The Moral and Spiritual import of the Grail-Legend
universally recognised--Popularity of the Arthurian Romance--
Reasons for that Popularity--Affinities of the Mediæval
Romances with early Celtic Literature; Importance of the
Individual Hero; Knighthood; the _rôle_ of Woman; the Celtic
Fairy and the Mediæval Lady; the Supernatural--M. Renan's
views--The Quest in English Literature, Malory--The earliest
form of the Legend, Chrestien, his continuators--The Queste
and its Ideal--The Sex-Relations in the Middle Ages--
Criticism of Mr. Furnivall's estimate of the moral import of
the Queste--The Merits of the Queste--The Chastity Ideal in
the later versions--Modern English Treatments: Tennyson,
Hawker--Possible Source of the Chastity Ideal in Popular
Tradition--The Perceval Quest in Wolfram; his Moral
Conception; the Question; Parzival and Conduiramur--The
Parzival Quest and Faust--Wagner's Parsifal--The Christian
element in the Legend--Ethical Ideas in the folk-tale
originals of the Grail Romances: the Great Fool; the Sleeping
Beauty--Conclusion page 228
APPENDIX A.: The Relationship of Wolfram to Chrestien page 261
APPENDIX B.: The Grand St. Graal Prologue and the Brandan
Legend page 264
INDEX I. The Dramatis Personæ of the Legend page 266
INDEX II. page 275
INTRODUCTION.
The present work is, as its title states, a collection of "Studies." It
does not profess to give an exhaustive or orderly account of the Grail
romance cycle; it deals with particular aspects of the legend, and makes
no pretence of exhausting even these.
It may be urged that as this is the case the basis of the work is too
broad for the superstructure, and that there was no need to give full
summaries of the leading forms of the legend, or to discuss at such length
their relation one to another, when it was only intended to follow up one
of the many problems which this romance cycle presents. Had there existed
any work in English which did in any measure what the writer has here
attempted to do, he would only too gladly have given more space and more
time to the elaboration of the special subject of these studies. But the
only work of the kind is in German, _Birch-Hirschfeld's Die Gralsage_.
Many interested in the Arthurian romances do not know German; and some who
profess an interest in them, and who do know German, are not, to judge by
their writings, acquainted with Birch-Hirschfeld's work. It seemed worth
while, therefore, to present the facts about the cycle with greater
fulness than would have been necessary had those facts been generally
accessible. The writer felt, too, that whatever judgment might be passed
upon his own speculations, his statements of fact might give his book some
value in the eyes of students. He also wished to give all who felt an
interest in the line of investigation he opened up the opportunity of
pursuing it further, or the means of checking his assertions and
conjectures.
The writer has taken his texts as he found them. He has studied the
subject matter of the romances, not the words in which they have been
handed down. Those who seek for philological disquisitions are, therefore,
warned that they will find nothing to interest them; and those scholars
who are well acquainted with the printed texts, but who are on the search
for fresh MS. evidence, must not look here for such. On the other hand, as
the printed texts are for the most of such rarity and price as to be
practically inaccessible to anyone not within reach of a large library,
the writer trusts that his abstract of them will be welcome to many. He
has striven to take note of all works of real value bearing upon the
subject. He endeavoured, though unsuccessfully, to obtain a copy of M.
Gaston Paris' account of the Arthurian romances which, though it has been
for some months in print, is not yet published.
The writer has done his best to separate the certain from the conjectural.
Like M. Renan, in a similar case, he begs the reader to supply the
"perhaps" and the "possibly's" that may sometimes have dropt out. The
whole subject is fraught with difficulty, and there are special reasons
why all results must for some time to come be looked upon as conjectural.
These are glanced at here and there in the course of these studies, but it
may be well to put them together in this place. Firstly, whatever opinions
be held as to which are the older forms of the legend, it is certain that
in no one case do we possess a primary form. All the versions that have
come down to us presuppose, even where they do not actually testify to, a
model. Two of the forms which there is substantial agreement in reckoning
among the oldest, the poems of Chrestien de Troyes and Robert de Borron,
were never finished by the authors; sequels exist to both, of a later date
and obviously affected by other forms of the legend. A reconstruction of
the original story is under these circumstances a task of great
uncertainty. So much for the difficulty inherent in the nature of the
evidence, a difficulty which it is to be feared will always beset the
student of this literature, as no new texts are likely to be found.
