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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

'And art thou true man and courteous, then surely thou'lt do my will,
For see, wilt thou serve a maiden, I am worthy thy service still.
'Tis true that my father kinsman and cousin for help hath prayed, 515
But for that shalt thou not refuse us, for my love shalt thou give thine aid!'

Then he quoth, 'Thy lips, sweet maiden, would bid me my word forswear,
Wouldst have me my pledge to forfeit? On my knightly honour fair
I pledged my word—An I fail me, 'twere better methinks to die.
Yet, e'en an I did thee service for thy love, still long years must fly590
Ere yet thou shalt be a woman, and my service might well approve.'
Then he thought how Parzival trusted less in God than in woman's love,
And the words he spake bare the message of the maid unto Gawain's heart;
And he vowed to the little lady to bear arms on her father's part,
And, laughing, he spake, 'My sword-blade thy little hand must guide,525
If my foeman a fair joust seeketh, then thou must against him ride;
And for me shalt thou strive in conflict, for tho' men think they see me fight
Yet thou in my stead shalt have battled,—so keep I my pledge aright.'

Then she spake, 'That will I, right gladly, thy shelter and shield I'll be,
Thine heart, and thine heart's best comfort, since from grief thou hast set me free.530
Thy friend will I be and comrade, and whatever chance betide,
A roof 'gainst misfortune's stormcloud, safe dwelling wherein to hide.
True peace this my love shall give thee, Good Fortune to thee I'll bring;
That-thy strength may by naught be vanquished, I'll guard thee 'gainst host and king.
Host am I alike and hostess—To combat I'll ride with thee, 535
An thou keepest my words in remembrance strength and bliss shall thy portion be.'

Then out quoth the gallant Gawain, 'Yea, maiden, the twain I'll share,
Since my life I vow to thy service, thy love and thy comfort fair.'
And the hand of the little maiden the while in his strong clasp lay—
Then she quoth, 'To fulfil mine office I must hence to the Burg away,540
Wouldst thou fare forth without my aiding, and without my token fight?
Nay, for that all too dear I hold thee—My part will I play aright,
And my token I will prepare thee, and if thou my pledge shalt bear
Then I wot well that o'er all others thy glory shall blossom fair.'

Then they went forth, the little maidens, and Gawain, the stranger guest,545
They thanked with sweet words and kindly, and thus he his speech addrest,
'When older ye twain shall be waxen, were they spears, every woodland bough,
And the forest bare naught but spear-shafts, then too poor were the crop, I trow!
If your childhood shall thus be powerful, what then of your maidenhood?
For your favour brave knights shall shatter both strong shield and spear-shaft good!'550

Then forth sped the little maidens, and their hearts they were glad and gay;
And she spake, the Burg-grave's daughter, 'Lady, I prithee say
What wilt give to thy knight for a token, since naught but our dolls have we?
An mine were but somewhat fairer I would give it right willingly
Nor be wroth with thee for the taking, we should strive not o'er that I ween!'555
Then Lippaut the prince o'ertook them half-way on the hillside green,
And he saw Obilot and Clauditté, as up towards the Burg they sped,
And he bade them stand still, and await him, and his daughter towards him fled.

'Father, I never needed thy help as I do to-day,
Now give me I pray thy counsel, for the knight he hath said me yea.'560
'Whate'er be thy will, little daughter, an I may, I will give it thee,
For happy the day whose dawning brought thee, a fair gift to me,
Then Good Fortune smiled sweetly on me.' 'I will tell thee, my father dear,
But the thing that so sore doth vex me thou must it in secret hear,
So hearken, and do as I pray thee!' Then he bade them to lift the maid565
On his charger, 'But what of my playmate?' Many knights round their leader stayed,
And they strove which of them should take her, for each one well pleased would be,
Then one as his prize he claimed her, for Clauditté was fair to see.
Then riding, he spake, her father, 'Now Obilot tell to me
How dost thou need my counsel? What is it that vexeth thee?' 570
'I have promised my knight a token, and my wits were I ween astray,
If nothing I find to give him then worthless my life to-day;
Since he vowed unto me his service then in sooth must I blush for shame,
If I give him naught—Never hero truer love from a maid might claim!'

Then he quoth, 'Trust to me, little daughter, and thy token I will prepare,575
If service from him thou winnest thou shalt give him his payment fair,
If thy mother she too be willing—God grant he may bring us aid,
That gallant knight and worthy; what trust I on him have laid!
Tho' never a word to the hero had I spoken before to-day,
Yet last night in a dream I saw him, as asleep on my couch I lay.' 580

Then Lippaut he sought the Duchess, and with him he led the maid,
And he quoth, 'Now lady, help us, for we twain sorely need thine aid;
And my heart would shout for gladness that God gave me this maiden fair,
And parted me from the sorrow that I all guiltless bare.'
Then out spake the Duchess, 'Tell me, what wilt thou of my grace?' 585
'Lady, since thou wilt hearken, this maid craves a better dress,
And she deems she of right may ask it, since a knight will her token bear,
And he asketh her love, and he offers to do for her service fair.'
Then out spake the maiden's mother, 'Ah, good and gallant knight!
Of the stranger I ween thou speakest, as May-tide his glance of light.'590

Then samite of Ethnisé the wise mistress she bade them bear
And rich stuffs as yet unsevered, and silk of Tabronit fair
From far Tribalibot's kingdom—Red the gold on Kaucasus' strand,
And fair is I ween the raiment which the heathen, with cunning hand,
Wrought from silk, with the gold inwoven—And Lippaut, the prince, he bade595
That therefrom for his little daughter fitting garments should straight be made.
Nor the best would he grudge to the maiden, and they shaped her a garment fair,
Of silk that with gold was heavy; but one white arm they left yet bare,
And a sleeve that the arm had covered from the vesture they cut away,
This should Gawain win for his token and badge in the coming fray. 600
So this was the gift that she gave him, a rich silk of Orient bright,
That was brought from the land of the paynim, and had covered her arm so white.
But they sewed it not to the garment, nor wrought it at all with thread,
And Clauditté to Gawain bare it, when home from the Burg she sped.