ing him only nine days to
prepare for departure. The Cid accepted this cruel decree with dignity,
hoping that the time would never come when the king would regret his
absence, and his country need his right arm.

"'I obey, O King Alfonso,
Guilty though in naught I be,
For it doth behoove a vassal
To obey his lord's decree;
Prompter far am I to serve thee
Than thou art to guerdon me.

"'I do pray our Holy Lady
Her protection to afford,
That thou never mayst in battle
Need the Cid's right arm and sword.'"
_Ancient Spanish Ballads_ (Lockhart's tr.).

Amid the weeping people of Burgos, who dared not offer him help and shelter
lest they should incur the king's wrath, lose all their property, and even
forfeit their eyesight, the Cid slowly rode away, and camped without the
city to make his final arrangements. Here a devoted follower supplied him
with the necessary food, remarking that he cared "not a fig" for Alfonso's
prohibitions, which is probably the first written record of the use of this
now popular expression.

[Sidenote: The Cid in exile.] To obtain the necessary money the Cid pledged
two locked coffers full of sand to the Jews. They, thinking that the boxes
contained vast treasures, or relying upon the Cid's promise to release them
for a stipulated sum, advanced him six hundred marks of gold. The Cid then
took leave of his beloved wife Ximena, and of his two infant daughters,
whom he intrusted to the care of a worthy ecclesiastic, and, followed by
three hundred men, he rode slowly away from his native land, vowing that he
would yet return, covered with glory, and bringing great spoil.

"'Comrades, should it please high Heaven
That we see Castile once more,--
Though we now go forth as outcasts,
Sad, dishonor'd, homeless, poor,--
We'll return with glory laden
And the spellings of the Moor.'"
_Ancient Spanish Ballads_ (Lockhart's tr.).

Such success attended the little band of exiles that within the next three
weeks they won two strongholds from the Moors, and much spoil, among which
was the sword Colada, which was second only to Tizona. From the spoil the
Cid selected a truly regal present, which he sent to Alfonso, who in return
granted a general pardon to the Cid's followers, and published an edict
allowing all who wished to fight against the Moors to join him. A few more
victories an