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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

To the prince did she tell, the minstrel, all that his daughter said—405
Now to win so rich a booty that his hirelings may be well paid,
The need right well he knoweth who hath ridden forth to war,
And Lippaut, the prince so faithful, by his soldiers was pressed full sore—
Then he thought, 'I must win this treasure or by love or by force to-day.'
And swiftly he rode; but Scherules, he met him upon his way, 410
'Now whither dost ride so swiftly?' 'A knave would I here pursue,
A false coiner is he, I think me, if the tale I have heard be true!
Now guiltless in sooth was Gawain, 'twas but thro' his steeds and gold
That suspicion on him had lighted—Then loud laughed the Burg-grave bold,
And he quoth, 'Nay, sire, they misled thee, they lied who thus told the tale415
Were it wife, or man, or maiden—Nor knighthood my guest shall fail,
Far otherwise shalt thou judge him, no die he methinks shall hold;
Ne'er bare he the purse of the changer, if the tale shall aright be told.
Look thou on his mien, and hearken his word, in my house is he,
An knighthood aright thou readest then thou knighthood in him shalt see,420
And ne'er was he bold in falsehood—Whoever hath done him wrong,
An my child it were, or my father; whose wrath waxeth fierce and strong,
An my kinsman it be, or my brother, then the rudder of strife shall turn
'Gainst myself, for I will defend him from the wrong that he ne'er did earn,
If I with thy will may do so. The knight's garb would I gladly change425
For the hermit's robe of sackcloth, and afar thro' the wide world range
In a land where none may know me, than here thou shouldst reap thee shame!
Methinks it would better fit thee to welcome such guests as came,
Who have heard the tale of thy sorrow, than to rob them of goods and gold;
'Twould better beseem my master as treason such deed to hold!' 430

The prince spake, 'I fain would see him.' 'Methinks 'twill not harm my guest.'
So he rode where he looked on Gawain, and two eyes and a heart confessed
(The eyes and the heart of Lippaut) that the stranger was fair to see,
And knighthood and manly virtue the mate to his mien should be.

Whosoe'er, by true love constrainèd, hath felt of true love the pain,435
Then his heart, as right well ye know it, doth forfeit to Love remain,
And so doth she change and rule it that no mouth can the wonder speak,
Be it heart of man or of maiden on which she her will would wreak,
And the wise doth she bend to folly. Now the twain they were lovers true,
King Meljanz and maiden Obie—His anger ye needs must rue, 440
Since in wrath he had ridden from her; of sorrow such load she bare
That her spirit was moved to anger unfitting a maiden fair.
And, guiltless, must Gawain suffer, and others must feel her pain;
She had womanly ways forsaken when she gave to her wrath the rein.
Whene'er she beheld the hero as a thorn was he to her sight, 445
For her heart was fain that Meljanz be held for the bravest knight,
And she thought, 'Doth he bring me sorrow, then sorrow I'll gladly bear,
O'er all the world do I love him, my hero, so young and fair,
And my heart for his love aye yearneth.' Oft anger from love doth grow,
Nor blame ye o'er-much the maiden if her love she by wrath would show.450

Now list how he spake, her father, as he looked on the Knight Gawain
And bade him a kindly welcome—In this wise he spake again,
'Sir Knight, it may be that thy coming the dawn of our bliss hath been;
Thro' many a land have I journeyed, but no face have I ever seen
So fair to mine eyes as thy face. In this our day of grief 455
Thy coming shall bring us comfort, thro' thee may we find relief.'
Then he prayed him take part in the conflict—'If harness shall lack to thee
All thou needest will I prepare thee, so here thou wilt fight for me.'

Then out quoth the gallant Gawain, 'That would I of right goodwill,
I am strong, and well armed for battle, yet from strife must I hold me still,460
Nor fight till the hour appointed; or else would I gladly fare
As thou farest, the fate of battle with thee were I fain to share.
But now must I needs forego it, for 'tis fitting I first should fight
With the foeman to whom I pledged me on mine honour as faithful knight.
By the favour I claim from all true knights my fame must I there defend465
Or die on the field—To this conflict, Sir Knight, I my way would wend!'

Then a grief were his words to Lippaut, and he quoth, 'By thy knightly fame,
And thy courtesy, do thou hear me, for free shall I be from blame.
Two daughters have I, and I love them, and dear to my heart are they,
In the joy God in them hath given would I live to my dying day. 470
Yea, well is me for my children, tho' sorrow thro' them I win,
And the one of my two fair daughters methinks hath her share therein,
And unlike, tho' alike, we share it—for thro' Love doth my lord and king
Work sorrow to her, and thro' Hatred his forces 'gainst me would bring.
And thus do I read the riddle, my lord worketh ill to me, 475
Since a son I lack, but I wot well that my daughters shall dearer be.
What, then, if for them I suffer? Then my woe do I count for weal—
Who hath never an heir save his daughter, tho' the sword ne'er her grip may feel,
Yet other defence may she bring him, she may win him a son and heir;
And such is my hope!'—Quoth Gawain, 'God grant thee this favour fair!'480

Then Lippaut he sorely pressed him, 'In God's name give thy pleading o'er,'
Spake the son of King Lot, 'I pray thee, of thy courtesy ask no more,
Nor let me betray mine honour—Yet this will I do, Sir Knight,
I will think the thing o'er, and my answer shalt thou have ere it draw to night.'

Then he thanked him, the prince, and he rode forth; in the courtyard he found alway485
His child with the Burg-grave's daughter; with rings did the maidens play.
'Now, daughter mine, whence camest thou?' thus to Obilot he spake,
'Father, I came from the castle, to the strange knight my way I'ld take,
I would pray him as knight to serve me, methinks he will hear my prayer,
And do for my sake such service as winneth rewarding fair!' 490
'Nay, I fear me, my little daughter, for he saith me nor yea, nor nay,
But plead thou as I have pleaded.' To the guest did she run straightway.

So came she to Gawain's chamber, he greeted her courteously,
At her fairy feet he sat him, and thanked her that, maidenly,
She spake for him to her sister; and he quoth, 'Now if ever a knight495
Had fought for so small a maiden, I were ready for thee to fight!'

Then the little maiden tender spake out so frank and free,
'Sir Knight, as God is witness, the first man thou aye shalt be
With whom I have held free converse; if in this my maiden shame
And my courtesy I wrong not, then joy as reward I claim! 500
For ever my mistress taught me how speech is the crown of thought,
And I pray thee, Sir Knight, to help us—Thro' sorrow thine aid I sought;
An thou wilt, all our need I'll tell thee, nor do thou be wroth with me,
For I do as befits a maiden, and my prayer to myself shall be.
For altho' our name be diverse, yet methinks that thou art I,505
Take thou my name, and maiden and knight art thou verily.
This grace from us both do I pray here, and if I from hence must go
Ashamed, and my prayer unanswered, then, Sir Knight, I would have thee know
That thy knightly fame must answer to thy knightly courtesy,
Since my maidenhood sought for shelter in vain in thy chivalry. 510
But if thou indeed wilt hearken, and do me this thing I ask,
With a true heart true love I'll give thee as rewarding for knightly task.'