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

BOOK VI ARTHUR

active 12th century von Eschenbach Wolfram

ARGUMENT

Book VI. tells how King Arthur sought for the Red Knight; and how he took an oath of his heroes to refrain from fighting. Of the blood-stained snow, and the love-trance of Parzival; and how, unknowing, he overthrew Segramor, and took vengeance on Kay. How Gawain led Parzival to the court of King Arthur; and how he was made a knight of the Round Table. Of the coming of Kondrie, and Kingrimursel, and the shaming of Parzival and Gawain. Of Parzival's wrath and despair, and how he rode forth to seek the Grail. How the knights went forth to the venture of ChÂteau Merveil; and how Gawain rode to Askalon; and of the scattering of this goodly company.

BOOK VI

ARTHUR

and the other, which he from Kay's hand must take.

Thus he who knew naught of falsehood was guided of truth to know
Her message in blood-drops threefold, on the white of the drifted snow.
'Twas tear-drops, not blood, that he saw there, and well might his senses fail,295
And the thoughts of his heart wax heavy, as he mused on the wondrous Grail,
And sorely the semblance grieved him that spake of his wife and queen.
Yet tho' o'er the twain he sorrowed, the greater woe, I ween,
Was the woe that Frau Minne wrought him, for there liveth not heart so strong,
But longing and love united break its power, ere the time be long. 300
Count we here those twain as ventures? Nay, 'twere better methinks to hold,
That they were naught but pain and sorrow, that vanquished the hero bold.

Now ye unto whom I tell this, I rede ye to mourn Kay's woe,
For full oft as his manhood bade him, he many a strife did know.
And in many a land they speak thus, that Kay, Arthur's seneschal, 305
Was a firebrand, hell-born, yet I wot well far other the tale I'ld tell.
From reproach would I gladly free him, tho' few but should say me nay,
Yet a gallant man and a worthy, I swear was this knight, Sir Kay.
And my mouth to this truth beareth witness, and more would I tell to thee;
Unto Arthur's Court came strangers in many a company, 310
And their manners and ways were diverse, nor all there might honour claim,
But Kay an he saw false dealing, he counted such ways as shame,
And his face he turned from the sinner, yet he who dealt courteously,
And true man with true men would hold him, Kay served him right heartily.

And one who fall well discernÈd the manner of men was Kay, 315
Thus he did to his lord good service, for his harsh words drave far away
The men who would falsely vaunt them good knights and true to be,
Ill was he to them as a hailstorm, sharp as sting of an angry bee.
Small wonder that these deny him his honour and knightly fame,
True servant and wise they found him, and for this cause upon his name320
Their hatred doth still heap slander—Prince Herman, Thuringia's lord,
Thou with vassals that crowd around thee, and strangers who seek thy board,
Good service might Kay have done thee, since so free art thou aye of hand,
That true men and men dishonoured, side by side in thine hall they stand;
And therefore Knight Walter singeth, 'Now greeting to all I bring, 325
Men evil and good!' And I trow well, where a singer such song may sing,
There the false are too highly honoured—Nay, far other Sir Kay had taught,
(Yea, and Heinrich of Rispach also)—Now hearken ye in what sort
On PlimizÖl's plain men bare them; from the field Sir Kay was borne
To the tent of his king, and around him, o'er his ill-fate his friends did mourn;330
And maiden and knight they stood there; to the tent where his comrade lay
Came Gawain, and he quoth in sadness, 'Alas! for the woeful day
That so ill a joust was ridden that hath robbed me of a friend!'
Then out spake Kay in his anger, 'Now make of thy moan an end,
If comfort thou here wouldst bring me, do not as the women do, 335
Since thou art my monarch's nephew! I would do to thee service true,
As of free heart I ever did it, in the day that God gave me power,
Nor long for my aid hadst thou prayed me! There cometh, perchance, an hour
When I, as of old, may serve thee: now cease thou thy moan I pray,
For tho' mine be the pain, yet my monarch shall ne'er find another Kay,340
And I wot that for mine avenger art thou all too nobly born;
An yet hadst thou lost a finger I had counted myself forsworn
An I risked not mine head to pay it! Let that be as it may,
Believe me or not, as shall please thee, yet sooth are the words I say!'

'No joust shalt thou ride at my urging, for roughly he greets his foe,345
Who holdeth without his station, and rideth nor swift nor slow.
And I think me, of maidens' tresses, tho' frail be such cord and fair,
Enough from such strife to bind thee, the chain of a single hair!
And the man who shall show such meekness, he well doth his mother love,
Since his sire would fain in the conflict his knightly mettle prove.350
But follow thou aye thy mother, Sir Gawain, list well her rede.
Turn thou pale at the glancing sword-blade, and shrink from the manly deed!'

And thus on the gallant hero the bitter words he spake
Fell sharply, he looked not for them, nor on Kay might he vengeance take,
Full seldom a knight may do so, since shame on his lips setteth seal,355
But they who thus speak discourteous, such shame shall they never feel.

Then Gawain he quoth in answer, 'Where men knightly sword might bear,
And have foughten, and I fought with them, then no man beheld me there,
And saw that my cheek waxed paler at sight of wound or blow.
I was ever thy friend—'twas needless that thou shouldst reproach me so!'360
Then he strode from the tent, and he bade them bring hither his charger good,
Nor spur on his heel he buckled, unarmed he his steed bestrode.

