  ARGUMENTBook IX. In the opening the spirit of adventure craves admission to the heart of the poet, who would fain learn from her tidings of Parzival. The venture telleth how the hero had ridden long in doubt and despair, and knew not the days of his wanderings. How he met again with SigunÉ and came to the forest of MonsalvÄsch, where he fought with a Knight of the Grail. How, on Good Friday, Parzival met with a pilgrim knight who reproached him for bearing arms at that Holy Tide, and bade him seek the hermit Trevrezent. How Parzival came to the hermit's cell, and spake of his wrath against God, of his sorrow for his wife, and of his search for the Grail. How Trevrezent told him wherein he had sinned, and showed him the way of salvation. How the hermit farther revealed to him the mysteries of the Grail, of the Bleeding Lance, and the knives of silver; how he told him of the wound of Anfortas, of the race of the Grail Kings, and how Parzival himself was nephew to Anfortas and Trevrezent. How Parzival confessed that it was he who came to the Grail Castle and failed to ask the question; how Trevrezent spake to him words of comfort and counsel, and absolved him from his sin; and how the two parted in sorrow. BOOK IX TREVREZENT st, right willing, I pray thee from me to take!'290And kindly they spake, the maidens, and they bade the knight to stay, And with gracious mien they prayed naught might drive him from them away. And tho' cold was the frost and bitter, and it wrought not as summer's heat, Yet Parzival saw their lips glow so red, and soft, and sweet. (Tho' they wept for the death of the Saviour, such sorrow became them well.)295 And here, had I cause for vengeance, an such happy chance befell, I never would speak them guiltless, but a kiss should their penance be, Nor against their will would I take it, of good-will should they give it me! For women shall aye be women, and tho' brave be the knight, and strong, Yet I ween is he oft the vanquished, nor the strife it endureth long!300 With sweet words, and ways so gentle, they ever the knight would pray, Children alike and parents, and fain would they have him stay: Yet he thought, 'It were best I leave them, for e'en if I turn aside All too fair methinks are these maidens, 'twere unfitting that I should ride While they by my side walk barefoot—And 'tis better that we should part,305 Since ever I bear Him hatred Whom they worship with lowly heart, And they look for His aid, Who ever hath turnÈd His face from me, Nor from sorrow hath He withheld me, but hath wrought with me heavily!' 'Knight and Lady,' he quoth, 'I think me 'twere better I leave should pray, May good fortune be yours, and blessing, and fulness of joy alway, 310 And may you, ye gentle maidens, find reward in your courtesy, Since so well ye had thought to serve me, fair leave would I pray from ye!' He greeted them, low they bowed them, and greeted the knight again, Nor might they withhold their sorrow, for parting aye bringeth pain! So the son of Herzeleide rode onward, well taught was he 315 In all manly skill and courage, in mercy and purity; Yet ever his soul waxed sadder, and there sprang up thoughts anew Of the might of the Maker of all things, Who hath made this earth of naught, How He dealeth with all creation, and still on His power he thought320 'How might it yet be if God sent me that which brought to an end my woe? If ever a knight He favoured, if ever a knight might know His payment for service done Him—if He thinketh His aid they earn Who dauntless shall wield their weapons, and ne'er from a foeman turn, Let Him aid me, who bear unstainÈd shield and sword as befits a man,325 If to-day be His Day of Redemption, let Him help me, if help He can.' Backward he turned his bridle on the road he had ridden before, And the knight and his children stood there, and mourned for the parting sore. And the maidens, true and gentle, gazed after the passing knight, And his heart spake, he fain had seen them once more those maidens bright.330 Then he spake, 'Is God's power so mighty that He guideth upon their way The steed alike and the rider, then His hand may I praise to-day! If God sendeth help from heaven, then let Him my charger show The goal which shall bless my journey, so shall I the token know. Now, go thou as God shall lead thee!' and bridle and bit he laid 335 Free on the neck of his charger and spurred it adown the glade. Towards Fontaine-Sauvage the road led, and the chapel where once he sware The oath that should clear JeschutÉ—A holy man dwelt there, And Trevrezent men called him, and ever on Monday morn Poor was his fare, and no richer it waxed as the week wore on. 340 Nor wine nor bread he tasted, nor food that with blood was red, Fish nor flesh, but his life so holy on the herb of the ground was fed. And ever his thoughts, God-guided, were turning to Heaven's land, And by fasting the wiles of the Devil he deemed he might best withstand. And to Parzival the mystery of the Grail should he now reveal— 345 And he, who of this hath asked me, and since silence my lips must seal Was wroth with me as his foeman, his anger might naught avail, Since I did but as Kiot bade me, for he would I should hide the tale, That the hidden should be made open, and the marvel of men be read.350 For Kiot of old, the master whom men spake of in days of yore, Far off in Toledo's city, found in Arabic writ the lore By men cast aside and forgotten, the tale of the wondrous Grail; But first must he learn the letters, nor black art might there avail. By the grace of baptismal waters, by the light of our Holy Faith, 355 He read the tale, else 'twere hidden; for never, the story saith, Might heathen skill have shown us the virtue that hidden lies In this mighty Grail, or Its marvels have opened to Christian eyes. 