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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

Then the King of Cumberland answered, 'If Arthur hath given to thee
Mine armour, my life he gave thee, if that life thou canst take from me,
So well doth he love his kinsmen! Hath he known thee before to-day,
That so swiftly the service done him with such guerdon he would repay?'705

'I may win what I will I trow me, of a sooth had he given me more;
Now leave thou thy claim on his kingdom—'Tis time I a knight's shield bore
For squire will I be no longer!' He laid on the rein his hand
'Thou art Lähelein, so I think me, who hath taken from me my land!'

Then the knight he turned his spear-shaft, and he struck with so true a blow710
That the lad and his sorry charger on the meadow he laid them low,
And the hero was swift in his anger, and he smote with a will so good
That there where the spear-shaft struck him there sprang forth bright drops of blood.
Then Parzival sprang up swiftly and stood wrathful upon his feet
And he grasped his javelin firmly—Where the helm and the visor meet715
And betwixt the twain is an opening, there the javelin swiftly sped
And thro' eye and neck it struck him, and the knight on the plain lay dead.
Fierce foe had he been to falsehood; women's sighs, true hearts wounded sore,
Were the fruit of his death, and with tear-drops must many an eye run o'er.
And they whom his love made joyful their gladness asunder brake, 720
And their joy to the goal of sorrow o'er a rough road its way must take.

Then Parzival in his folly turned the dead knight o'er and o'er,
For fain would he loose his armour, yet was lacking the needful lore.
He fingered both helm and corslet with his bare white hands alone,
Yet the fastening he failed to loosen, nor with force might they be undone725
Tho' oft and again he tried them, who in wisdom was all untaught.
Then the horses they neighed so loudly that the sound on the breeze was brought
To Iwanet's ear, and he heard them, by the city moat he stood,
(To Queen Guinevere was he kinsman, and he did to her service good)
He heard the cry of the horses, but naught of the riders saw, 730
As his true heart would give him counsel, Parzival did he seek once more.

And Ither lay dead; and his slayer by his folly was vexed amain—
Then swiftly he sprang to aid him, and Parzival thanks must gain
For the honour he here had won him o'er the hero of Cumberland:
'God reward thee, but give me counsel for skill here doth fail mine hand,735
How best may I loose this armour which myself I were fain to wear?'
'Such lore I right well may teach thee,' quoth Iwanet the proud and fair,
So the armour was reft from the dead man, 'fore Nantes on the grassy plain,
And they did it upon the living, o'er whose dealings did folly reign.

Quoth Iwanet, 'These leather leggings fit not with the mailèd gear,740
As a knight shalt thou now be clothèd,' and the lad deemed it ill to hear;
Quoth Parzival, 'What my mother aforetime hath given me
That cometh not from my body, or for good or for ill it be!'
And much did Iwanet marvel, for clever was he i' troth,
Yet he followed perforce his bidding, nor waxed at his folly wroth.745
And he drew above the leggings the hosen of shining mail,
Nor the spurs with red gold in-wroughten should unto the harness fail,
And of silk and gold the laces, nor leather might there be found.
Ere he gave unto him the corslet he bound him with greaves around,
And tho' o'er-long Parzival deemed it yet the time was swiftly sped,750
Ere in knightly armour shining he clad him from foot to head.
Then the lad would have ta'en his quiver, but Iwanet he spake out free,
'Nay, no javelin will I give thee, unknightly such arms shall be!'
Then he girt the sharp sword around him, and he showed how to draw the blade,
And he bade him ne'er fly in battle, nor in conflict to be dismayed.755
Then nearer he led unto him the charger the dead knight rode,
And 'twas tall and strong, yet the saddle the youth with one spring bestrode,
He recked not the weight of his armour, and of stirrups had little need—
E'en to-day do men speak of his swiftness, and the fame of his mighty deeds.

Nor o'er-much did Iwanet think it to teach him with fitting skill 760
To hold his shield and to guard him, while he wrought to his foeman ill;
And a spear in his hand he gave him—But Parzival turned aside,
'Nay, nay, what good may that do me?' 'If a joust one with thee would ride
Thou shalt on thy foeman break it, perchance drive it thro' his shield,
If thou doest that oft, 'fore the maidens will they praise thee for well-fought field.'765

And this hath the venture told me,—Not in Maestricht, or e'en Cologne
Might a painter so fair a picture as this lad and his steed have shown.
Then straightway he spake to Iwanet, 'My friend and companion dear,
The boon that I asked have I won me, of that art thou witness here.
My service bear thou to the city, to Arthur the noble king, 770
And mourn unto him my shaming—This cup thou again shalt bring,
And tell him a knight hath wronged me, since he smote that maiden fair
Who looked, and who laughed upon me, and grief for her grief I bear.
Nor hath it but lightly touched me, it hath pierced to my inmost heart
This maid's woe all undeservèd—Now do thou in her shame have part 775
Thro' the friendship that thou hast shown me! God keep thee in peace alway,
And watch o'er us twain, for I think me no longer I here may stay!'

And Ither the prince of Gaheviess on the plain had he lifeless left,
E'en in death was he fair to look on who was thus of fair life bereft.
If in joust by a spear-thrust pierced he thro' knighthood his death must gain780
Who had mourned for the grief and the marvel? By a javelin he here was slain.
Then Iwanet he strewed above him a covering of blossoms bright,
And he smote the shaft of the javelin in the ground by the fallen knight,
And that lad so true and faithful, he pierced with the crimson blade
A bough of wood, and in this wise a cross o'er the dead man made. 785
Then he gat him again to the city, and the heavy tidings told;
And from many a trembling woman, and from many a hero bold
Rose the wail of love and of sorrow; and the dead would they fetch in state,
And the Host they bare before her, as the queen passed the city gate.

Then o'er Cumberland's prince and hero, who by Parzival's hand was slain,790
Queen Guinevere spake in sorrow while her tear-drops they flowed amain,
'Alas! alas! for broken in twain is King Arthur's might,
For he whom the good Round Table accounted its bravest knight
Here slain before Nantes he lieth! His heritage did he claim
Where men gave him death for his guerdon—For naught marred his knightly fame;795
Here long hath he dwelt among us in such wise that never an ear
The tale of a deed unknightly, or wrong he had done, might hear.
He held him afar from falsehood, to guile was he aye a foe;
The lock and the seal of knighthood all too soon must we bury low.
His heart wise in courteous wisdom, and steadfast as seal and sign,800
Taught him ever the fairest counsel that a man's heart might aye divine,
Whereby with true love and courage a man woman's love may woo
And show manhood's truth—Fruit-bearing it seedeth itself anew
The plant of all woman's sorrow! From thy wounds grief shall ever grow—
So red was thy hair that the blossoms that bloom here thy corse below805
Scarce redder may be with thy life-blood—All laughter hast thou forbid
To fair women, and joy and gladness by thy death are for ever hid.'