A second misunderstanding, occasioned principally by the jealous courtiers, caused Alfonso to insult the Cid, who in anger left the army and made a sudden raid in Castile.  During his absence, the Moors resumed courage, and became masters of Valencia.  Hearing of this disaster, the Cid promptly returned, recaptured the city, and, establishing his headquarters there, asked Alfonso to send him his wife and daughters.  At the same time he sent more than the promised sum of money to the Jews to redeem the chests which, as they now first learned, were filled with nothing but sand.

“’Say, albeit within the coffers
Naught but sand they can espy,
That the pure gold of my truth
Deep beneath that sand doth lie."’
Ancient Spanish Ballads (Lockhart’s tr.).

[Sidenote:  The Counts of Carrion.] As the Cid was now master of Valencia and of untold wealth, his daughters were soon sought in marriage by many suitors.  Among them were the Counts of Carrion, whose proposals were warmly encouraged by Alfonso.  To please his royal master, the Cid consented to an alliance with them, and the marriage of both his daughters was celebrated with much pomp.  In the “Chronicle of the Cid,” compiled from all the ancient ballads, these festivities are recorded thus:  “Who can tell the great nobleness which the Cid displayed at that wedding! the feasts and the bullfights, and the throwing at the target, and the throwing canes, and how many joculars were there, and all the sports which are proper at such weddings!”

Pleased with their sumptuous entertainment, the Infantes of Carrion lingered at Valencia two years, during which time the Cid had ample opportunity to convince himself that they were not the brave and upright husbands he would fain have secured for his daughters.  In fact, all soon became aware of the young men’s cowardice, for when a lion broke loose from the Cid’s private menagerie and entered the hall where he was sleeping, while his guests were playing chess, the princes fled, one falling into an empty vat in his haste, and the other taking refuge behind the Cid’s couch.  Awakened by the noise, the Cid seized his sword, twisted his cloak around his arm, and, grasping the lion by its mane, thrust it back into its cage, and calmly returned to his place.

    “Till the good Cid awoke; he rose without alarm;
    He went to meet the lion, with his mantle on his arm. 
    The lion was abash’d the noble Cid to meet,
    He bow’d his mane to earth, his muzzle at his feet. 
    The Cid by the neck and mane drew him to his den,
    He thrust him in at the hatch, and came to the hall again;
    He found his knights, his vassals, and all his valiant men. 
    He ask’d for his sons-in-law, they were neither of them there.”
                              Chronicles of the Cid (Southey’s tr.).

This cowardly conduct of the Infantes of Carrion could not fail to call forth some gibes from the Cid’s followers.  The young men, however, concealed their anger, biding their time to take their revenge.  During the siege of Valencia, which took place shortly after this adventure, the Infantes did not manage to show much courage either; and it was only through the kindness of Felez Munoz, a nephew of the Cid, that one of them could exhibit a war horse which he falsely claimed to have taken from the enemy.