CHAPTER XCII.
Of the insolent defiance of Tarfe, the Moor, and
the daring exploit of Fernando Perez del Pulgar.
When the Moorish knights beheld
that all courteous challenges were unavailing,
they sought various means to
provoke the Christian warriors to the
field. Sometimes a body of them, fleetly
mounted, would gallop up to the skirts of
the camp, and try who should hurl his
lance farthest within the barriers; having
his name inscribed on it, or a label
affixed to it, containing some taunting
defiance. These bravadoes caused great
irritation; but still the Spanish warriors
were restrained by the prohibition of the
king.
Among the Moorish cavaliers was one
named Tarfe, renowned for his great
strength and daring spirit; but whose
courage partook of fierce audacity rather
than chivalric heroism. In one of these
sallies, when they were skirting the
Christian camp, this arrogant Moor outstripped
his companions, overleaped the
barriers, and, galloping close to the royal
quarters, launched his lance so far within,
that it remained quivering in the earth,
close by the pavilions of the sovereigns.
The royal guards rushed forth in pursuit;
but the Moorish horsemen were already
beyond the camp, and scouring in a cloud
of dust for the city. Upon wresting the
lance from the earth, a label was found
upon it, importing that it was intended
for the queen.
Nothing could equal the indignation of
the Christian warriors at the insolence of
the bravado, when they heard to whom
the discourteous insult was offered. Fernando
Perez del Pulgar surnamed "he
of the exploits," was present, and resolved
not to be outbraved by this daring infidel.
"Who will stand by me," said he, "in
an enterprise of desperate peril?" The
Christian cavaliers well knew the hair-brained
valour of del Pulgar; yet not one
hesitated to step forward. He chose
fifteen companions, all men of powerful
arm and dauntless heart. In the dead of
the night he led them forth from the
camp, and approached the city cautiously,
until he arrived at a postern-gate, which
opened upon the Darro, and was guarded
by foot-soldiers. The guards, little thinking
of such an unwonted and partial attack,
were for the most part asleep.
The gate was forced, and a confused and
chance-medley skirmish ensued. Fernando
del Pulgar stopped not to take
part in the affray. Putting spurs to his
horse, he galloped furiously through the
streets, striking fire out of the stones at
every bound. Arrived at the principal
mosque, he sprang from his horse, and,
kneeling at the portal, took possession of
the edifice as a Christian chapel, dedicating
it to the blessed Virgin. In testimony
of the ceremony, he took a tablet,
which he had brought with him, on which
was inscribed in large letters, "Ave
Maria," and nailed it to the door of the
mosque with his dagger. This done, he
remounted his steed and galloped back
to the gate. The alarm had been given;
the city was in an uproar; soldiers
were gathering from every direction.
They were astonished at seeing a Christian
warrior speeding from the interior
of the city. Fernando del Pulgar,
overturning some, and cutting down
others, rejoined his companions, who
still maintained possession of the gate,
by dint of hard fighting, and they all
made good their retreat to the camp.
The Moors were at a loss to conjecture
the meaning of this wild and apparently
fruitless assault; but great was their exasperation,
when, on the following day,
they discovered the trophy of hardihood
and prowess, the Ave Maria, thus elevated
in the very centre of the city.
The mosque, thus boldly sanctified by
Fernando del Pulgar, was eventually,
after the capture of Granada, converted
into a cathedral.[120]
