for two months, till there were only four beasts left in the town, and
one was a mule of Abeniaf's, and another was a horse of his son's; and
the people were so wasted that there were but few who had strength to
mount the wall.

XXVIII. The company of Abeniaf and of his kinsmen despaired now of
holding out, and of the help of the King of Zaragoza, or of the
Almoravides, and they desired rather to die than endure this misery.
And the good men of the city, as many as were left, went to an Alfaqui,
who was a good man, and one who was held in great esteem, and besought
him to give them counsel, for he saw their great distress, and how they
were out of all hope of succour; and they besought him that he would go
to Abeniaf, and know of him what he thought to do, or what hope he had,
that he let them all perish thus. The Alfaqui gave ear to them, and
said that if they would all hold together, and be of one heart, and
show great anger at having been brought to this misery, he would do all
he could to relieve them; and they promised to do whatever he should
advise. Now Abeniaf knew of the talk which the good men of the town had
had with the Alfaqui, and understood that it was because of the great
misery which they endured; and he thought in his heart that he would
humble himself, and do whatever his people should think good. And the
Alfaqui thought that happy man was his dole now that the people had
committed themselves to his guidage, and he went to Abeniaf and
communed with him, and their accord was to give up all hope of succour.
And Abeniaf put himself in the hands of the Alfaqui, that he should go
between him and the Cid and the people of Valencia, and make the best
terms for them that he could, seeing that they could no longer hold
out, and maintain the town.

XXIX. Here the history relates that at this time Martin Pelaez the