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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

In vain might she weep and bewail her; he asked not her yea, or nay,
But took from her lips unwilling the kiss she would fain gainsay;
And the ring of gold from her finger with ungentle hand he'ld take,
And the clasp that her shift had fastened from the garment he roughly brake:
In vain were her tears and struggles, she was but a woman still, 325
And his strength was to hers as an army, perforce must she do his will.
Then the lad spake aloud, he hungered, from his hand was the lady free,
And she quoth, 'Of a truth 'twere better thou shouldst not make meal of me!
If thou wert but a little wiser thou wouldst choose thee some other meat,
There stand bread and wine, and two game-birds, of them mayst thou freely eat,330
Methinks when my maiden brought them, 'twas scarcely of thee she thought!'
Then he asked not where sat the hostess, but he ate e'en as hunger taught,
And he drank his fill; and the lady she deemed all too long his stay,
For she thought him bereft of his senses, and she wished he were well away,
And for fear and shame the sweat-drops stood thickly upon her brow—335
And she spake, 'Thou my ring shalt give me, and the clasp thou didst take but now,
And get thee away, if he cometh, my husband, then shalt thou bear
The weight of his wrath, and I think me thou wouldst then wish thyself elsewhere!'

Quoth the noble youth, 'What care I how fierce thy lord's wrath may be?
If my presence doth shame thine honour, then from hence will I swiftly flee.'340
And he stepped to the bedside boldly, and kissed her as there she lay,
Tho' little it pleased the Duchess, and without leave he rode away;
And he spake a word of parting as he vaulted upon his steed,
'God have thee in His safe keeping, so my mother she gave me rede.'

Then the lad he was glad of his booty, and thus did he ride a while—345
Methinks there was little lacking that from hence he had gone a mile,
Ere he came of whom I would tell you: on the dew he the tracks might see
Of one who had sought his lady—The tent-ropes displaced should be
Where the lad thro' the grass had ridden; then the gallant Duke and proud
Found his lady within in sorrow, and Orilus spake aloud, 350
'Alas! for the service done thee—for smitten and put to shame
Is the crown of my knightly honour, since another thy love can claim!'
Then little, alas! might it profit that with streaming eyes she swore
No lover had she save her husband,—he would hearken her tale no more.

Then she spake in her fear and anguish, 'Twas a fool, he who came to me,355
And yet tho' a fool, of all men I wot he may fairest be!
My ring and my clasp gold-gleaming, he took them against my will!'
'Nay, I doubt not so well he pleased thee, thou didst grant him more favours still,'
'Now, God forbid! for his fool's garb and his javelin were e'en too near,
It shameth us both, my husband, such words from thy lips to hear! 360
Are queens wont to love thus lowly, that thou speakest such words of me?
Thou wrongest our royal breeding, when thou deemest such things may be!'

Then the Duke spake, 'This shame, O lady! alone hast thou won from me,
Thou dost call thyself Queen no longer; tho' thy title shall Duchess be
Little good hath that bargain brought me—So bold shall my manhood be,365
That thy brother, King Lac's son Erec, for that cause beareth hate to thee:
He is wise, and right well he knoweth that my fame so high shall stand
That nothing shall stain mine honour, save at Prurein when his right hand
In knightly joust once felled me, but that have I paid right well,
In a joust at Karnant I smote him, and behind his steed he fell, 370
And his pledge did he yield unto me,—thro' his shield I thy token bare,
I thought not, my wife Jeschuté, with another thy love to share!'
'Thou mayst also well assure thee that the son of King Gandein,
Proud Galoes, once lay lifeless before this arm of mine;
And thou thyself wast witness when the Knight Plihopleheri 375
Rode swift in a joust against me, nor his strife it hath passed me by,
My spear from the saddle thrust him that his charger he sat no more;
Yea, great was the fame that I won me by my prowess in days of yore,
Many knights have I borne from their chargers,—yet it profiteth not I ween,
Nor outweigheth the bitter shaming that thro' thee hath my portion been!'380

And with reason good do they hate me, those knights of the Table Round,
Since eight of their bravest champions have I borne unto the ground,
And many fair maidens saw it, when at Kanedig fierce we fought
For the hawk; there was I the victor, and my hand fame to thee hath brought
And that didst thou see with King Arthur—At his court doth she dwell to-day,385
My sister, sweet Kunnewaaré, and grave is her mien alway,
For her lips may not move to laughter till the day that her eyes shall light
On him who of all shall be reckoned the fairest and bravest knight.
Would he come unto me, that hero! Ah! then should a strife be seen
As to-day in the early morning already my lot hath been. 390
I have fought, and a prince hath suffered, for joust he toward me sped,
But my spear-point so sorely smote him that he lay there before me, dead!'

'Well I know that in righteous anger for a lesser sin than thine
Full many had slain the sinner, but I would not such deed were mine!
For the service of knightly honour that to thee I had offered fair,395
Henceforth shalt thou know but lacking; nor thy need do I think to spare—
No more with thy white arms circled in love and in peace I'll lie,
Those golden days of love's glory have faded and passed us by,
But pale be thy mouth so rosy, and tear-dimmed thy shining eyes,
For joy shall be put far from thee, and thy heart's songs be turned to sighs!'400

Then sadly she looked upon him, that princess so fair and true,
'May it be for the honour of knighthood what seemeth thee best to do,
Wise art thou indeed and loyal, and I in thy power may be,
And I know well that heavy sorrow and pain thou canst bring on me:
To the ordeal, I prithee, put me, and do this for all women's sake,405
Thereafter, an I be guilty, for my sin do thou vengeance take!
If another's hand shall slay me, (for thee were such deed un-meet)
Then gladly I'll die—Dost thou scorn me? then welcome is death, and sweet!'

Then he broke out in bitter anger, 'If thy pride be still so great,
It is meet I should meekness teach thee, tho' the lesson be all too late—410
No more shall we be companions, together no more we'll eat;
Be our marriage couch forgotten and the hours of communion sweet.
This garment in which I found thee thy only robe shall be,
And instead of jewelled bridle hempen twist will I give to thee;
Thy steed be the guest of hunger, and thy saddle once decked so fair415
Shall be robbed of its goodly trappings!' and with hasty hand he tare
The samite adown, and he brake it, the saddle she rode erewhile,
(Nor her gentle ways and seemly might his angry wrath beguile)
With a hempen cord he bound it—Too soon had she won his hate!
As he did this he spake, 'Now Lady, 'tis best we no longer wait, 420
Could I reach him who shared thy favours, then fulfilled were my heart's desire,
The venture I'ld face, though as dragon he were breathing forth flames and fire!'
Then with weeping instead of laughter she passed from out the tent
That lady so rich in sorrow, and sadly her way she went;
Yet more than she mourned her shaming she wept her lord's grief, I ween,425
His sorrow so sorely moved her, e'en death would have lighter been.
Now of true heart shall ye bemoan her who thus did sore anguish know,
And tho' hatred I won from all women, still I'ld mourn for Jeschuté's woe!

So rode they upon the traces of the lad who before them fled,
And, dauntless, he little thought him how a foeman behind him sped,430
But whoever his eyes might light on, as his pathway they drew anear,
He gave to him kindly greeting, 'Thus bade me my mother dear!'