Parzival: A Knightly Epic (vol. 1 of 2)

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

This was vanquished, and that one victor—Did a knight o'er-long delay
To win to him fame in battle, his chance might he find to-day.
Here twain would joust together; in troops would these others ride;
And the customs of friendly combat for a space did they lay aside,
And sworn brotherhood nothing counted 'fore the strength of fierce anger's might,315
And the crooked was seldom straightened; nor spake they of knightly right,
What they captured they kept, uncaring if another's hate they won,
And from many lands had they ridden who with brave hands brave deeds had done,

And their hurts but little grieved them. Here Gamuret heard her prayer,
And e'en as Anflisé bade him, as her knight to the field would fare;320
'Twas a letter had brought the tidings—Ah! he giveth his courage rein,
Is it love or the lust of battle that driveth him on amain?
Great love and strong faith they quicken his strength into life anew.
Now see where his shield he beareth, King Lot, that hero true,
His foemen to flight had forced him save for Gamuret's strong right hand,325
His charger in gallant onslaught brake its way thro' the threatening band,
And Arragon's king was smitten from his horse with a spear of reed,
'Schaffilor was his name, and the spear-point which thrust him from off his steed
Bare never a waving pennon, from paynim lands 'twas brought,'
And the knight made the king his captive, tho' his folk they had bravely fought.330
And the inner force drave the outer far back on the grassy plain.
'Twas a good vesper-play, yea, a Tourney; many spears did they smite in twain—

Then Lähelein 'gain wax wrathful, 'Shall our honour be reft away?
'Tis the fault of him of the Anchor! Now one of us twain to-day
Shall lay in short space the other on a couch that he liketh ill, 335
For here are they well-nigh victors!' Then they cleared them a space at will,
And no child's play it was that combat—In such wise with their hands they wrought
That a woodland was well-nigh wasted; and alike from their squires they sought
'New spears! New spears! Bring them hither!' Yet Lähelein he must know
Sorrow and shame, for his foeman thrust him down from his horse alow,340
And he smote him the length of the spear-iron in a shaft of reed made fast,
And one read of itself his surety, for the knight to the earth was cast.
(Yet better I like to read them, sweet pears on the ground that lie
As thick as the knights lay round him! for his was the victory!)

And the cry arose from many who had fallen in joust before, 345
'Fly! Fly! For the Anchor cometh!' Then a knight towards him bore,
(A prince of the Angevin country) and grief was his comrade true,
For he bare a shield inverted, and sorrow it taught anew
To the King, for the badge he knew it—Ah! why did he turn aside?
If ye will, I the truth will tell ye, 'twas given in royal pride 350
By Galoes the son of Gandein, Gamuret's brother true,
Ere Love this guerdon gave him that the hero in joust she slew.

Then he loosed from his head the helmet: nor thro' grass, nor thro' dust and sand
Did he make him a way to the conflict, but he yielded to grief's command;
And his thoughts within him battled, that he sought not ere this to hear355
From Kailet, his friend and kinsman, how it fared with his brother dear
That he came not here to the Tourney—Alas! tho' he knew it not,
He had fallen before Monthorie—Sore sorrow was there his lot,
For to anguish did love constrain him, the love of a noble queen;
For his loss had she grieved so sorely that death had her portion been.360

And tho' sorely Gamuret sorrowed, yet had he in half a day
So many spear-shafts broken, were it Tourney indeed this fray
Then had he a woodland wasted. Did I think me to count each spear
One hundred in fight had he shattered, each blazoned with colours clear—
But the heralds, they won his pennons, in sooth were they theirs of right—365
Then toward the fair pavilion he turned him, the gallant knight.
And the Waleis squire rode after; and his was the coat so fair,
All pierced and hewn with sword-thrust, which he did to his lady bear;
And yet with gold was it precious, and it shone with a fiery glow,
And right well might ye see its richness. Then joy did the queen's heart know,370
And she spake, 'A fair woman sent thee, with this knight, to this distant land!
Now, courteous, I must bethink me lest these heroes ashamed shall stand
Who have risked their fate in this venture—goodwill unto all I bear,
For all do I count my kinsmen, since Adam's flesh we share,
Yet Gamuret's hand, I think me, the highest prize hath won.' 375
But by wrath constrained they battled till the shadows of night drew on,
And the inner host the outer by force to their tents had brought,
Save for Askalon's king and Morhold thro' the camp they their way had fought.

Some were winners, and some were losers, and many sore shame had earned,
While others won praise and honour. Then the foe from each other turned,380
Here no man might see—He who holdeth the stakes, if no light he show,
Who would cast the dice in the darkness? To such sport were the weary slow!

Men well might forget the darkness where Gamuret did abide,
'Twas as day—That in sooth it was not, but light shone on every side
From many small tapers clustered. There, laid on the olive wood, 385
Was many a costly cushion, and by each couch a carpet good.
Then the queen, she rode to the doorway with many a maid of rank,
For fain would they see, those ladies, the brave king of Zassamank.

Many wearied knights thronged after—The cloth had they borne away
Ere she came to the fair pavilion; then the host he uprose straightway,390
And the monarchs four his captives (and many a prince was there),
And she welcomed him with due honour, and she saw him, and deemed him fair.
Then glad spake the queen of the Waleis, 'Thou art host where we twain do stand,
And I, even so I think me, am hostess o'er all this land,
If thou deem it well I should kiss thee, such kiss seemeth good to me!'395
'Thy kiss shall be mine if these heroes, e'en as I, shall be kissed by thee,
But if princes and kings must forego it, 'twere unfit I such boon should crave!'
'Yea, e'en as thou wilt, so be it, tho' ne'er saw I these heroes brave!'
Then she kissed, e'en as Gamuret prayed her, these princes of noble line,
And he prayed her to sit, and beside her sat the King Brandelidelein!400

Then lightly they strewed, o'er the carpet, green rushes yet wet with dew,
And he sat him down upon them whose presence brought joy anew
To the gracious queen of the Waleis; and love did her soul constrain,
And as Gamuret sat before her his hand did she clasp again,
And she drew him once more towards her, and she set him her seat beside.405
No wife was she, but a maiden, from whose hand did such grace betide.
Would ye know the name they called her? Herzeleide the queen was she,
(And her cousin was hight Rischoydè, King Kailet should her husband be,
And he was Gamuret's cousin), and so radiant the queen, and bright,
That e'en though they quenched the tapers, in her presence 'twould still be light!410
(Were it not that a mighty sorrow his joy which aloft would fly
Had beaten to earth, I think me he had wooed her right readily.)