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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

As he stood there for combat ready, behold, in the morning light,
Three knights rode into the clearing, in glittering armour bright;
From head to foot were they armèd, each one on his gallant steed,
And the lad as he saw their glory thought each one a god indeed! 140
No longer he stood defiant, but knelt low upon his knee,
And cried, 'God, Who helpest all men, I pray Thee have thought for me!'

Then wroth was the foremost rider as the lad barred his further way,
And he spake out, 'This stupid Waleis will hinder our work to-day!'
(Now here would I give to the Waleis the fame we Bavarians hold; 145
They are duller than e'en our people, yet manly in strife and bold.
And in sooth were one born in both countries such marvel of strength and skill
Would he hide in himself that I think me their fame he might well fulfil!)

Then there rode swift with hanging bridle, in costly harness dight,
With plumed and jewelled helmet another gallant knight; 150
Swiftly he came as thirsting to challenge in mortal fight
The foe who sped far before him, who had done him a sore despite;
For two knights from out his kingdom a maiden had borne away,
And he held it a deed most shameful and one he must needs repay;
For the maiden's sorrow grieved him, and fain would he ease her pain:155
(And the three knights who rode before him were part of his warlike train.)
He rode a Spanish war-horse, and his shield had fierce conflict seen,
And Karnachkarnanz did they call him (he was Ulterleg's count I ween).
Then he cried to his knights, 'Why loiter? who barreth our onward way?'
And straight on the lad did he ride there, who deemed him a god alway,160
For ne'er had he seen such glory; his harness shone fair with dew,
And on either foot the stirrups with golden bells rang true.
And their length was e'en as fitting, and with bells did each strong arm ring,
As he stirred himself, or his sword-blade in battle aloft would swing.
And the hero was swift in seeking the guerdon of knightly prize, 165
So he rode here, the prince, and had decked him in a fair and wondrous wise.

Then spake this flower of all knighthood, 'Say, boy, did they pass thy way?
Two knights who have shamed their knighthood, nay, robbers I ween are they,
For they bear a maiden with them, and she rideth against her will!'
Yet the boy, tho' he spake with a man's tongue, as a god must account him still;170
For he thought how Queen Herzeleide had told him that God was Light
And dwelleth in Light for ever; and so to his dazzled sight
This knight, in his shining armour in the glow of the summer's day,
Was the God of his mother's lesson, and he knelt him again to pray.

But the prince he spake full gently, 'Fain am I to do God's will, 175
And yet for no God I hold me, but a sinful mortal still.
Nay, wert thou more clear of vision, thou wouldst see, an thou sawest aright,
No Lord of the host of Heaven, but only a humble knight!'

'Knight?' quoth the boy in answer, 'Nay! I wot not what that may be,
Is thy strength not of God, but of knighthood, then I would such were given to me!'180
'Then wend thy way to King Arthur, an thou camest unto his court,
A noble knight he would make thee, ashamed and afeared for naught,
For sure, now I look upon thee, thou com'st of a noble strain.'
Then his knights they turned their bridles, and gazed at the boy again.
Full well might they look and wonder, at the work that God's Hand had wrought,185
For they say, who tell this story, that never could human thought
Have dreamed of aught so goodly, since ever the world began,
For of all men beloved by women, was there never so fair a man!
Loud they laughed as the boy spake further, 'Good knight, what may these be?
These rings that so close around thee, above and below I see.' 190
Then he handled, with curious finger, the armour the knight did bear,
His coat of mail close-linkèd as behovèd a knight to wear;
And he spake as he looked on the harness, 'My mother's maidens string
On their chains, and around their fingers, full many a shining ring,
But they cling not so close to each other as these rings that here I see,195
I cannot force them asunder, what good are they then to thee?'

Then the prince drew forth from its scabbard his shining blade so keen,
'Now see, he who fights against me, must withstand my sword I ween,
And lest he, on his part, should slay me, it is fit that with mail and shield,
I ward me against his spear-thrusts, and the blows that his arm may wield.'200
Swiftly the lad made answer, 'Little good would it do the deer
An their coats were e'en such as thine is, they would fall still beneath my spear.'

Full wroth were the knights and scornful that their lord thus long had talked
With this lad with the face of an angel, and the speech as of one distraught;
Then the prince he spake full gently, 'God keep thee in His good grace,205
I would that my shield's bright mirror might show me as fair a face!
Nay, an the Giver of all gifts but gave thee wit enow
To match with a mien so goodly, full rich wert thou then I trow!
May He keep all sorrow from thee, and thy life be a summer's day—'
And with that he turned his bridle, and wended once more his way. 210
Then adown the woodland pathway they rode, till they came full soon
Where the carles of Queen Herzeleide toiled hard thro' the sultry noon:
The fields must they plough and harrow, if a harvest they hoped to reap,
So they goaded the patient oxen to their toil on the hillside steep.

Then the prince he gave them 'Good-morrow,' and asked if there passed that way215
A maiden in need and sorrow? and they dared not to say him nay;
But they answered him e'en as he prayed them, and they spake 'Yea, at early morn
Two knights and a maiden passed here, and the maiden, she wept forlorn,
And the knights as they rode beside her, spurred ever her flying steed.'
Then the prince knew his foe, Meljakanz, and his wrath waxed hot indeed,220
On his tracks he followed swiftly, and they who this venture tell,
Say he won back in fight the maiden ere the shadows of evening fell.

But sore were the queen's folk troubled that the heroes had chanced that way,
And they spake, 'God forbid that our queen's son fall in with these knights to-day!
An he chances to light upon them in the pride of their warlike gear,225
It will anger full sore our mistress if by hap she the tale should hear:
And ill-luck will it bring upon us that, ere ever the dawn of day,
With us while his mother slumbered, to the woods he stole away!'
Little recked the boy of their trouble as he chased the flying deer,
And shouted in youthful gladness, as they fell before his spear 230
Then homeward he sped to his mother, but ere he his tale might tell
She was smitten with deadly terror, and low at his feet she fell.