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

BOOK VII OBILOT

active 12th century von Eschenbach Wolfram

ARGUMENT

The poet will now for a while recount the adventures of Gawain; whom many have held to be as valiant a knight as Parzival.

Book VII. tells how Gawain fell in with the army of King Meljanz of Lys, who would fain avenge himself on Duke Lippaut, whose daughter had scorned his love. How Gawain came to the beleaguered city of Beaurosch; how Obie scorned him; and how Obilot besought him to be her knight. How the heroes fought before the walls of Beaurosch, and of the valiant deeds of Gawain and the Red Knight. How Gawain took Meljanz of Lys captive; how Obilot made peace betwixt Obie and Meljanz, and how Gawain rode forth from Beaurosch.

BOOK VII

OBILOT

class="i0">Then all with one voice they counselled that the gates be opened wide,
And that he should bid their bravest forthwith unto jousting ride. 290
And they quoth, 'So to fight were better than thus our ramparts high
To defend 'gainst our king, and the armies twofold that around us lie,
For the most part they are but children who ride with their king to-day,
And 'twere easy to take a hostage, so wrath oft is turned away.
And the king he shall be so minded, that if here knightly deeds be done,295
He shall free us perchance from our peril, and the ending of wrath be won.
Far better in field to seek them than forth from our walls be brought
As their captives—Nay, e'en to their tent-ropes, methinks, we with ease had fought
Were it not for the King Poidikonjonz, 'neath his banner the bravest fight;
And there is our greatest peril, the captive Breton knights, 300
Duke Astor it is who leads them, and foremost in strife are they;
And the king's son is there, Meljakanz; higher his fame to-day
Had Gurnemanz been his teacher! Yet never he feareth fight;
But help have we found against them,'—Now their rede have ye heard aright.

Then the prince he did as they counselled, the portals he open brake,305
And the Burgers who ne'er lacked courage their way to the field would take.
Here one jousted, and there another; and the armies they made their way
With high courage towards the city, right good was their vesper-play.
On both sides the troops were countless; manifold was their battle-cry,
And Scotch and Welsh might ye hearken, for in sooth here I tell no lie.310
And stern were their deeds of knighthood as fitting so stern a fight,
And bravely those heroes battled, till weary each gallant knight.

And they were little more than children who with the king's army came,
And they took them as pledge in a corn-field, who thought there to win them fame,
And he who had ne'er won token of love from a lady fair, 315
Might never more costly raiment on his youthful body bear;
Of Meljanz the venture telleth that in harness bright he rode,
On high flamed his youthful courage—A charger the king bestrode
That Meljakanz won when in jousting his foe from his steed he swung,
'Twas Kay, and so high he smote him that aloft from a bough he hung;320
There Meljakanz won the charger that Meljanz would ride that day,
And foremost of all the heroes he strove in the knightly fray.
And Obie beheld his jousting, and watched him with eager eye,
As she stood there among her maidens, and gazed from the palace high.

So quoth she unto her sister, 'See, sister mine, thy knight 325
And mine, unlike do they bear them, for thine hath no will to fight,
He thinketh for sure this city and castle we needs must lose.
An here we would seek defenders, other champion we needs must choose!'
And the younger must bear her mocking—then she spake, 'Yet I trust my knight,
He hath time yet to show his courage, and thy mockery put to flight.330
For here shall he do me service, and his gladness shall be my care,
An thou holdest him for a merchant, with me shall he trade full fair!'

As with words they strove, the maidens, he hearkened, the Knight Gawain,
Yet he made as tho' he heard not as he sat on the grassy plain.
And if knightly soul should hearken, nor feel in the hearing shame,335
'Twould but be that death had freed him from burden of praise or blame.

Now still lay the mighty army that Poidikonjonz had led,
Save one gallant youth with his vassals, who swift to the combat sped,
And Lanveronz was his dukedom—Here came Poidikonjonz the king,
And the old man wise one and other again to the camp would bring, 340
For the vesper-play was ended—In sooth had they fought right well,
And for love of many a maiden full many a deed befell.

Then out spake the King Poidikonjonz to Lanveronz' gallant knight,
''Twere fitting to wait for thy leader, an thou lusted for fame to fight.
Dost think thou hast borne thee bravely? See the brave Knight Lahduman,345
And here is my son Meljakanz,—Came these two in the van,
And I myself, then, I think me, that a fair fight thou sure shouldst see
Wert thou learnÈd enow in combat to know what a fight should be!
I come not again from this city till of strife we have had our fill,
Or man and woman yield them as prisoners to my will!' 350

Quoth Duke Astor, 'The king, thy nephew, O sire fought before the gate
With his army of Lys—Should thine army here slumber o'er-long and late
The while these others battled? Say when didst thou teach such lore?
Must I slumber while others battle then I'll slumber as ne'er of yore!
Yet believe me, had I not been there then the Burgers had won them fame,355
And a fair prize their hand had taken—I have guarded thee here from shame;
In God's Name be no longer wrathful! Such valour thy folk have shown,
They won more than they lost,—I think me fair Obie the same will own!'

Yet Poidikonjonz was wrathful with his nephew, Meljanz the king,
Tho' of many a joust the token the young knight from the field must bring,360
And youthful fame ne'er mourneth such pledge of strife, I ween—
Now hear ye again of the maiden who the cause of this strife had been.

Hate enow did she bear to Gawain who was guiltless of ill intent,
And shame would she bring upon him—A servant the maiden sent
Below, to Gawain as he sat there, 'Now ask thou, without delay, 365
If his steeds be for sale—In his coffers, perchance, he doth bear alway
Goodly raiment that we may purchase; say thou if it so shall be,
Then we ladies above in the castle will buy of him readily.'

