EL CONDE FERNAN GONZALEZ.
Conde Fernan Gonzalez was a bold lance. Restless as brave; when notengaged in chasing the Moors, he kept his appetite for noble exploitswhetted with the dangers of the chase.
One day, the furious course of a wild boar, and his own impetuosityin the pursuit, led him far away from his companions, and the hillsand 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, thatthe horse could not go through for the low interlacing branches, soGonzalez dismounted, taking his sword in his hand, and wrapping hiscloak round his arm by way of shield [85]. Cutting his way throughto the low doorway, he found the boar lying panting at the foot ofa 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 theformer inhabitant of the place. He was a venerable man, dressed inwhite, with bald head and a long grey beard, his feet were bare andhe 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 andgive him battle, and be of good heart; for though thou shalt be badlywounded, and the infidels shall spill much of thy blood, yet shall ahundred of them fall for one of thine. God guard thee, Conde, and thatwhich thou shalt do this day shall resound throughout all Spain. Butthis sign must come to pass first; and when it is fulfilled do notlose courage, for all that are with thee shall be stricken with fearand ready to flee away; but only stand thou fast, and the day shallbe given thee. After that shall come days of peace; and a good wifeshall be given thee, who shall be called Sancha. And now return toLara, for thy people are seeking thee with fear and anxiety; and whenthese things come to pass, remember the hermit who foretold them."
Then, without answering him a word, the good Count rose from hisknees, and, mounting his horse, rode back to Lara. There he foundhis 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; foreven 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 towardsthem, they were stricken with fear, for they were but a handful. ButGonzalez, seeing their disorder, turned and said to them, "It is ashame, noble Castilian knights, to flee at sight of an infidel host;for who is there that can stand against our banner and our arms? Atthem! 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 ofthe Moors; and he did so valiantly, that all his followers dashedinto them with like impetuosity, and none could stand before them;and for one of them that was slain, a hundred of the infidels laystretched upon the ground. But the good Conde was wounded, and hisblood was poured out upon the ground; yet they pushed their way intothe 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 churchof San Pedro de Arlanza.
Patrañas; or, Spanish Stories, Legendary and Traditional Page 32