So came he unto the Waleis (whose sense was of love held fast),
And his shield to all eyes bare witness of three spears thro' its circle passed,
For three jousts of late had he ridden, and he rode them with heroes twain,365
Of Orilus too was he smitten—Then gently uprode Gawain,
And he spurred not his steed to gallop, nor conflict nor strife he sought,
For he rode but in love and in kindness, to seek him who here had fought.
Fair spake Gawain the stranger, to greeting deaf was he,
Frau Minne yet held him captive, how other might it be? 370
True son of Herzeleide, to this lot was he born,
To lose himself for love's sake; such passion as had torn
The hearts of these his parents, afresh in his heart awoke,
And but little his ear might hearken what the mouth of Gawain spoke.< > An Sir Gawain would here deny it, true answer our strife shall yield,
Forty days from to-day shall he meet me, and face me on battlefield,
Before Askalon's king and ruler, in the city of Schamfanzon;
Thus I bid him in honour face me, and for conflict his armour don.'

'And this grace shall he not refuse me, but thither his shield shall bear;755
And yet further shall he bethink him, by the helmet he weareth fair,
And the life that a knight beseemeth, who two treasures in pledge doth hold,
True shame, and a faith unwavering, and their fame shall be new, as old.
But from shame may Gawain ne'er free him, if a knight of the Table Round,
Whose heroes stand here before me, he thinketh he may be found. 760
For its honour and fame are vanished, if false knight sit its board beside—
Methinks ye have heard mine errand, and ye know I came not to chide,
For here would I not blame, but battle, and death shall my guerdon be,
An it be not a life of honour, that Good Fortune shall hold for me!'

Then sad was the king and silent, yet answer at last he gave, 765
'Know, Sir Knight, that Gawain is my nephew, and myself would the conflict brave
Ere his bones should lie dishonoured—If Good Fortune by Gawain stand
In strife shalt thou well acknowledge, 'neath the might of his strong right hand
That his body in faith he keepeth, and falsehood afar doth hold.
If another hath done thee evil methinks art thou over-bold, 770
His shame dost thou speak too loudly, who never hath done thee ill—
If he winneth, perchance, thine homage, and thou ownest him guiltless still,
Yet hast thou in short space spoken such words of a blameless knight
As have shamÈd for aye thine honour, if this folk read the thing aright!'

Then upsprang the proud Knight Beaucorps, brother to Gawain he, 775
And he spake in his wrath, 'Wouldst thou fight him? Then myself his pledge will be,
For thou speakest false of Gawain; and know that thy words of shame
Have kindled anew within me fierce wrath's devouring flame.
An thou speakest not Gawain guiltless of all dishonour, I
Stand here to fight his battle, and to be his surety. 780
Think not by thy words of scorning to lower his lofty fame,
UnstainÈd is Gawain's honour, and thy words are but words of shame!'

Then he turned him to his brother, and he spake of true heart and free,
'Bethink thee now, my brother, of all thou hast done for me,
Thou hast helped me unto the winning of fame, for thy toil's reward785
Bid me here to be hostage for thee, and bid me thine honour guard.
If Good Fortune be here my portion, and I win here my meed of fame,
Then thine be the crown of honour, and thy foeman hath naught but shame.'
By his knighthood and love as a brother he besought him right earnestly;
Quoth Gawain, 'Now in sooth, my brother, too wise shall I surely be790
To hearken to thee, and to grant thee what thou askest of right good-will;
What meaneth this strife, I wot not, and of fighting have had my fill,
Of good-will would I ne'er deny thee what boon thou from me shouldst crave,
Yet shame must I bear for ever if this conflict I fail to brave!'

Yet Beaucorps he prayed him straitly—then out spake the stranger knight,795
'A man whom I ne'er have heard of now lusteth with me to fight!
I spake not of him, and no evil, methinks, hath he done to me.
Strong, gallant, and fair to look on, and faithful and rich is he,
And well might he be my hostage, yet against him no wrath I bear—
My lord and my kinsman was he for whose death I this strife declare,800
And brothers twain were our fathers, as comrades and kinsmen true;
And were he a crownÈd monarch against whom my sword I drew,
By my birth might I give him battle, and vengeance of right demand,
Of a royal race, and a princely, was I born in a distant land.
And Askalon is my country, I am Landgrave of Schamfanzon, 805
Kingrimursel do they call me; if Gawain's fame be not outrun
No otherwise may he free him, but conflict with me must dare.
Yet safe-conduct throughout my kingdom, from all save my hand, I swear,
In peace may he ride, and safety, to the field where I vengeance claim;
God keep in His grace those I leave here, save one, and ye know his name!'810

So passed he, the gallant hero, from the plain of PlimizÖl,
And e'en as his name was namÈd, all men knew Kingrimursel,
For the fame of this knight so valiant was known thro' the far lands wide,
And it seemÈd them well that to Gawain might ill thro' this strife betide
When they thought of the strength and the manhood of this knight who rode swift away.815
And many must sorely vex them that no honour he won that day;
Yet full often a message cometh, I myself shall such venture know,
Of such wise, that the guest who bears it, of his host must ungreeted go!

From Kondrie they heard the tidings of Parzival's name and kin,
How a queen, she had been his mother, and his sire was an Angevin. 820
And they spake—''Twas at fair Kanvoleis, and the story we know full well,
He served her with deeds of knighthood, and many a joust befell,
And there by his dauntless manhood he won him that lady bright;
And the noble Queen AnflisÉ, she taught him, that gallant knight,
Such courtesy as befitted a hero of lineage high; 825
And no Breton but shall rejoice him, that his son now draweth nigh,
For of him, e'en as of his father, may this tale of a truth be told
That honour is his yoke-fellow, as she was of his sire of old.'

Thus joy alike and sorrow came to Arthur's host that day,
And mingled, the life of the heroes, since the twain they must have their way.830
Upstood they all as one man, and all with one voice they wept,
And the bravest knights among them within the circle stept,
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