protection, and bade all his people obey him even as they would himself.  Now there began to be great enmity between the two brethren, and they made war upon each other.  And the Count Don Ramon Berenguer of Barcelona helped Abenalfange, and was enemy to the Cid because he defended Zulema.  And my Cid chose out two hundred horsemen and went out by night, and fell upon the lands of Alcaniz and brought away great booty.  Great was the talk among the Moors; how my Cid was over-running the country.