So passed he, the gallant hero, from the plain of Plimizöl,
And e'en as his name was namèd, all men knew Kingrimursel,
For the fame of this knight so valiant was known thro' the far lands wide,
And it seemèd them well that to Gawain might ill thro' this strife betide
When they thought of the strength and the manhood of this knight who rode swift away.815
And many must sorely vex them that no honour he won that day;
Yet full often a message cometh, I myself shall such venture know,
Of such wise, that the guest who bears it, of his host must ungreeted go!
From Kondrie they heard the tidings of Parzival's name and kin,
How a queen, she had been his mother, and his sire was an Angevin. 820
And they spake—''Twas at fair Kanvoleis, and the story we know full well,
He served her with deeds of knighthood, and many a joust befell,
And there by his dauntless manhood he won him that lady bright;
And the noble Queen Anflisé, she taught him, that gallant knight,
Such courtesy as befitted a hero of lineage high; 825
And no Breton but shall rejoice him, that his son now draweth nigh,
For of him, e'en as of his father, may this tale of a truth be told
That honour is his yoke-fellow, as she was of his sire of old.'
Thus joy alike and sorrow came to Arthur's host that day,
And mingled, the life of the heroes, since the twain they must have their way.830
Upstood they all as one man, and all with one voice they wept,
And the bravest knights among them within the circle stept,
And they looked on Gawain and the Waleis where each by the other stood,
And they wove them fair words of comfort to pleasure the heroes good.
But Klamidé the king bethought him that the loss which should be his share835
Was greater than that of another, and too sharp was his pain to bear,
And to Parzival he quoth thus, 'If the Grail thee for lord must own,
Yet still would I mourn my sorrow, and of true heart my woe make known.
For the kingdom of Tribalibot, and Kaucasus' golden strand,
Whatsoe'er shall be writ of riches in Christian or paynim land, 840
Yea, even the Grail and its glory, they had failèd the hurt to cure
Which at Pelrapär was my portion, or the grief that I here endure!
Ah me! Of all men most wretched am I since thy valiant hand
Of joy and of blessing robbed me!—See the princess of fair Lalande,
Know thou that this noble lady she keepeth such faith with thee, 845
That no service else she craveth, and none other knight will she;
Yet well might she crown his service who served her for love alone!
And that I am so long her captive, methinks may she well bemoan.
If my joy thou to life wouldst quicken, then give me thine aid, I pray,
And teach her herself to honour in such wise that her love repay 850
In a measure the ill thou didst me, and that which thro' thee I lost,
When the goal of my joy fled from me and my pathway by thee was crossed,
But for thee, I, methinks, had reached it, and if thou art foeman true
Thou wilt help me with this fair maiden, and my gladness shall wax anew!'
'Right gladly will I,' quoth the Waleis, 'if so be she will grant my prayer,855
For fain would I bring thee comfort, since mine is that maiden fair
For whose sake thou sore didst sorrow, my wife and my queen is she,
Kondwiramur, the fairest of all women on earth that be!'
Then the heathen Queen of Ianfus, King Arthur, and Guinevere,
Kunnewaaré of Lalande, and Jeschuté of Karnant, who these words must hear,860
Came near with sweet words of comfort—what would ye they should do more?
Kunnewaaré they gave to Klamidé, who yearned for her love so sore,
And he gave her, as her rewarding, himself, his body fair,
And a queenly crown and golden henceforth on her head she bare!
Quoth the heathen unto the Waleis, 'Kondrie a man hath named, 865
Whom thou as in truth thy brother, rejoicing, might well have claimed;
For far and wide he ruleth in the power of a double crown,
And alike by land and water men in fear to his hand bow down.
And Assagog is one kingdom, Zassamank shall the other be,
Two mighty lands and powerful from fear and from weakness free. 870
And naught shall be like his riches save those the Baruch doth own,
Or those of far Tribalibot, he is worshipped as God alone!
A marvel his skin to look on, and like unto none his face,
For 'tis black, and 'tis white, as his parents, who sprang of a diverse race.
Thro' one of his lands I journeyed as hither I took my way, 875
And full fain had he been my wanderings in a far-off land to stay.
Yet but little his will prevailèd, tho' I am his near of kin,
The cousin unto his mother, and he is a mighty king!
Yet hear thou more of his prowess; his saddle no man may keep
Who rideth a joust against him, and fame doth he richly reap. 880
And no gentler knight or truer e'er lay on a mother's breast,
And falsehood it fleeth from him, and truth in his heart doth rest.
Yea, true and fair in his dealings is Feirefis Angevin,
And women he serveth duly, tho' he pain thro' his service win!'
'Tho' all men to me were strangers, yet hither I came to know 885
What ventures of gallant knighthood a Christian land might show;
And of all Heaven's gifts the highest, I ween, shall thy portion be,
And Christendom winneth honour thro' the praise it doth give to thee.
And thine is a noble bearing, and fair is thy form and face,
And in thee beauty mates with manhood, and strength doth thy youth embrace!'890
(Both rich and wise was the heathen, and of wisdom she token gave,
In the French tongue her speech was holden.) Then out spake the hero brave,
And he quoth, 'God reward thee, Lady, who thinkest to comfort me,
Yet sorrow it fast doth bind me, and the cause would I tell to thee,
For the shame that has here befallen think not I shall lightly bear,895
And here many sin against me, who give to my plaint no ear,
The while I must list their mocking!—No joy shall my portion be
Or long or short be my wanderings, till the Grail once again I see!
For my soul's unrest constrains me, and it driveth me on my way,
Nor so long as my life endureth shall my feet from their wanderings stay!'900
'If a courteous and knightly bearing but bringeth rewarding still
In shame, and in this world's mocking, then methinks I was counselled ill!
For 'twas Gurnemanz who bade me of questions rash beware,
And from words and ways unfitting a courteous knight forbear.
Here standeth full many a hero, I pray ye give counsel true, 905
By your courtesy and knighthood, that your grace I may win anew.
Here hath judgment been passed upon me with bitter words and strong—
Who withholdeth from me his favour, I deem not he doth me wrong;
If perchance, in the days hereafter, fame and honour my lot shall be
Then according to those my dealings, I pray ye to deal with me; 910
But now must I haste far from ye—An oath have ye sworn me here
While I stood in the strength of mine honour; of that oath do I hold ye clear
Till the day I have won me payment for my fresh joy waxed wan and pale;
And my heart shall be home of sorrow, nor tears to mine eyes shall fail,
For the day that at far Monsalväsch my labour I left undone, 915
And myself from all joy I severed, and woe for my guerdon won.
Ah God! they were fair, those maidens! and ne'er was there wonder tale
That men told, but as naught its marvels to those of the wondrous Grail!
Yet torment so sore, and sighing, are the lot of Its king, alas!
Small good hath my coming done thee, thou hapless Anfortas!' 920
Nor longer the knight might linger, but part they must alway,
So turned he unto King Arthur, and leave he fain would pray
Of him, his knights, and ladies, with their favour would he depart,
And none, I ween, but sorrowed that he rode hence sad at heart.
Hand in hand King Arthur sware him, if henceforth his land should bear925
Such woe as Klamidé brought him, then the shame he with him would share,
And he spake that full sore it grieved him that crowns and kingdoms twain,
With the riches that were their portion, Lähelein from the knight had ta'en.
And service both true and faithful many sware unto him that day,
Ere yet from the court of King Arthur, sorrow-driven, he passed away.930