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

by von Eschenbach Wolfram

Then Parzival laughed out gaily, and Anfortas, he laughed yet more,
'Nay, nay,' quoth the host, 'such blessing is no guerdon for deeds of war. 460
I will give unto thee the maiden, by true Baptism's grace and power,
But the god and the love of a heathen shalt thou leave in the self-same hour;
And to-morrow, at early dawning, will I give to thee counsel true,
Whose fruit shall be seen in the crowning of thy life with a blessing new!'

Now Anfortas, before his sickness, in many a distant land 465
Had won him fair fame, for Love's sake, by the deeds of his knightly hand.
And the thoughts of his heart were gentle, and generous he was and free,
And his right hand had won full often the guerdon of victory;
So they sat in the wondrous presence of the Grail, three heroes true,
The best of their day, and the bravest that sword-blade in battle drew. 470

An ye will, they enough had eaten—They, courteous, the tables bare
From the hall, and as serving-maidens, low bent they, those maidens fair.
And Feirefis Angevin saw them as forth from the hall they passed,
And in sorrow and deeper anguish I ween was the hero cast.
And she who his heart held captive, she bare from the hall the Grail, 475
And leave did they crave of their monarch, nor his will to their will should fail.

How the queen, herself, she passed hence; how men did their task begin;
Of the bedding soft they brought him who for love's pain no rest might win;
How one and all, the Templars, with kindness would put away
His grief, 'twere too long to tell ye—speak we now of the dawning day. 480

In the light of the early morning came his brother, Parzival,
With the noble knight Anfortas, and in this wise the tale they tell;
This knight who to love was captive, proud Zassamank's lord and king,
They prayed, of true heart, to follow, and they would to the Temple bring,
And before the Grail they led him—And there had they bidden stand 485
The wisest men of the Templars—knights and servants, a goodly band,
Were there ere the heathen entered: the Font was a ruby rare,
And it stood on a rounded pillar that of Jasper was fashioned fair,
And of old Titurel, he gave it, and the cost was great I ween—
Then Parzival spake to his brother, 'This maid wouldst thou have for queen, 490
Then the gods thou hast served henceforward thou shalt for her sake forswear,
And ever thine arms, as a true knight, 'gainst the foes of the true God bear,
And, faithful, still do His bidding'—'Yea, aught that may win my love,'
Quoth the heathen, 'I'll do right gladly, and my deeds shall my truth approve.'
Now the Font, toward the Grail had they turned it, filled with water, nor hot nor cold, 495
And a priest by its side did wait them, and grey-haired he was, and old;
He had plunged 'neath baptismal waters full many a paynim child,
And he spake to the noble heathen, and gentle his speech and mild—
'If thy soul thou wouldst wrest from the Devil, thou shalt serve Him who reigns on high,
And Threefold is He, yet but One God for aye is the Trinity. 500
God is Man, and the Word of His Father, God is Father at once and Son,
And alike shall the twain be honoured, and the Spirit with them is One!
In the Threefold Name shall it cleanse thee, this water, with Threefold might,
And from shadow of heathen darkness shalt thou pass into Christian light.
In water was He baptizèd, in Whose likeness was Adam made, 505
And each tree from the water draweth its sap, and its leafy shade.
By water all flesh is nourished, and all that on earth doth live,
And the eyes of man are quickened, such virtue doth water give;
And many a soul it cleanseth, till it shineth so pure and white
That the angels themselves in heaven methinks shall be scarce so bright!' 510

To the priest then he spake, the heathen, 'If it bringeth me ease for woe
I will swear whatsoe'er thou biddest—If reward in her love I know,
Then gladly I'll do His bidding—Yea, brother, I here believe
In the God of my love, and for her sake all other gods I'll leave,
(For such sorrow as she hath brought me I never have known before,) 515
And it profiteth naught Sekundillé the love that to me she bore,
And the honour that she hath done me—All that shall have passed away—
In the Name of the God of my father would I fain be baptized to-day!'

Then the priest laid his hands upon him, and the blessing baptismal gave,
And he did on the chrisom vesture, and he won what his soul did crave, 520
For e'en as he was baptizèd they made ready the maiden mild,
And for christening gift they gave him King Frimutel's lovely child.

From his eyes had the Grail been hidden ere baptismal waters bright
Had passed o'er his head, but henceforward, 'twas unveiled to his wondering sight,
And, e'en as the rite was over, on the Grail they this writing read; 525
'The Templar whom God henceforward to a strange folk should send as head,
Must forbid all word or question of his country, or name, or race,
If they willed he aright should help them, and they would in his sight find grace.
For the day that they ask the question that folk must he leave straightway'—
Since the time that their king, Anfortas, so long in his anguish lay, 530
And the question o'er-long awaited, all questions but please them ill,
The knights of the Grail, and no man doth question them with their will.

Then, baptized, Feirefis the Christian to Anfortas made urgent prayer,
He should ride with him to his kingdom, and his riches with him should share;
But, with courtesy, Anfortas to the knight and his prayer said 'Nay, 535
Naught shall hinder the willing service that to God I would give alway;
'Tis a goodly crown, the Grail crown, thro' pride was it lost to me,
Henceforth do I choose as my portion a life of humility,
And riches and love of women shall be strangers unto my heart—
Thou leadest with thee a fair wife, henceforth shall it be her part 540
With true love to reward thy service, as to women is fit and fair,
But I for the love of mine Order henceforward mine arms will bear;
For the Grail and Its service only I many a joust will ride,
But I fight never more for women—thro' a woman did ill betide!
Yet no hatred I bear to women, high courage and joy they give 545
Unto men, tho' I won but sorrow while I did in their service live.'

But yet, for the sake of his sister, Feirefis rested not to pray
That Anfortas should journey with them, but ever he said them nay.
Then he prayed Lohengrin should fare with him, but the mother, she willed it not;
And King Parzival spake, 'In the service of the Grail hath he part and lot, 550
And my son, he is pledged to the Order, and a faithful heart and true
Must he bear in the holy service—God grant him the will thereto!'