As he made an end of speaking stood a vassal the king before, 315
And, as Kiot himself hath told us, Liddamus was the name he bore.
And I speak here of Kiot the singer, and so sweet was I ween his song
That none wax of the hearing weary, tho' the days of their life be long.
And I rede ye to wit that Kiot of old was a Provençal,
Who found writ in a book of the heathen this story of Parzival. 320
And in French again he sang it, and I, if no wit shall fail,
Would fain in his footsteps follow, and in German would tell the tale.
Quoth the Prince Liddamus in his anger, 'Now say, what doth he do here
In the house of my lord, who his father hath slain, and hath brought anear
The brand of shame? My king's courage is known thro' many a land, 325
'Twould better beseem his honour to avenge him with his own hand;
One death for the other payeth—and the need waxeth here as there.'
And Gawain he stood in sore peril, and fear for his life must bear.
Quoth Kingrimursel, 'Who to threaten is swift, he as swift should be
To mingle in strife, yet but lightly thy foeman he holdeth thee! 330
An wide were the field or narrow, yet Sir Liddamus, I know well
This man were safe from thine onslaught e'en tho' shame at his hand befell,
For ne'er wouldst thou dare to avenge it, who yet dost so loudly boast—
And swifter were we to hearken if ever in battle host
We had seen thee ride the foremost! But strife ever wrought thee pain,335
And afar from the field of battle to linger thou aye wast fain.
Yea, more hast thou learnt—The beginning of strife didst thou ever see,
Then hence wouldst thou fly as swiftly as a maiden is wont to flee.
And the prince who thy counsel hearkens, and doeth as thou shalt say,
Shall find that the crown he weareth but loosely shall sit alway!' 340
'And fain, in a joust so knightly, were I to have faced Gawain,
Nor feared me aught, for such combat had we sworn fast betwixt us twain.
And here had we fought, as fitting, 'neath the eye of the king my lord,
And wroth am I now, for dearer, methought, had he held his word!
Now swear thou to me, Sir Gawain, when a year from this day be past,345
To meet me again in combat—If thou 'scape my lord's wrath at last,
And thy life for a prey he leave thee, yet we twain must fight our fight.
At Plimizöl first I bade thee; at Barbigöl, if it seem thee right,
Before Meljanz, the youthful monarch, the strife shall methinks be fought;
And around my heart till the day come shall sorrow's wreath be wrought,350
And gladly I'll hail that dawning, and face thee, thou hero bold,
Tho' the guerdon be but of sorrow, that shall there by thine hand be told.'
So there, as the Landgrave bade him, the hero Gawain swore,
And his oath, and his pledge so knightly, he plighted as erst of yore.
But Duke Liddamus, he bethought him of words that he fain would say,355
And with cunning skill and wisdom his speech did he weave that day.
Thus he spake for all men to hear him, for the time of speech was come,
'Now if strife ever call upon me, if the battle be lost or won,
If I fight as beseems a hero, or fly as a coward flies,
If the meed of my warlike bearing be honour in all men's eyes, 360
Then reward me I pray, Sir Landgrave, with rewarding as I shall win;
But if honour or praise be withholden I count it not me for sin!'
Nor here did his speech find ending. 'If Turnus thou fain wouldst be,
Then good, thou shalt find me Tranzes; thou mayst well wreak thy will on me,
If so be thou hast aught against me, but 'tis thou who dost boast too loud,365
Yea, e'en an thou wert the highest of my peers, these princes proud;
For Prince am I too, and Landgrave, and I have in Galicia's land
Many Burgs so fair and stately that e'en far as Vedrun stand.
And tho' thou and this Breton stranger were minded to work me ill,
Yet not even a fowl for thy threatening would fly, but abide thee still!'370
'He came from the land of the Breton whom thou hither for strife didst hale.
Take thou vengeance for king and kinsman, if such vengeance may aught avail;
With him, not with me, thy quarrel, avenge thou thine uncle's life
On him who of life hath robbed him, it toucheth me not, this strife,
For I wot well in naught I wronged him, and none for such wrong makes moan.375
What need to bewail thine uncle? His son sitteth on his throne,
And I ask for no higher ruler, since Fleurdamur, the queen,
Was his mother, his sire Kingrisein, and his grandsire Gandein hath been.
And still in my mind it dwelleth how Galoes and Gamuret,
Those heroes twain, were his uncles, nor lie I, nor truth forget. 380
And I think me that in all honour my castles and lands so wide
I may take from his hand, with their banners, and serve him whate'er betide!'
'Let him fight who hath lust for fighting, for weary of strife am I,
Tho' I know well who fame in battle doth win, for his victory
Hath reward from the lips of women, yet for never a maiden's sake 385
Will I evil entreat this body, or bid it such ill-road take.
Nay, why should I be a Wolfhart? Since barred is the battle way,
And no lust of strife hath beguiled me that I know not the thing I say.
If thou shouldst for aye despise me, yet Rumolt I'll take as guide,
Who gave counsel unto King Gunther, ere yet to the Huns he hied. 390
For he bade him in Worms abide still, where was plenty and e'en to spare,
And content his soul with the flesh-pots and the riches of Rhineland fare!'