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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

Quoth the squire, 'Sir Knight thou mockest, were I lacking in courtesy,75
And have chastisement earned, then I pray thee that my penance shall other be
That shall wound not so sore mine honour—For God's sake lay thine hate aside,
Methinks thou right well shalt know them, these knights that before us ride,
Why askest thou me? Of a surety to each other shall ye be known
As well, nay, a thousand times better, than I unto thee had shown!' 80

Then many an oath he sware him, he knew not the race or name
Of the folk who went there before him, 'My journey hath won but shame,
Since in truth must I make confession that never before to-day
Mine eyes have beheld these heroes, tho' mine aid men right oft would pray!
Then the squire he quoth unto Gawain, 'Sir Knight, mine the wrong hath been,85
Thy question I should have answered, here my wisdom hath failed I ween!
Now pass judgment on me, I pray thee, of thy friendly heart and true,
Hereafter I'll gladly tell thee, first must I my folly rue.'
'Then, lad, by thy words of repentance, sure token of courtesy,
The name of this gallant army I prithee to tell to me!' 90

'Sir Knight, he who rides before us, and no man his way doth bar,
Is King Poidikonjonz; and beside him Duke Astor he rides to war,
Of Lanveronz is he ruler—and there rideth beside the twain
One whose roughness and ways discourteous Love's payment have sought in vain.
He beareth the brand unknightly, Meljakanz that prince is hight, 95
He wooeth nor wife nor maiden, but their love will he take with might,
And, methinks, men for that should slay him—Poidikonjonz' son is he,
And here will he fight with his army, and he fighteth right valiantly,
And dauntless his heart; but such manhood it profiteth naught, I trow—
An ye threaten, perchance, her sucklings, she fighteth, the mother sow!100
And never a voice shall praise him whose strength lacketh knighthood fair,
And methinks to the truth of my speaking many men will their witness bear.'

'Now hearken to greater marvels, and mark thou the words I say,
One with a mighty army doth follow upon our way
Whom folly doth drive to battle—The young King Meljanz of Lys, 105
Scorned love wrought in him fierce anger, and pride vexed him needlessly,'

And courteous he spake to Sir Gawain. 'What I saw, I Sir Knight will say:
The sire of the young King Meljanz, as he on his death-bed lay,
He bade them draw near unto him, the princes from out his land,
For his gallant life lay forfeit, a pledge in stern Death's cold hand,110
And to Death he needs must yield him—In grief o'er his coming end
To the faith of the princes round him his son would the king commend,
And he chose out one from among them, the chief of his vassals true,
And his faith was proved and steadfast, and from false ways afar he flew.
And he gave the lad to his keeping, and he quoth, 'Now, with hand and heart,115
True service henceforward show him, bid him aye act a kingly part
To vassal alike and stranger; bid him list to the poor man's prayer,
And freely give of his substance.' Thus he left him unto his care.'

'And Prince Lippaut did as his monarch, dying, of him did pray,
Nor failed in aught, but true service he did to his lord alway. 120
And he took the lad to his castle, and the prince had two children fair,
He loved them well, and I think me, e'en to-day they his love shall share.
One maiden in naught was lacking, save in age, that a knight might crave
Her love for his love's rewarding; Obie was the name they gave
To this maid; Obilot, her sister; and the elder maid, I ween, 125
Hath wrought ill, for she, and none other, the cause of this strife hath been.'

'It so fell that one day the young king for his service reward would pray,
'Twas an ill thought, she quoth, and she asked him why his wits he had cast away?
And she spake unto him, 'I think me, e'en if thou so old shouldst be,
That 'neath shield thou the hours hadst counted that in worthy strife might flee;130
With helmet on head hadst mingled in knightly venture bold,
Till the tale of thy days, if reckoned, full five years more had told;
If there thou hadst won thee honour, and hither hadst come again,
And bowed thyself to my bidding, if a yea I to speak were fain
To that which thou now desirest, all too soon should I grant thy prayer—135
Thou art dear, I will ne'er deny it, as Galoes to Annora fair;
For death did she seek, and I think me that her seeking was not in vain,
When she lost him, her well belovèd, and her knight in a joust was slain.'

'Now sore doth it grieve me, Lady, that love worketh so in thee,
That thine anger with words of scorning thus venteth itself on me. 140
For true service,' quoth he, 'winneth favour, an love thus be well approved;
O'er-weening thy pride thus to taunt me that madness my speech had moved!
Small wisdom in this thou showest, 'twere better thou hadst bethought,
How thy father is but my vassal, and save of my grace hath naught!'

'For that which he holds can he serve thee,' she spake, 'higher is my aim,145
For fief will I hold of no man, none shall me as vassal claim!
And so high do I prize my freedom that no crown it shall be too high,
That an earthly head e'er weareth!' Then he spake out wrathfully,
'Methinks thou hast been well tutored, that thy pride shall have waxed so great,
An thy father such counsel gave thee, then penance on wrong shall wait—150
'Tis meet that for this I arm me, some wounded shall be, some slain,
An they call it or war, or Tourney, many spears shall they break in twain!'

'Thus in anger he left the maiden, and all did his wrath bemoan,
Yea, full sore it grieved the lady—Her father must well atone,
Tho' he sware as his lord reproached him, guiltless of wrong was he,155
(Or straight were his ways or crooked, his peers should his judges be,
All the princes in court assembled)—that he to this strait was brought
Thro' no sin of his own—And eager the prince from his lord besought
His favour and love as of old time, but in vain he for peace might pray,
For anger it ruled the monarch, and his gladness was reft away.' 160