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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

When the lad with his guide so humble to the city walls drew near,
And Nantes might be well discernèd in the morning light so clear,
'God keep thee, boy,' said the fisher, 'thou seest where thou must ride.'
Quoth the lad yet scant in knowledge, 'Yet nearer must thou be guide!'
'Nay, nay, so proud as these court-folk, such folly be far from me,530
An' a peasant came nigh unto them, his welcome would sorry be!'

So alone the lad rode onward o'er a plain that was none too wide,
And the flowers stood fair around him and blossomed on every side,
No Kurwenal was his teacher and of courtesy knew he naught—
They know it not, the untravelled, till the world hath wisdom taught—535
Of hempen twist his bridle, and feeble and faint his steed,
And oft it fell, as stumbling it went o'er the flowery mead.
And nowhere upon his saddle fair leather and new was seen;
And of samite fair and ermine full great his lack had been.
No mantle clasp he needed, nor knightly garb he wore, 540
Of blazoned coat or surcoat; his javelin alone he bore.
He whose deeds were praised of all men, his father so brave and wise,
Was robed in far other fashion on the carpet 'fore Kanvoleis!

He who ne'er felt the sweat of terror, to him did a knight draw near;
Then he greeted him, 'May God keep thee! thus bade me my mother dear.'545
'God reward thee, lad, and thy mother,' swift answer the knight would bring,
(Uther Pendragon reared him, he was cousin unto the king,
And unto the land of Bretagne did the self-same knight lay claim)
He was Ither of Gaheviess, 'The Red Knight' they called his name.

All dazzling red was his armour, the eye from its glow gleamed red;550
Red was his horse swift-footed, and the plumes that should deck its head,
Of samite red its covering; redder than flame his shield;
Fair-fashioned and red his surcoat; and the spear that his hand would wield
Was red, yea, the shaft and the iron; and red at the knight's desire
Was his sword, yet the blade's fair keenness was not dimmed by the raging fire.555
And the King of Cumberland, stately, in his mailèd hand did hold
A goblet, with skill engraven, and wrought of the good red gold—
From the Table Round had he reft it—All red was his shining hair
Yet white was his skin, and kindly his speech to the lad and fair.

'Now hail to thy fair young body, that in sooth a true woman bare, 560
Yea, blessèd is she thy mother! Ne'er saw I a face so fair,
And the light of thine eyes, I think me, is kindled by love alone,
And Love shall in thee be victor, as by thee Love is overthrown!
And in thee is the joy of woman, whose bliss finds in thee its goal,
And for thee shall the load of sorrow weigh heavy upon the soul— 565
Now do me this grace I pray thee, an thou wend thee unto the town
Bear greeting from me to King Arthur, and his heroes of high renown,
And say that no fleeting vision am I who now speak with thee,
But here I abide, and await him who thinketh to joust with me!'

'And never a man will wonder: to the Table Round I came 570
And there, in the heroes' presence to my kingdom would I lay claim,
And with hasty hand I raised it, this cup, and the wine out-poured
The robes of the queen besprinkled, as she sat there beside her lord.
This I did as the custom olden of one who would claim his right
For better I thought the wine-cup, than the straw-wisp all alight, 575
For its smoke perchance had soiled me, thus I chose it not' spake the king,
'Nor for robbery rode I hither, my crown doth forbid such thing—
Say thou to the queen that the wine-drops, they fell on her 'gainst my will
Where those heroes sit, nor remember, nor their knighthood as meet fulfil.
Whether kings they shall be or princes o'er-long doth he thirst their king!580
This cup, why delay to fetch it? Their fame it hath taken wing!'

Then the lad spake, 'I'll bear thy message, yea, e'en as thou biddest me.'
And then unto Nantes fair city he gat him right speedily,
And many a youth they followed to the court of the palace fair,
And 'twas filled with a motley gathering, and they thronged him and pressed him there.585
Then Iwanet sprang from out them, and this youth from falsehood free
He gave him a kindly greeting, and he proffered him company.
And the lad he quoth, 'God keep thee, (so my mother she bade me speak
Ere yet from home I wended) King Arthur I fain would seek
But here see I full many an Arthur! Who of all these shall make me knight?'590
Then Iwanet laughed loud 'I will show thee, not yet hast thou seen the right!'

To the Table Round he led him where sat the heroes all
And as best he could for the tumult cried the lad thro' the lofty hall,
'God keep ye all ye heroes! I greet ye both queen and king,
For thus did my mother bid me fair greeting to ye to bring. 595
And all who have won by their valour at the Table Round a seat
Ye gallant knights and heroes, ye too did she bid me greet!
But in one thing my skill doth fail me, who is host here I may not know;
To him do I bear a message from a knight who all red doth glow,
He waiteth without the portal (methinks he is fain to fight) 600
That he spilt o'er the queen the wine-cup that sorely doth grieve the knight—
Ah! if I his gear so goodly from the king's hand as gift might take,
In sooth were I rich in gladness—so knightly and fair its make!'

Thus spake the youth gay and careless, and the courtiers they thronged around
And hither and thither pressed him till scarce might he stand his ground:605
And well did they look upon him, for each for himself might see
That never in man or maiden might the fruit of love fairer be.
And in truth it was no ill working that in Parzival God had wrought,
In whom never a sight of terror had wakened of fear a thought.

Thus they brought him before King Arthur, he whom God for a wonder chose,610
And no man might bear him hatred—Then the queen from her seat arose
And she gazed for a space upon him ere she passed from out the hall
Where the wine from the golden goblet perforce on her robes must fall.
Then Arthur he looked upon him—To the simple youth he spake,
'Now lad to thy kindly greeting a kindly answer take, 615
For this would I do thee service, yea with body alike and land;
This I speak of a true heart truly, so my will doth toward thee stand!'