So the serving man went, and his greeting was wrath, for Sir Gawain's eye
Taught fear to his heart, and in terror the lad from his face would fly,370
To serve him as meet in the jousting, and to follow to onslaught brave.
And the spears their hand might proffer those spears he right swiftly brake,
And clear rang his joust o'er the tumult, when he did as his captives take740
King Schirniel and his brother; nor he would from his pledge release
The knight whom he here had vanquished, the Duke of Marangliess.
And bravely they fought mid the foremost, and he vanquished them as they stood,
Yet their folk still held them valiant tho' reft of their leaders good.

And there fought the young King Meljanz, and all were they friend or foe,745
They owned greater deeds of valour a young knight might seldom show;
By his hand were the strong shields cloven—Ah! the spears that he brake in twain
As the forces together mingling dashed swift o'er the battle-plain.
And his young heart for conflict lusted, and none gave him of strife his fill.
And it vexed him sore, till Gawain would joust with him at his will.750

Then Gawain took a spear of Angram, that he won him at PlimizÖl,
And twelve were those spears—The war-cry of Meljanz was 'BarbigÖl!'
Of his kingdom of Lys 'twas chief city—Gawain aimed his joust so true,
And Oraste Gentesein taught sorrow to the king since it pierced him thro'
That strong shaft of reed; his shield piercing, it brake in his arm of might—755
And a fair joust again was ridden, and Gawain smote the King in flight;
And the hinder bow of the saddle it brake, and those heroes twain
They stood on their feet, and valiant, they battled with swords amain.
'Twere more than enough such labour for two churls on the threshing-floor,
And each one bare the sheaf of the other, and each smote the other sore.760

And a spear must Meljanz carry that had smitten him thro' the arm,
And thro' conflict fierce the hero in blood and sweat waxed warm.
Then Gawain by force he drave him within a portal wide,
And he bade him his pledge to swear him, nor the young king his will defied;
Were he not so sorely wounded then so swiftly he ne'er were known, 765
To yield himself to a foeman, but his prowess had longer shown.

Then Lippaut the prince, the land's host, his valour might not restrain
With the monarch of Gros he battled; and alike must they suffer pain,
Both man and steed from the bow-shots, for their skill they were fain to show,
They of Semblidag, and Kahetines, for they fled as they bent the bow.770
And the Burgers must well bethink them the foe from their lines to hold,
But foot-soldiers had they, and sheltered by their ramparts they battled bold.
And he who of life was forfeit for the wrath of a maid must pay,
For her folly and scorn on her people brought sorrow enow that day.
But what part therein had Lippaut? I think me his lord of old, 775
King Schaut, ne'er had thus beset him! Now faint waxed those heroes bold.

But Meljakanz still fought bravely—Do ye think it was whole, his shield?
Not a hand's-breadth wide was the fragment—Then he bare him across the field
Duke Kardefablet, and I think me the Tourney it came to stand
On the meadow fair and flowery, for fast locked was either band. 780
Then Gawain he rode swiftly to them, and he pressed Meljakanz so sore,
E'en Launcelot, gallant hero, ne'er wrought him such grief afore
When the sword bridge he crossed to battle—Her captivity pleased him ill,
The Queen Guinevere, and he thought him by the sword-blade to free her still.
King Lot's son he rode full gallop—Meljakanz, what could he do 785
But spur his steed towards him? And many that joust must view.
Who lay there behind his charger? He whom the gallant knight
Of Norroway had smitten to earth with his spear of might.
And many a knight and lady they looked on this joust so fair,
And they spake in praise of Gawain, and his fame would aloud declare.790
And the maidens right well might see it as they looked from the hall on high.
Underfoot was Meljakanz trampled; many steeds did o'er him fly,
And tare with their hoofs his surcoat, who fodder might taste no more,
And they covered the prostrate hero with rain of sweat and gore.
'Twas a day of doom for the chargers, but the vultures at will might feast;795
And Duke Astor he came to the rescue, and from them of Jamore released
Meljakanz, or else was he captive, and he raised him from off the ground—
And the Tourney was o'er, and the combat methinks had its ending found.

Now who had as knight best ridden, or best for a maiden fought?
Nay, I know not, an I would name them small leisure such task had brought.800
For Maid Obilot's sake with the townsfolk a knight valiant deeds had dared;
Without, a Red Knight fought bravely, and the fame 'twixt those two was shared.

When the guest of the outer army had learnt he no thanks might win
From the king he had served, since Meljanz was captive the town within,
He rode where his squires were waiting, and thus to his prisoners spake,805
'Sir Knights, ye your word have pledged me; ill-chance doth me here o'ertake,
For King Meljanz of Lys is captive—Now if ye such grace can find
With his captors, that for your freedom his fetters they will unbind,
Such service I'ld gladly do him!' To the King of Avendroin
He spake, and to Duke Marangliess, and King Schirniel of Lirivoin. 810
And this oath must they swear unto him, ere they rode the walls within,
To loose Meljanz, or if they failed here, to help him the Grail to win.
But never a word could they tell him of where It was hid, the Grail,
Save 'twas guarded by King Anfortas, but further, their lore must fail.

When thus they spake, quoth the Red Knight, 'Then if it shall still betide
That my wish find not here fulfilment, ye to PelrapÄr shall ride,
And unto the fair queen yielding say, "He who in days of yore
Faced Kingron for her and KlamidÉ, for

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