CHAPTER V.

Relationship of the Didot-Perceval to the Conte du Graal—The former not the source of the latter—Relationship of the Conte du Graal and the Mabinogi—Instances in which the Mabinogi has copied Chrestien—Examples of its independence—The incident of the blood drops in the snow—Differences between the two works—The machinery of the Mabinogi and the traces of it in the Conte du Graal—The stag-hunt—The Mabinogi and Manessier—The sources of the Conte du Graal and the relation of the various parts to a common original—Sir Perceval—Steinbach’s theory—Objections to it—The counsels in the Conte du Graal—Wolfram and the Mabinogi—Absence of the Grail from the apparently oldest Celtic form.

In examining the relationship of the Didot-Perceval to the Conte du Graal, the sequence of the incidents is of importance. This is shown in the subjoined table (where the numbers given are those of the incidents as summarized, [Chapter II]), in which the Didot-Perceval sequence is taken as the standard.

Didot-Perceval.Chrestien.Gautier de Doulens.
Inc. Inc. Inc.
2.Perceval sets forth in quest of
the rich fisher.		11.Only after the reproaches of
the loathly damsel does
Perceval first set forth in
quest of the Grail.		... ... ...
3.Finds a damsel weeping over a
knight. Adventure with dwarf
and the Orgellos Delande.		8.In so far as finding a damsel
weeping over a dead knight,
and (9) for overcoming the
Orgellous de la Lande.		9.In so far as a damsel is found
lamenting over a knight.
4.Arrival at the Chessboard Castle.
Adventure of the stag hunt
and loss of the hound.		 ... ... ...7 and 8.
5.Meeting with sister; instruction
concerning the Grail; vow to
seek it.		 ... ... ...12.
6.Meeting with, confession to, and
exhortation from hermit uncle.		15.After the Good Friday incident.12.
7.Disregard of uncle’s exhortations
(slaying a knight), through
thinking of damsel of the
Chessboard.		 ... ... ...12.In so far as a knight is slain,
but before the meeting
with the hermit.
8.Meeting with Rosette and Le
Beau Mauvais (the loathly
damsel).		 ... ... ...11.
9.Adventure at the Ford with
Urbains.		 ... ... ...9.Ford Amorous; entirely
different adventure.
10.The two children in the tree. ... ... ...20.One child.
11.First arrival at Grail Castle.7.... ... ...... ... ...
12.Reproaches of the wayside
damsel.		8.In so far as in both the hero is
reproached by a wayside
damsel.		... ... ...
13.Meeting with the damsel who
had carried off the stag’s
head and hound, and second
visit to Castle of the
Chessboard.		 ... ... ...13 and 18. Many adventures
being intercalated.
14.Period (7 years) of despair ended
by the Good Friday incident.		15.... ... ...... ... ...
15.Tournament at Melianz de Lis.
Merlin’s reproaches.		13.But told of Gawain not of
Perceval.		... ... ...
16.Second arrival at Grail Castle.
Achievement of Quest.		 ... ... ...22.

The different sequence in the Didot-Perceval and Chrestien may be explained, as Birch-Hirschfeld explains it, by the freedom which Chrestien allowed himself in re-casting the work; but why should Gautier, who, ex hypothesi, simply took up from Chrestien’s model such adventures as his predecessor had omitted, have acted in precisely the same way? If the theory were correct we should expect to find the non-Chrestien incidents of the Didot-Perceval brought together in at least fairly the same order in Gautier. A glance at the table shows that this is not the case. In one incident, moreover, the Didot-Perceval is obviously right and Gautier obviously wrong, namely, in his incident 12, where the slaying of the knight before the hero’s meeting the hermit takes away all point from the incident. An absolutely decisive proof that that portion of the Conte du Graal which goes under Gautier’s name (though it is by no means clear that all of it is of the same age or due to one man), cannot be based upon the Didot-Perceval as we now possess it, is afforded by the adventure of the Ford Amorous or Perillous, which in the two versions is quite dissimilar. This incident stands out pre-eminent in the Didot-Perceval for its wild and fantastic character. It is a genuine Celtic märchen, with much of the weird charm still clinging to it that is the birthright of the Celtic folk-tale. It is inadmissible that Gautier could have substituted for this fine incident the commonplace one which he gives.

If, then, it is out of the question that Gautier borrowed directly from the Didot-Perceval, how are the strong resemblances which exist in part between the two versions to be accounted for? Some of these resemblances have already been quoted (supra, [p. 75]), the remainder may be usefully brought together here.[70]

First arrival at the Castle of the Chessboard—

Didot-Perceval. Gautier.
Li plus biaux chasteaux del monde et
vit le pont abeissié et la porte
deffermé (p. 439).		 Le bel castiel que je vos dis
. . . . .
Et vit si bièles les entrées
Et les grans portes desfremées (22,395, etc.);

The damsel exhorts him not to throw the chessman into the water—