Nor longer they cared to slumber—Then the queen alike and king
Arose, and e'en as they bade him, a priest the Mass would sing; 260
And closely they thronged together, that army, brave and good,
Who in their queen's day of peril her shield 'gainst Klamidé stood.
Then, the benediction given, his men greeted Parzival,
Many gallant knights and worthy, their true words from true lips must fall.
From the tent they take the hangings, and the king spake, 'Say which is he, 265
Of my boys, who henceforward ruler of your folk and your land shall be?'
And further he spake to the princes, 'Both Waleis and Norgal's land,
And their towns, Kingrivals and Kanvoleis, by his birthright shall serve his hand,
With Béalzenan and Anjou, should he grow unto man's estate;
And thither shall ye fare with him, and shall there on his bidding wait. 270
Gamuret was he called, my father, and he left them to me, his heir,
But I, by God's grace, have won me an heritage yet more fair!
Since the Grail shall be mine, I bid ye your fealty to swear anew
To my child, ere this hour be ended, if your hearts shall to me be true!'
And of right goodwill they did this—Ye saw many proud banners wave, 275
And two little hands the tenure of many a wide land gave.
And there did they crown Kardeiss king; and, when many a year had flown,
Kanvoleis, and Gamuret's kingdom they needs must his lordship own—
And then by Plimizöl's water did they measure a circle wide
That there a feast might be holden ere again on their way they ride. 280
Nor long at the board they tarried; no longer the host might stay,
The tents were struck, with their child-king they wended their homeward way.
And many a maid and vassal must bid to their queen Farewell
In such wise that they made loud mourning, and many a teardrop fell.
And Lohengrin and his mother did the Templars take in their care, 285
And with them to the Burg of Monsalväsch again on their journey fare.
Quoth Parzival, 'Once in this woodland an hermitage did I see,
And thro' it a rippling brooklet flowed swift on its way so free;
If ye know where it stands ye shall show me.' His comrades swift answer gave,
They knew one; 'There dwells a maiden, and she weeps o'er her true love's grave; 290
A shrine of all goodness is she—Our road it doth lead that way,
And her heart is ne'er free from sorrow.' 'That maid will we see to-day,'
Quoth Parzival, and the others, as he willed, so they thought it good,
And onward they spurred their chargers, and rode thro' the lonely wood.
And they found, in the dusk of the evening, on her knees Siguné dead, 295
And the queen wept for bitter sorrow—Then they brake thro' unto the maid;
Parzival, for the sake of his cousin, bade them raise of the tomb the stone,
There, embalmed lay Schionatulander, nor long should he lie alone,
For beside him they laid the maiden, who in life to him true love gave
In such wise as beseemed a maiden, and they closed o'er the twain the grave. 300
And she wept for her uncle's daughter, the queen, with a faithful heart;
Schoysiané, the dead maid's mother, had shown her a mother's part,
And had cared for her in her childhood, and therefore she sorrow knew:
And Parzival's aunt, too, was she, if the tale Kiot read be true.
Kiot knew not the death of his daughter, he was guardian to King Kardeiss— 305
(Nor my tale like the bow shall be bended, but straight as an arrow flies,)
They delayed not upon their journey, to Monsalväsch they came by night,
And the hours Feirefis must wait them sped swift in their joyful flight.
And they lighted many a taper, 'twas as flamed all the woodland wide,
And a Templar of Patrigalt, armèd, by the queen's bridle rein did ride; 310
And broad and wide was the courtyard, and many a host stood there,
And they welcomed the queen, and a greeting to their lord and his son they bare;
And they bore Lohengrin to his uncle, Feirefis, who was black and white,
And the babe turned aside nor would kiss him—as children oft do from fright!
But gaily he laughed, the heathen—Then they gat them from out the court, 315
When first the queen had dismounted, who joy with her coming brought—
And they led the guests so noble, where, with many a lady fair,
Both Feirefis and Anfortas awaited them on the stair.
Répanse de Schoie, and from Greenland, Garschiloie, the fair of face,
Florie of Lünel, the bright-eyed, rich were they in maiden grace. 320
There she stood, than a reed more graceful, to whom beauty nor truth should fail,
The daughter of Reil's lord, Jernis, as Anflisé the maid they hail;
And of Tenabroc, maid Clarischanz, sweet was she, and bright to see,
And so slender her shape, I think me, an ant's scarce might slighter be.
Feirefis stepped toward his hostess, and he kissed her e'en as she bade, 325
And a kiss did she give Anfortas, for she joyed that his woe was stayed.
Feirefis by the hand must lead her where her husband's aunt she found,
Répanse de Schoie, and she kissed her, and the maidens who stood around,
And her lips that were red aforetime thro' kissing grew yet more red,
(And sorely I ween doth it grieve me, that this labour, I, in her stead, 330
Might not here have taken on me, for weary in sooth was she;)
Then her maids by the hand they take her, and they lead her in courteously.
And the knights, in the hall they waited, that with countless tapers bright
Was decked, on the walls they sparkled, and burnt with a steady light,
For a solemn feast they made ready, when the Grail should be shown to all; 335
For it was not on every feast-day, that they bare It thro' the hall,
But on high festivals only—When nearer their aid should draw,
On that even when joy forsook them, and the bleeding spear they saw,
'Twas then, that the Grail might help them, that It thus thro' the hall was borne—
Yet Parzival asked no question, and left them of joy forlorn— 340
But now, in joy and gladness, might they look on the Grail again,
For at last was their mourning ended, and their sorrow was pierced and slain!
When the queen her riding garment had put off, and decked her hair,
She came in such garb as beseemed her, in the light of the tapers fair;
And Feirefis stepped to meet her, and he took her by the hand, 345
And no man gainsaid his fellow, that in this, or in other land,
None might speak of a fairer woman! And rich was the garb she wore,
A silk by a skilled hand woven, such as Sarant had wrought of yore,
And with cunning and skill had fashioned in Thasmé, the paynim town—
Feirefis Angevin, he led her thro' the palace hall adown, 350
And the three great fires they burnt there with Lignum aloe sweet;
And more there were by forty, both carpets alike and seats,
Than the time when Parzival sat there and looked on the wondrous Grail,
But one seat above all was costly, nor the host to his place should fail.
And Feirefis, and Anfortas, they should sit there beside the king— 355
And, courteous, they did them service, who the Grail to the hall should bring.
Aforetime methinks ye heard it, how they to Anfortas bare
The Grail, even so would they do now 'fore the child of King Tampentäre,
And Gamuret's son—The maidens, no longer they make delay,
Five-and-twenty in rightful order they wend thro' the hall their way. 360
And Feirefis gazed on the first maid, with her sweet face and waving hair,
And she pleased him well, yet the others who followed were yet more fair;
And costly and rich their garments, and lovely each maiden's face,
But Répanse de Schoie, who followed, was first in her maiden grace,
And the Grail, so men have told me, might be borne by her hands alone; 365
Pure was her heart, and radiant as sunlight her fair face shone.