Secondly, this evidence, such as it is, is not accessible in a form of
which the most can be made. The most important member of the group, the
Conte du Graal, only exists in one text, and that from a late and poor
MS. It is certain that a critical edition, based upon a survey of the
entire MS. evidence, will throw great light upon all the questions here
treated of. The Mabinogi of Peredur has not yet been critically edited,
nor have the MSS. of the other romances yielded up all that can be learnt
from them. Thirdly, whatever opinion be held respecting the connection of
the North French romances and Celtic tradition, connection of some kind
must be admitted. Now the study of Celtic tradition is only beginning to
be placed upon a firm basis, and the stores of Celtic myth and legend are
only beginning to be thrown open to the non-Celtic scholar. Were there in
existence a Celtic parallel to Grimm's great work on German Mythology, the
views for which the writer contends would have been, in all likelihood,
admitted ere now, and there would have been no necessity for this work at
all.
Whilst some of the reasons which render the study of the Grail legends so
fascinating, because so problematic, will probably always remain in force,
others will vanish before the increase of knowledge. When the diplomatic
evidence is accessible in a trustworthy form; when the romances have
received all the light that can be shed upon them from Celtic history,
philology, and mythology, the future student will have a comparatively
easy task. One of the writer's chief objects has been to excite an
interest in these romances among those who are able to examine the Celtic
elements in them far more efficiently than he could do. Welsh philologists
can do much to explain the _Onomasticon Arthurianum_; Cymric history
generally may elucidate the subject matter. But as a whole Welsh
literature is late, meagre, and has kept little that is archaic. The study
of Irish promises far better results. Of all the races of modern Europe
the Irish have the most considerable and the most archaic mass of
pre-Christian traditions. By the side of their heroic traditional
literature that of Cymry or Teuton (High and Low), or Slav is recent,
scanty, and unoriginal.
A few words must be said in defence of the free use made of conjecture in
the course of these studies. This is well nigh unavoidable from the way in
which the texts we have to deal with have come down to us. What M. Renan
has said about the Hebrew historical scriptures is excellently exemplified
in the Grail romances. There was no fixed text, no definite or rounded
sequence of incidents, of which scribes respected the integrity. On the
contrary, each successive transcriber was only anxious to add some fresh
adventure to the interminable tale, and those MSS. were most thought of
which contained the greatest number of lines. The earlier MSS. have,
therefore, almost entirely disappeared, and we are dealing with works
which we know to have been composed in the twelfth century, but of which
we have only thirteenth or fourteenth century transcripts. Inconsistencies
in the conduct of the story are the inevitable consequence in most cases,
but sometimes the latest arranger had an eye for unity of effect, and
attained this by the simple process of altering the old account so as to
make it fit with the new. In dealing with the text of an _individual_
author, whether ancient or modern, it would be in the last degree
uncritical to explain difficulties by such hypotheses as the loss of an
earlier draft, or the foisting into the work of later and incongruous
incidents and conceptions. Not so in the case of the romances; this method
of explanation is natural and legitimate, but none the less is it largely
conjectural.
The writer may be blamed for not having presented his subject in a more
engaging and more lucid form. He would plead in excuse the circumstances
under which his work has been carried on. When the only hours of study are
those which remain after the claims, neither few nor light, of business
and other duties have been met, it is hard to give an appearance of unity
to a number of minute detail studies, and to weld them together into one
harmonious whole. The fact that the work has been written, and printed, at
considerable intervals of time may, it is hoped, be accepted as some
excuse for inconsistency in the terminology.
The writer has many acknowledgments to make. First and chief to Dr.
Birch-Hirschfeld, but for whose labours, covering well nigh the whole
field of the Grail cycle, he would not have been able to take in hand his
work at all; then to Dr. Furnivall, to whose enthusiasm and spirit the
publication of some of the most important texts are due. In these two
cases the writer acknowledges his gratitude with the more readiness that
he has felt compelled to come to an opposite conclusion from that arrived
at by Dr. Birch-Hirschfeld respecting the genesis and growth of the
legend, and because he has had to differ from Dr. Furnivall's estimate of
the moral value of the Galahad romances. To M. Hucher, to Mons. Ch.
Potvin, the editor, single-handed, of the Conte du Graal, to M. d'Arbois
de Jubainville, to Professor Ernst Martin, to the veteran San-Marte, to
Herr Otto Küpp, and to Herr Paul Steinbach, these studies owe much.
Professor Rhys' Hibbert Lectures came into the writer's hands as he was
preparing the latter portion of the book for the press; they were of great
service to him, and he was especially gratified to find opinions at which
he had arrived confirmed on altogether independent grounds by Professor
Rhys' high authority. The writer is also indebted to him, to Mr. H. L. D.
