The Knight of Sticks and Straw Read online

  The time had come for Cristina the coward to be tested.

  “I’ll do it,” she said. “If you will help me, I’ll do it.”

  Chapter Five

  Wood and War

  Cristina’s first task was to run down to the kitchen to fetch wood and straw. When she reached the kitchen door, she took a deep breath to calm herself.

  “What are you doing, girl?” the cook Ramon asked. “You were meant to take broth to El Cid, not take bowls to the Berber army, too. Where have you been?” Before she could answer, he went on, “Not that you are needed. The knights aren’t hungry tonight. They are too miserable about El Cid’s wound.”

  “He’ll live to fight another day,” said Cristina.

  Ramon smiled a wide smile. “Did you hear that, everyone? Our lord Rodrigo is alive and well!”

  The cheerful servants went into the great hall to spread the news, and soon the noise from the hall was as great as when a battle had been won.

  Cristina sweated beside the fire, looking for firewood that might fit inside Lord Rodrigo’s armour and keep him straight. Then she slipped round to the stables to steal hay from the horses.

  Babieca was eating quietly and he turned his white head towards her. Cristina had always been afraid of horses. She reached out a hand and stroked the great charger on the nose. It was softer than any silk she had ever felt. Babieca snorted softly. Cristina managed to smile and let out a long breath. “You like me, then? That will help.”

  She took the scarecrow stuffing back to the bedroom. The guard gave her a curious look, but Lady Jimena came to the door and told him the girl could come and go freely.

  The doctor had cleaned the arrow wound on El Cid’s neck and the blood had stopped flowing. Cristina knew that only happened when an animal died. Lady Jimena dressed him in a clean, white shirt and then she helped the doctor strap the knight’s armour back in place.

  By the time they’d finished, the palace was quiet. The knights had gone off to their beds, to be ready for battle the next day. Lady Jimena told the guard outside the door to get himself some supper in the kitchens.

  When the corridors were empty, the three struggled to carry the corpse down to the stables. Lady Jimena was strong, and Cristina found new strength to help her.

  Babieca the warhorse was wary of the scent of the dead man. As the doctor and the lady struggled to push El Cid over the saddle, Cristina spoke quietly to the horse and stroked his nose.

  They found straps to bind the warrior’s legs to the stirrups, and the wooden frame under the armour was tied to the back of the saddle.

  Anyone close by could see how El Cid was held there. But the Berbers would not be that close.

  Lady Jimena climbed onto the side of the stall with El Cid’s helmet and slid it into place. Finally, they dressed the girl in a squire’s tunic and placed a wide, leather hat on her head to hide her face.

  The scarecrow knight was ready, and the cockerel crowed to tell them dawn was breaking.

  Lady Jimena was as dusty as the stable floor and hurried off to change while the doctor sank into the straw, exhausted.

  Sleepy grooms and squires began to enter the stables. When they saw Cristina holding Babieca, they woke up and began to race to get their own knights’ horses ready.

  Lady Jimena was soon changed into a fine, silk dress and came back to give orders to the knights. She stood at the head of Babieca and called to the men in armour.

  “My lord Rodrigo has hurt his throat with the scratch from that arrow. He has lost his voice. But he has written what he wants you to do.”

  She read from a sheet of paper: “Ride out and form a line facing our Berber enemies. The foot soldiers will form lines behind you. The Berbers will think El Cid is dead and they will become careless. When you are all lined up and ready, then my lord will ride out and stand on the hilltop behind you.”

  The knights nodded and began their march through the dustchoked streets of the city. They reached the gates and followed the orders of Lady Jimena. The Berber army had risen with the sun and they were in a happy mood.

  Inside the city gates, Lady Jimena whispered to Cristina. “Scared?”

  “Yes,” Cristina said.

  “Not as scared as the Berbers will be when they see El Cid ride out!” the lady said.

  Cristina laughed and her fear melted. She led Babieca out on to the hilltop. Babieca, the idiot, led by Cristina … the babieca.

  From her place above the battlefield, the coward-girl saw it all. The Berber army seemed to take a step backwards when she appeared. By the time the knights of Castile charged, they were almost running away.

  The defeat of the Berbers that day is there in the history books … and so is the tale of El Cid’s last battle – the knight of sticks and straw.

  The girl turned to the horse. “I’ll never be scared of scarecrows again,” she said.

  You never know how brave you are until you are tested.

  Cristina the babieca had passed the test.

  Epilogue

  Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid, was born around the year 1040, so he was almost 60 years old when he died in battle with the Berbers. He lived in Castile in Spain and his country was for ever under attack from armies from North Africa – enemies like the Berbers.

  Rodrigo trained as a knight, and was so good the king made him Chief General of the Castile army. In one battle against Aragon, Rodrigo faced a mighty enemy knight. The two men fought hand to hand while their armies looked on. Rodrigo won, and from then on he was known as El Cid – The Champion.

  El Cid was a great war leader because he found new ways to defeat the enemies of Castile. He would surprise enemy armies by doing something they didn’t expect. He also liked to frighten his enemies – he thought a scared enemy was a beaten enemy, even before the battle started.

  In 1074 (aged 34), Rodrigo married Jimena of Oviedo. (She may have been the daughter of El Cid’s greatest enemy.) She was said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world.

  For about seven years, Rodrigo was sent away from Castile because he upset King Alfonso. He often upset great lords! But when Castile was under attack, the king begged El Cid to come home. Rodrigo became so powerful he was almost a king in his own land.

  Then, in 1099, the Berbers attacked Valencia. Rodrigo rode out to attack Berber food and treasure stores, but was hit by an arrow and died.

  It is said that Queen Jimena had the idea of tying his corpse to the horse so he could ride out one last time. The Berbers had thought he was dead … and they were right! When El Cid appeared, they were so terrified they ran away, back to their boats.

  The story of his horse – Babieca the stupid – is supposed to be true. The horse lived to the age of 40, but after his master died no one ever rode him again. Babieca died two years after El Cid.