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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

Now hear what they bare, these maidens, three in their hands so white
Brought syrups sweet, and red wine, and the fourth, that maiden bright,
Bare fruit that e'erwhile had ripened in the garden of Paradise 325
On a cloth fair and white, and she knelt low before him that maiden wise,
And he bade her sit, but she answered, 'Nay, Sir Knight, so is it best
For else were I sure unworthy to serve such a gallant guest.'
Then he drank and would eat a little, and he spake to them soft and sweet,
And he laid him adown, and the maidens craved leave of him as was meet.330
Then down on the costly carpet the squires set the tapers bright
When they saw that he slept, and swiftly they gat from the gallant knight.

Yet Parzival lay not lonely, for until the dawn of day
Heart-sorrow would lie beside him, nor passed with the dawn away.
And every coming anguish its heralds before would speed, 335
E'en so that the fair youth's vision out-weighed e'en his mother's need
When she dreamed ere the death of her husband. As a carpet unrolled his dream,
The centre of fair jousts woven, while the edge was with swords agleam.
And in slumber his foemen pressed him, and would swiftly upon him ride;
So fearful his dream that, wakened, thirty times had he rather died.340
Thus fear and unrest awoke him, and the sweat streamed from every limb;
The daylight shone fair thro' the windows, yet no voice had called on him.
Then he spake, 'Where are now the pages, who stood before me of late?
Who shall hand unto me my garments?' Then awhile would he patient wait
Till slumber again o'ercame him; none spake, none aloud would cry, 345
Vanished the folk—When he wakened the noon-tide sun was high.

Then he sprang up, and lo! before him on the carpet his harness lay,
And two swords, his host's gift, and the other from Prince Ither he bare away.
Then he spake to himself, 'Now wherefore was this done? I these arms will take,
In sleep I such anguish suffered, methinks that I surely wake 350
To-day to some task of knighthood—If mine host doth some foeman fear
Then his will will I do right gladly, and faithful her prayer will hear
Who of true heart this mantle lent me—If my service she think to take
Then I were for such service joyful; yet not for her sweet love's sake,
For my wife hath a face as lovely as ever this castle's queen, 355
Nay more, an the truth be spoken she is fairer far I ween!'

Then he did e'en as seemed him fitting, and he armed himself for fight
From foot to head, and beside him he girded those swords of might.
Then forth went the gallant hero, and his steed to the palace stair
Was bound, shield and spear stood by it, and he joyed as he found them there.360

Then ere Parzival, the hero, his charger would mount again,
He sought thro' many a chamber, and he called on the folk amain,
But none might he see or hearken, and it vexed the knight full sore,
And wrathful he grew—Yet seeking, the hero he came once more
To where he at eve dismounted when first he the castle found, 365
And the earth and grass were trampled, and the dew brushed from off the ground.

Then, shouting, he turned, the young knight, once more to his charger good,
And with bitter words he mounted—Wide open the gateway stood,
And the track led across the threshold; nor longer he thought to stay
But he turned his rein, and swiftly to the drawbridge he made his way,370
But a hidden hand drew the rope taut, and the forepart it rose on high
And well-nigh had his charger fallen, then he turned him right speedily
For fain would he ask the meaning, but the squire cried aloud in scorn,
'Goose that thou art, ride onward, to the sun's hate hast thou been born!
Thy mouth hadst thou thought to open, of these wonders hadst asked thine host,375
Great fame had been thine—But I tell thee now hast thou this fair chance lost!'

Then the guest cried aloud for his meaning, but answer he ne'er might win,
For the squire made as if he slumbered, and the portal he barred within.
Too early for peace his parting, and the hour it hath brought him woe,
And he payeth in joy the tribute, nor longer may gladness know; 380
And doubled the throw of sorrow since here he had found the Grail,
With his eyes, not his hand, had he cast it, and dice to the throw should fail.
If by grief he be now awakened such was never his wont of yore,
For naught had he known but gladness, nor sorrow of heart he bore.

On the track that he saw before him would Parzival ride apace, 385
And he thought, 'They who go before me to-day will a foeman face
And fight for their master's honour; an they knew it, their ring of might
Methinks would be little weakened if I in their ranks should fight!
I would waver not, but would aid them whate'er be their need to-day,
Thus my bread would I earn, and this fair sword, the gift of my host, repay,390
Undeserved as yet do I bear it—Sure they hold me for coward knight!'
Then he turned him, the free from falsehood, where the hoof-tracks still met his sight,
(And sorely I rue his parting—Now the venture doth grow apace,)
They had parted who rode before him, and their track he might scarcely trace,
What aforetime was broad waxed narrow till he lost it nor found it more395
And tidings he heard, the hero, that wrought to him sorrow sore.

For the young knight, rich in courage, heard a woman's voice make moan.
(On the grass lay the dew of morning.) On a linden there sat alone
A maiden, whose truth wrought her sorrow, for between her arms so white
Embalmed did she lifeless hold him who living had been her knight. 400
Were there one who saw her sorrow and mourned not for her bitter woe
Then false of heart must I hold him, one who true love might never know!
Then he turned his steed towards her, tho' as yet unknown was she,
(Tho' the child of his mother's sister)—As the wind that fleeteth free
Is all earthly faith to her true love—Then Parzival greeting spake,405
'Lady, methinks that sorrow I must bear for thy sorrow's sake,
An thou needst in aught my service, would it free thee from further ill,
Then look thou on me as thy servant, thy grief were I fain to still!'

Then sadly her thanks she bade him, and asked him, 'Whence camest thou here?
He were ill-advised who his journey should take thro' this woodland drear.410
To them who know not its pathways great evil might here betide.
Yea, oft have I seen and hearkened how men in this wood have died,
For death was in strife their portion—Turn hence then, thou gallant knight,
An thou lovest life—Yet tell me in what shelter didst pass the night?'
'But a mile from here stands a castle, there I thro' the night abode,415
And naught have I seen like its riches, from thence in short space I rode.'
Then the maiden she looked upon him, and she spake, 'Now, methinks, 'twere ill
With falsehood to thus betray them who trust thee with right goodwill.
From thy shield art thou here a stranger, and canst naught but woods have found,
An here thou hast ta'en thy journey from planted and builded ground,420
For thirty miles round have they never, for a dwelling, hewn wood or stone,
Save but for one Burg, in this region that Burg it doth stand alone.
'Tis rich in all earthly riches, yet he who that castle fair
Would seek, he may never find it, tho' many that quest shall dare.
Unawares must they chance upon it, for I wot in no other wise 425
Shall that Burg and all that it holdeth be looked on by mortal eyes.
Sir Knight, thou hast never seen it; Monsalväsch I ween its name,
Terre de Salväsch the kingdom where its lord the crown may claim,
And Titurel once bequeathed it to his son King Frimutel,
So they called him, the dauntless hero; much fame to his portion fell,430
In a joust was he slain at Love's bidding, and four children fair he left,
And three, they have store of riches, yet are they of joy bereft.
And poor is the fourth, for penance hath he chosen this lot I trow,
Trevrezent is his name—Anfortas, his brother, hath grief enow,
He can neither stand, nor be seated, nor walk, but must aye recline,435
At Monsalväsch he hath his dwelling, the head of that noble line.'
Then she spake, 'If indeed thou camest to that folk who so sore doth mourn
Then perchance is their king releasèd from the burden he long hath borne?'
Out spake the Waleis, 'I saw truly great marvels, and many a maid
Of beauty rare'—she knew him by his voice ere the words were said.440