'Twas a heathen, Flegetanis, who had won for his wisdom fame, And saw many a wondrous vision, (from Israel's race he came, 360 And the blood of the kings of old-time, of Solomon did he share,) He wrote in the days long vanished, ere we as a shield might bear The cross of our Holy Baptism 'gainst the craft and the wiles of Hell, And he was the first of earth's children the lore of the Grail to tell. By his father's side a heathen, a calf he for God did hold, 365 How wrought the devil such folly, on a folk so wise, of old? And the Highest Who knoweth all wonders, why stretched He not forth His Hand To the light of His truth to turn them? For who may His power withstand! And the heathen, Flegetanis, could read in the heavens high How the stars roll on their courses, how they circle the silent sky,370 And the time when their wandering endeth—and the life and the lot of men He read in the stars, and strange secrets he saw, and he spake again All that decketh man's life; for all evil his true heart did truly mourn, True balsam was he of the faithful, to honour and glory born. And shame fled before his coming, and truth in his heart did dwell,745 And for love of his lovely body many women shall hate thee well! For well did they love his coming, and to serve them he aye was fain, But their eyes that shone fair for his fairness he ne'er shall rejoice again! Now, may God show His mercy to thee whose hand hath such evil wrought, Herzeleide the queen, thy mother, thou too to her death hast brought—'750 'Nay! Nay! not so, holy father! What sayest thou?' quoth Parzival, 'Of what dost thou here accuse me? Were I king o'er the wondrous Grail Not all Its countless riches would repay me if this be sooth, These words that thy lips have spoken! And yet if I, in very truth, Be son unto thy sister, then show that thou mean'st me well, 755 And say, without fear or falsehood, are these things true that thou dost tell?' Then the hermit he spake in answer, 'Ne'er learnt I to deceive, Thy mother she died of sorrow in the day thou her side didst leave, Such rewarding her love won for her! Thou wast the beast that hung On her breast, the wingÈd dragon that forth from her body sprung, 760 That spread its wings and left her: in a dream was it all foretold Ere yet the sorrowing mother the babe to her breast did hold!' 'And two other sisters had I, SchoisianÈ she was one; She bare a child—Woe is me, her death thro' this birth she won! Duke Kiot of Katelangen was her husband, and since that day 765 All wordly joy and honour he putteth from him away. SigunÉ, their little daughter, was left to thy mother's care: And sorrow for SchoisianÈ in my heart do I ever bear! So true was her heart and faithful, an ark 'gainst the flood of sin. A maiden, my other sister, her pure life doth honour win, 770 For the Grail she ever tendeth—Repanse de Schoie, her name, Tho' none from Its place may move It whose heart showeth taint of shame, In her hands is It light as a feather—And brother unto us twain Is Anfortas, by right of heirship he king o'er the Grail doth reign; And he knoweth not joy, but sorrow, yet one hope I ween is his, 775 That his pain shall at last be turnÈd to delight and to endless bliss. And if true be thine heart and faithful his grief shall thy sorrow be!' 'When he died, Frimutel, our father, they chose them his eldest son As Lord of the Grail and Its knighthood, thus Anfortas his kingdom won,780 And of riches and crown was he worthy, and we were but children still— When he came to the years of manhood, when love joyeth to work her will On the heart, and his lips were fringÈd with the down of early youth, Frau Minne laid stress upon him who for torment hath little ruth. But if love the Grail King seeketh other than he find writ, 785 'Tis a sin, and in sorrow and sighing full sore shall he pay for it!' 'And my lord and brother chose him a lady for service fair, Noble and true he deemed her, I say not what name she bare; Well he fought in that lady's honour, and cowardice from him fled, And his hand many a shield-rim shattered, by love's fire was he venture led.790 So high stood his fame that no hero in knightly lands afar Could he brook to be thought his equal, so mighty his deeds of war, And his battle-cry was "Amor," yet it seemeth unto me Not all too well such cry suiteth with a life of humility.' 'One day as the king rode lonely, in search of some venture high 795 (Sore trouble it brought upon us,) with love's payment for victory, For love's burden lay heavy on him, in a joust was he wounded sore With a poisoned spear, so that healing may be wrought on him nevermore. For thine uncle, the King Anfortas, he was smitten thro' the thigh By a heathen who with him battled, for he jousted right skilfully. 800 He came from the land of EthnisÉ, where forth from fair Paradise Flow the streams of the River Tigris, and he thought him, that heathen wise, He should win the Grail, and should hold It—On his spear had he graven his name, From afar sought he deeds of knighthood, over sea and land he came. The fame of the Grail drew him thither, and evil for us his strife,805 His hand joy hath driven from us and clouded with grief our life!' 'But thine uncle had battled bravely and men praised his name that day— With the spear-shaft yet fast in his body he wended his homeward way. And dead on the field lay his foeman, nor did we for his death make moan!'810 'When the king came, all pale and bloodless, and feeble of strength and limb, Then a leech stretched his hand to the spear-wound, and the iron he found fast within, With the hilt, wrought of reed, and hollow, and the twain from the wound he drew. Then I fell on my knees, and I vowed me to God, with a heart so true, That henceforward the pride of knighthood, and its fame, would I know no more,815 If but God would behold my brother and would succour his need so sore. Then flesh, wine, and bread I forswore there, and all food that by blood might live, That lust might no longer move me my life I to God would give, And I tell thee, O son of my sister, that the wailing arose anew When my weapons I put from off me and ungirded my sword so true, 820 And they spake, 'Who shall guard our mysteries? who shall watch o'er the wondrous Grail?' And tears fell from the eyes of the maidens, but their weeping might naught avail! 'To the Grail, then,
|
|
