MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS' HORSES 191 



The story of the Cid's horse, to date back to an 

 earlier century, is almost as well known as the 

 story of Rosinante. The Cid's horse died some 

 two and a half years after its master's death, and 

 during the whole of that period none rode it, the 

 order having gone forth that under no circum- 

 stances was anybody to mount the animal. At 

 its death its body was buried near the gate of 

 the monastery at Valencia, two trees being 

 planted close to the grave to mark its where- 

 abouts. 



According to the popular legend, the horse 

 acquired its name through Rodrigo's having, 

 when told in his youth that he might select a 

 horse, chosen an almost valueless colt. His 

 godfather, annoyed at this display of ignorance, 

 at once nicknamed the lad "the dolt," which 

 nickname Rodrigo presently conferred upon the 

 horse itself. Literally, however, " Cid" is Arabic 

 for "lord." 



Among the few traits in the character of Mary 

 Queen of Scots that have not formed subjects for 

 controversy among the many biographers of that 

 ill-starred sovereign, her undoubted fondness for 

 animals stands out prominently. 



From first to last I have read many bio- 

 graphies of Mary Queen of Scots, and it is 



