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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

'Now fain would I speak with the hero, see thou to the time and way;335
E'en now might he ride to the castle, for peace shall be kept to-day.
Were it better that I should seek him? He is other than we in face,
Pray Heaven it not displease him, but our need with the knight find grace!
I would that I first might know this, ere the rede from my folk I hear
That I show to this stranger honour—If it pleaseth him to draw near,340
Say, how shall I best receive him? Shall the knight be so nobly born
That my kiss be not lost, if I kiss him?' 'Nay, hold me of life forsworn
If he be not of kings the kinsman! Lady, this word I'll bear
To thy princes, that they shall clothe them in raiment both fit and fair,
And stand before thee, in due order, ere yet to thy court we ride, 345
And the same shalt thou say to thy ladies—In the city he doth abide;
I will ride below, and will bring him to thy palace, a worthy guest,
For no fair or knightly virtue shall be lacking that noble breast.'

But little space they delayed them, for the Marshal, with ready skill,
Strove that all in such wise be ordered as should pleasure his lady's will.350
But soon did they bear to the hero rich garments, he did them on,
And this hath the venture told me that their cost should be hardly won;
And thereon lay the anchors, heavy, and wrought of Arabian gold,
For so had he willed. Then the hero, who fair payment for love had told
A charger bestrode that 'fore Babylon a knight rode, for jousting fain,355
From the saddle did Gamuret smite him, and I wot it hath wrought him pain.

If his host thought to ride beside him? He and his gallant knights?
Yea, in sooth they would do so, gladly—So wended they up the height,
And dismounted before the palace; and many a knight stood there,
And each, as was fit, had clothed him in raiment both rich and fair.360
And his pages they ran before him, and each twain they went hand in hand,
And in marvellous fair arraying he saw many ladies stand.
And the queen, her eyes brought her sorrow as she looked on the Angevin,
So lovely was he to look on that he needs must an entrance win
Thro' the gates of her heart, if 'twere anguish or joy that within he bore,365
Tho' her womanhood 'gainst all comers had held them fast closed before.

Then a space did she step towards him, and a kiss from her guest she prayed;
And, herself, by the hand she took him and they sat them, both man and maid
In a window wide, that looked forth from the palace upon the foe,
And a covering of wadded samite was spread o'er the couch below. 370
Is there aught that than day is lighter? Then it likeneth not the queen!
Yet else was she fair to look on, as a woman should be, I ween,
But unlike to the dew-dipped roses was her colour, yea, black as night.
And her crown was a costly ruby, and thro' it ye saw aright
Her raven head. Then as hostess she spake to her guest this word, 375
That greatly she joyed at his coming, 'Sir, Knight, I such tale have heard
Of thy knightly strength and prowess—Of thy courtesy, hear me fair,
For fain would I tell of my sorrow, and the woe that my heart doth bear!'

'My help shall not fail thee, Lady! What hath grieved, or doth grieve thee now,
I think me aside to turn it, to thy service my hand I vow! 380
I am naught but one man only—Who hath wronged or now wrongeth thee
My shield will I hold against him—Little wroth shall thy foeman be!'

Then a prince he spake out courteous, 'The foe would we little spare,
Did our host not lack a captain, since Friedebrand hence must fare.
He defendeth afar his kingdom—A king, one Hernant by name 385
(Whom he slew for the sake of Herlindè) his kinsmen against him came,
And evil enow have they wrought him, nor yet from their strife forbear—
Yet he left here full many a hero, and among them, Duke Heuteger
With his gallant deeds of knighthood, and his army, hath pressed us sore,
They have skill and strength for the conflict. And many a soldier more390
With Gaschier of Normandy came here, and a hero wise is he.
Many knights hath he brought to this country (and wrathful guests they be):
Kailet of Hoscurast. All these hath he brought upon our fair land
With his comrades four, and his soldiers, the Scottish king Friedebrand!
And there, to the West, by the sea-coast doth Eisenhart's army lie,395
And their eyes shall be fain for weeping; nor in secret, nor openly
Hath one seen them, and failed to marvel at their grief and their sorrow sore,
Since their lord hath been slain in battle with the heart's rain their eyes run o'er.'

Then the guest courteous spake to his hostess, 'I would, an it seem thee right,
Thou shouldst say why thy foeman threaten, why they seek thee with war-like might!400
Thou hast here many gallant heroes, it grieveth me sore to see
Thy land thus with hate o'erladen, for woe must it bring to thee.'

'Wouldst thou know? Then, Sir Knight, I will tell thee—A knight did me service true,
And the fruit of all manly virtue his life as its decking knew,
And gallant and wise was the hero, and his faith as a goodly tree 405
Was fast-rooted, and none so courteous but were shamed by his courtesy.
And modest was he as a woman, tho' dauntless and strong, I trow,
And a knight e'en as he free-handed ere his day never land might know.
(But they that shall come hereafter, other folk shall their doings see.)
A fool was he in false dealing, and a Moor, as myself shall be; 410
And his father's name was Tánkaneis, a king of a kingly heart,
And his son, he who was my lover, men knew him as Eisenhart.
That for love's sake I took his service, as a woman I did not well,
It hath brought me but lasting sorrow since no joy to his portion fell,
They deem I to death betrayed him! Yet such treason were far from me,415
Tho' his folk bring such charge against me; and dear to my heart was he,
Far dearer than they e'er held him. Nor witnesses here shall fail
To speak to the truth of my saying, if it please them to tell the tale.
His gods and mine, they know it, the truth—I must sorrow deep
Since my womanly shame hath brought him a guerdon I needs must weep!420

'Thus he won in my maiden service much honour by knighthood fair,
I thought thus to prove my lover; his deeds did his worth declare.
For my sake he put off his harness (that which like to a hall doth stand
Is a lofty tent, the Scotch folk they brought it into this land),
Then e'en tho' he bare no armour his body he little spared, 425
For he held his life as worthless, many ventures unarmed he dared.
As the matter so stood between us, a prince who my man should be,
Prothizilas did men call him, a bold knight, from all cowardice free,
Rode forth in search of venture, and evil for him that day
For there, in Assagog's forest, his death in waiting lay. 430
In a knightly joust he met it, and there too he found his end
The gallant knight who faced him—'Twas Prince Eisenhart my friend.
For both of the twain were piercèd with a spear thro' heart and shield,
And I, alas! poor woman, must weep for that fatal field.
And ever their death doth grieve me, and sorrow from love shall grow,435
And never henceforth as my husband a man do I think to know.'

Then e'en tho' she was a heathen Gamuret he bethought him well,
That a heart more true and tender ne'er in woman's breast might dwell.
Her purity was her baptism, and as water that washed her o'er
Was the rain that streamed from her eyelids o'er her breast, and the robe she wore;440
All her joy did she find in sorrow, and grief o'er her life did reign—
Then the queen she looked on the hero, and in this wise she spake again: