My copy bears no date, but Retana mentions
an edition before 1898 (No. 4159). The poem is in 402 quatrains of
12-syllable lines. The section which resembles our story begins at
line 1260, and may be paraphrased in prose as follows:--

Soon after this, Almanzor was baptized (he had been a Moor), and was
married to Maria. After a few months of happy life, the duke was called
away to Cordova on important business. When Duke Almanzor arrived at
the court of the Governor of Cordova, he found that all the noblemen
were present. As he arrived somewhat late, he excused himself by saying
that he was newly married, and that he could not leave his wife any
sooner. Among the nobles was a proud, self-confident man named Abdala,
who, when Almanzor had finished speaking, remarked that he (Abdala)
did not mean to marry, as he could very easily seduce any woman,
be she unmarried or a wife. Almanzor was angered by this remark. He
said to Abdala, "I have my wife in Toledo: go and see if you can
seduce her." Abdala said that there was no doubt of his being able
to do so. A wager of death for the loser was agreed upon.

Abdala immediately set out for Toledo. He tried to gain access
to the duke's palace; but ever since her husband's departure,
Maria had ordered the servants to keep all the windows and
doors closed. Moreover, nobody but women were allowed to enter
the palace. Abdala was about to give up in despair, when he met a
sorceress, who offered to help him. This witch gained admittance into
the palace, and was allowed to pass the night there. At midnight
the hag secretly went to Maria's bedroom and jotted down a brief
description of it. Then she cut off a lock of Maria's hair. The next
morning the witch left the palace. She went to Abdala, and gave him
the lock of hair, together with the description of the bedroom.

Abdala hurriedly returned to Cordova. When he reached the palace,
the governor at once assembled the nobles. Abdala then showed the
lock of hair, and described minutely Maria's bedroom. Almanzor was
asked what he had to say. The noble duke said that he acknowledged to
be true everything that Abdala had said. Then the governor ordered
his guards to take the duke to prison. The duke was to be beheaded
on the third day. While in prison, Duke Almanzor wrote to his wife,
telling her of his coming death. Maria resolved at once to save her
husband. She went to Cordova, carrying with her all her wealth. She
had a famous jewelle