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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

Then a prince spake from out the army, 'Tho' Kingron hath valour shown,415
Yet never he fought for our manhood, he fought for himself alone.
Now let him to death be stricken—Why then should they be cast down,
Two hosts, this one, and the army that lieth before the town?'
Then he bade his lord take courage, 'Once more will we try our fate,
Let them look to their arms, the conflict shall be for their strength too great,420
We will make an end of their gladness! Bid thy vassals and kinsmen hear,
With banners twain before them to the town shall they draw anear;
Down the hill will we ride upon them, but afoot must we storm the gate,
For so shall we work them evil, and victory shall on us wait.'
Galogandres, the Duke of Gippones, it was who this counsel gave, 425
And sorrow he brought on the Burgers—but slain was this hero brave,
And slain, too, the brave Count Narant, a prince from Uckerland's shore,
And many another hero whom dead from the field they bore.

Now hear ye another story, how the Burgers would guard their wall.
Strong stakes of wood sharp-pointed they made fast in tree-trunks tall;430
(Sore pain thus was wrought the besiegers) and the trunks were made fast that day
To a rope that by wheel was guided, so they guarded their walls alway.
And all this had they done and tested ere Klamidé would storm the gate
To avenge the fall of Kingron—There had come to their land of late
Greek fire, for the ships had brought it that of food brought a goodly store,435
And it burnt of the foe the weapons, and the engines of deadly war;
And battering-ram or tortoise in vain 'gainst the walls were wheeled,
No weapon had they for onslaught but was forced to the flame to yield!

Now Kingron the seneschal journeyed till he came on to Breton ground,
In his hunting-house in Briziljan King Arthur at last he found, 440
And Karminöl did they call it—As 'fore Pelrapär he fought,
So at Parzival's word his surety to the maid of Lalande he brought,
And glad was fair Kunnewaaré that, faithful, he mourned her shame
Whom men there knew as the Red Knight, and this knight at his bidding came.

And soon were the wondrous tidings amid the courtiers spread, 445
And he stood there before King Arthur, a gallant knight ill-sped.
Then he spake unto him and his vassals in such wise as he needs must speak,
And Kay was with terror smitten, and crimson it grew, his cheek,
And he spake, 'Is it thou, O Kingron? Ah! many a Breton knight,
Thou seneschal of Klamidé, thy hand hath o'erthrown in fight! 450
If thy captor ne'er look upon me with favour, thine office high
Shall turn to thy good; we are rulers of the caldron, both thou and I,
Of thy wisdom and skill do thou aid me, to win me the favour fair
Of this maiden Kunnewaaré, and sweet cates for her board prepare!'

Nor they asked from him other ransom—Now leave we that tale and hear455
What had passed since we left the story—So the host to the town drew near,
To Pelrapär came the King Klamidé, and a bitter strife arose.
The inner host strove with the outer, and in sooth were they gallant foes,
Fresh strength had they won and courage, and bravely they held the field;
And Parzival, lord of the country, in the vanguard he bare his shield.460
And he swung aloft his weapon, thro' the helm clave the blade so keen,
And the knights he o'erthrew before him found a bitter death I ween,
For there, where the corslet opened, the Burgers they pierced them thro',
In such wise would they take their vengeance—this wrought grief to the hero true,
And Parzival, he forbade them, and they ceased at their lord's command,465
But of living knights full twenty were captive unto their hand.

Yet Parzival well had marked it how the king and his bravest knights
Sought not fame before the portals, but far out in the plain would fight;
Then forth by a path untrodden the hero a circuit made,
And swiftly he charged where the monarch his banner aloft displayed.470
And, see! there a mighty slaughter the guard of the king befell,
And the shields they were hewn in pieces, the Burgers they fought so well.
And Parzival's shield had vanished 'fore the blows and the sword-blades keen;
And tho' little his skill rejoiced them, yet all who the strife had seen,
They spoke but to praise his valour—Galogandres the standard bare,475
(Well he knew how to wake their courage!) but dead lay the hero there.
And Klamidé himself stood in peril, and great stress on his army lay;
Then he bade them withdraw, for the valour of the Burgers had won the day.

But Parzival, gallant hero, bade them treat their captives well
Till the dawn of the third day's morning, and fear on his foemen fell.480
Then the young host, proud and joyful, bade the knights on their oath go free—
'Good friends, when the word I send ye, then wend your way back to me!'
Their swords and their goodly harness as prisoners they needs must yield;
Unarmed did they fare from the city to the host on the outer field.

'For sooth,' spake their comrades mocking, 'from wine must ye needs be red,485
Poor souls, since within the city ye have hungered for lack of bread!'
'Nay! nay! ye may spare your pity,' so spake they, the heroes good,
'If ye lie here a whole year longer, within is such store of food,
That by them might ye well be nourished! And the queen hath the fairest knight
For her husband, that e'er won knighthood, or carried a shield in fight,490
He may well be of lofty lineage, for he lacketh no knightly skill!'
And the king needs must hear the tidings, and in sooth did they please him ill,
And heralds he sent to the city, and he bade them this challenge bear
To him whom the queen had wedded, 'If this knight the strife shall dare,
And the queen doth hold him worthy herself, and her lands so wide, 495
To defend in single combat, then in peace may our hosts abide!'

And Parzival he was joyful at the message the heralds bare,
And his heart was fain for the combat; and out spake the hero fair,
'Now I pledge me upon mine honour that no man within this wall
Shall lift his hand for my peril, alone will I stand or fall!'500
So betwixt the moat and the meadow a truce did they swear that day,
And those smiths of battle armed them as meet for the coming fray.

On a gallant war-horse armèd sat the King of Brandigan,
'Twas hight Guverjorz—This charger with many a gallant man,
And many a goodly present, from Gringorz his nephew, king 505
Of Ipotente did Count Narant from the north o'er the deep seas bring.
And therewith were a thousand footmen, well armed save no shield had they;
(If the tale speaketh true to the third year the king had made good their pay.)
And Gringorz sent him knights five hundred, each one with his helm on head,
And skilled were they all in battle; with Klamidé they hither sped.510
And thus had the mighty army, alike both by sea and land,
Encircled the town of Pelrapär, and great need must its folk withstand!