Don
Gomez and challenged him to fight. So bravely and skilfully did Rodrigo
manage his weapons that he slew his father's enemy. Then he cut off the
head and carried it to Diego.

Soon after this Diego bade his son do homage at King Ferdinand's court.
Rodrigo appeared before the king, but his bearing was so defiant that
Ferdinand was frightened, and banished him.

Rodrigo departed with three hundred followers, encountered some Moors,
who were invading Castile, defeated them and took five of their kings
captive, releasing them only after they had promised to pay tribute and
to refrain from further warfare. It was these kings who first called him
"Cid."

In return for his brave service Rodrigo was restored to favor and given
place among the king's courtiers.

One day Dona Ximena, daughter of Don Gomez, appeared and demanded
justice from the king. Recognizing Rodrigo among the courtiers, she
called to him to slay her also. But both demand and cry were unheeded,
for the king had been too well served by Rodrigo to listen to any
accusation against him.

Three times the maiden returned with the same request, and each time she
came she heard greater praise of the young hero. At last she decided to
alter her demand. A fourth time she returned, consenting to forego all
thoughts of vengeance if the king would order the young hero to marry
her. The Cid was very willing, for he had learned to love the girl,
admiring her beauty and spirit.

The marriage was celebrated with great pomp and the king gave Rodrigo
four cities as a marriage portion. Rodrigo, vowing that he would not be
worthy of his wife until he had won five battles, after a pious
pilgrimage to the shrine of the patron saint, hastened off to Calahorra,
a frontier town claimed by two kings--the kings of Castile and Oregon.

It had been decided that the dispute over the town should be settled by
combat. Rodrigo became the champion of Ferdinand of Castile. The other
champion, Martin Gonzalez, began, as soon as the combat opened, to taunt
the Cid.

"Never again will you mount your favorite steed Babieca," he said,
"never will you return to your castle; never will you see your beloved
Ximena again."

But the Cid was undaunted, and had soon laid his enemy low. Great praise
then was given to the Cid--so great that the knights of Castile were
jealous and plotted to kill him. But the Moorish kings whom he had
captured and released warned him in time to avert the danger