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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

Frau Minne, now bethink thee, for sore this shameth thee,
For an one should wrong a peasant, in this wise his speech will be,
'My lord will sure repay thee!' Vengeance from thee he'ld seek
Methinks, this gallant Waleis, an thou wouldst let him speak!
Now let him from out thy circle, and loose him from thy ban, 275
This stranger guest shalt prove him, a true and valiant man!

Swift rode Sir Kay unto him, and he turned his bridle round,
And no more his longing glances their joy and their sorrow found,
The white snow and blood-drops crimson, that mystic likeness bare
To the queen of his love and his longing, the Lady of Pelrapär; 280
He knew all that passed around him—His charger Sir Kay addrest
To jousting, he spurred him onward, and his spear he laid in rest.

In the joust, that which Kay had aimed at he smote, for his spear did pierce
The Waleis' shield, yet swift payment was his, for in onslaught fierce
The seneschal of King Arthur fell prone on the fallen tree, 285
Where the geese erewhile had hid them, and hurt full sore was he,
And dead lay his gallant charger—''Twixt a stone and the saddle-bow,
Right arm, and left leg had he broken—so mighty his overthrow
That all that had decked his charger, girths, saddle, bells of gold,
By the force of the fall were shattered, thus the stranger his payment told,290
And with one blow, for twain repaid him—the one that erst for his sake,
A maiden had borne and the other, which he from Kay's hand must take.

Thus he who knew naught of falsehood was guided of truth to know
Her message in blood-drops threefold, on the white of the drifted snow.
'Twas tear-drops, not blood, that he saw there, and well might his senses fail,295
And the thoughts of his heart wax heavy, as he mused on the wondrous Grail,
And sorely the semblance grieved him that spake of his wife and queen.
Yet tho' o'er the twain he sorrowed, the greater woe, I ween,
Was the woe that Frau Minne wrought him, for there liveth not heart so strong,
But longing and love united break its power, ere the time be long. 300
Count we here those twain as ventures? Nay, 'twere better methinks to hold,
That they were naught but pain and sorrow, that vanquished the hero bold.

Now ye unto whom I tell this, I rede ye to mourn Kay's woe,
For full oft as his manhood bade him, he many a strife did know.
And in many a land they speak thus, that Kay, Arthur's seneschal, 305
Was a firebrand, hell-born, yet I wot well far other the tale I'ld tell.
From reproach would I gladly free him, tho' few but should say me nay,
Yet a gallant man and a worthy, I swear was this knight, Sir Kay.
And my mouth to this truth beareth witness, and more would I tell to thee;
Unto Arthur's Court came strangers in many a company, 310
And their manners and ways were diverse, nor all there might honour claim,
But Kay an he saw false dealing, he counted such ways as shame,
And his face he turned from the sinner, yet he who dealt courteously,
And true man with true men would hold him, Kay served him right heartily.

And one who fall well discernèd the manner of men was Kay, 315
Thus he did to his lord good service, for his harsh words drave far away
The men who would falsely vaunt them good knights and true to be,
Ill was he to them as a hailstorm, sharp as sting of an angry bee.
Small wonder that these deny him his honour and knightly fame,
True servant and wise they found him, and for this cause upon his name320
Their hatred doth still heap slander—Prince Herman, Thuringia's lord,
Thou with vassals that crowd around thee, and strangers who seek thy board,
Good service might Kay have done thee, since so free art thou aye of hand,
That true men and men dishonoured, side by side in thine hall they stand;
And therefore Knight Walter singeth, 'Now greeting to all I bring, 325
Men evil and good!' And I trow well, where a singer such song may sing,
There the false are too highly honoured—Nay, far other Sir Kay had taught,
(Yea, and Heinrich of Rispach also)—Now hearken ye in what sort
On Plimizöl's plain men bare them; from the field Sir Kay was borne
To the tent of his king, and around him, o'er his ill-fate his friends did mourn;330
And maiden and knight they stood there; to the tent where his comrade lay
Came Gawain, and he quoth in sadness, 'Alas! for the woeful day
That so ill a joust was ridden that hath robbed me of a friend!'
Then out spake Kay in his anger, 'Now make of thy moan an end,
If comfort thou here wouldst bring me, do not as the women do, 335
Since thou art my monarch's nephew! I would do to thee service true,
As of free heart I ever did it, in the day that God gave me power,
Nor long for my aid hadst thou prayed me! There cometh, perchance, an hour
When I, as of old, may serve thee: now cease thou thy moan I pray,
For tho' mine be the pain, yet my monarch shall ne'er find another Kay,340
And I wot that for mine avenger art thou all too nobly born;
An yet hadst thou lost a finger I had counted myself forsworn
An I risked not mine head to pay it! Let that be as it may,
Believe me or not, as shall please thee, yet sooth are the words I say!'

'No joust shalt thou ride at my urging, for roughly he greets his foe,345
Who holdeth without his station, and rideth nor swift nor slow.
And I think me, of maidens' tresses, tho' frail be such cord and fair,
Enough from such strife to bind thee, the chain of a single hair!
And the man who shall show such meekness, he well doth his mother love,
Since his sire would fain in the conflict his knightly mettle prove.350
But follow thou aye thy mother, Sir Gawain, list well her rede.
Turn thou pale at the glancing sword-blade, and shrink from the manly deed!'

And thus on the gallant hero the bitter words he spake
Fell sharply, he looked not for them, nor on Kay might he vengeance take,
Full seldom a knight may do so, since shame on his lips setteth seal,355
But they who thus speak discourteous, such shame shall they never feel.

Then Gawain he quoth in answer, 'Where men knightly sword might bear,
And have foughten, and I fought with them, then no man beheld me there,
And saw that my cheek waxed paler at sight of wound or blow.
I was ever thy friend—'twas needless that thou shouldst reproach me so!'360
Then he strode from the tent, and he bade them bring hither his charger good,
Nor spur on his heel he buckled, unarmed he his steed bestrode.

So came he unto the Waleis (whose sense was of love held fast),
And his shield to all eyes bare witness of three spears thro' its circle passed,
For three jousts of late had he ridden, and he rode them with heroes twain,365
Of Orilus too was he smitten—Then gently uprode Gawain,
And he spurred not his steed to gallop, nor conflict nor strife he sought,
For he rode but in love and in kindness, to seek him who here had fought.
Fair spake Gawain the stranger, to greeting deaf was he,
Frau Minne yet held him captive, how other might it be? 370
True son of Herzeleide, to this lot was he born,
To lose himself for love's sake; such passion as had torn
The hearts of these his parents, afresh in his heart awoke,
And but little his ear might hearken what the mouth of Gawain spoke.