Ward, of the British Museum, and to his friend Mr. Egerton Phillimore for
help given while the sheets were passing through the press. Lastly, the
writer desires to pay an especial tribute of gratitude and respect to that
admirable scholar, J. F. Campbell. Of all the masters in folk-lore, Jacob
Grimm not excepted, none had a keener eye or surer, more instinctively
right judgment.
Although the writer admits, nay, insists upon the conjectural character of
his results, he believes he is on the right track, and that if the Grail
romances be worked out from any other point of view than the one here
taken, the same goal will be reached. It should be said that some of the
conclusions, which he can claim as his own by right of first mention, were
stated by him in a paper he read before the Folk-Lore Society in 1880
(afterwards reprinted, Celtic Magazine, 1887, August-October); and in a
paper he read before the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, in 1884.
These studies have been a delight and a solace to the writer; had it been
otherwise, he would still feel himself amply repaid for his work by the
thought that he had made a contribution, however slight, to the criticism
of the Legend of the Holy Grail.
ERRATA.
[The reader is kindly begged to mark in these corrections before using the
book.]
Page 22, line 12, _for_ Corbièrc _read_ Corbière.
" 25, line 37, _insert_ Passion _before_ Week.
" 30, 7 lines from bottom, _for_ Avallon _read_ Avalon.
" 85, line 24, _for_ Percival _read_ Perceval.
" 86, line 12, _for_ Percival _read_ Perceval.
" 90, 5 lines from bottom, _for_ Pelleur _read_ Pelleans.
" 102, line 22, _for_ seems _read_ seem.
" 120, line 3, _for_ 1180 _read_ 1189.
" 124, line 29, _for_ Bron _read_ Brons.
" 156, line 11, _insert_ comma _after_ specially.
" 159, line 11, _for_ Henessey _read_ Hennessy.
" 163, note, _i.e._, _for_ Graal _read_ Gaal.
" 183, line 23, _insert_ comma _after_ more.
" 188, line 5, _for_ euphemerised _read_ euhemerised.
" 188, line 5, _for_ invasion _read_ invasions.
" 188, line 17, _for_ mystic _read_ mythic.
" 189, line 1, _for_ LXXVII _read_ LXXXII.
" 197, note, _for_ Carl the Great _read_ Karl the Great.
" 200, line 12, _insert_ comma _after_ plight; _dele_ comma _after_
love.
" 201, 1 line from bottom, _insert_ late _before_ mediæval.
" 204, note, _for_ Percival _read_ Perceval.
" 217, line 23, _for_ mystic _read_ mythic.
STUDIES ON THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL.
CHAPTER I.
Description of the leading forms of the Romance: Conte del
Graal--Joseph d'Arimathie--Didot-Perceval--Queste del Saint
Graal--Grand Saint Graal--Parzival--Perceval le Gallois--Mabinogi of
Peredur--Sir Perceval--Diu Crône--Information respecting date and
authorship of these works in the MSS.
The following are the forms in which the Legend of the Holy Grail has come
down to us:--
A.--=Le Conte del Graal=, a poem of over 60,000 verses, the major part of
which (45,379 verses) was printed for the first time by Potvin: Le Conte
del Graal, six volumes, 8vo. (vols. ii.-vi. containing our poem), Mons,
1866-71, from a MS. preserved in the Mons Library.[1] The portion of the
poem which is not printed in full is summarised by Potvin in the sixth
volume of his edition. The poem, so far as at present known, is the work
of four men:
A I. Chrestien de Troyes, who carried the work down to verse 10,601.
A II. Gautier de Doulens, who continued it to verse 34,934.
A III. Manessier, who finished it in 45,379 verses.
A IV. Gerbert, to whom are due over 15,000 verses, mostly found
interpolated between Gautier de Doulens and Manessier.
A MS. preserved in the Library of Montpellier[2] differs in important
respects from the Mons one as far as Gautier de Doulens and Manessier are
concerned. It intercalates 228 verses between verses 20,294 and 20,296 of
the Mons MS., and gives a different redaction of verses 34,996-35,128 in
agreement with the aforesaid intercalation. It likewise mentions two
visits of Gawain to the Grail Castle. The intercalation in Gautier may be
called A II_a_, and the variant in Manessier A III_a_.
B.--=Joseph d'Arimathie, Merlin=, exists in two forms: (1) a fragmentary
metrical version entitled in the sole existing MS. (Bibliothèque
Nationale, No. 20,047. Fonds St. Germain, No. 1,987) Li R(o)manz de l'est
(o)ire dou Graal, and consisting of 4,018 verses, 3,514 for the Joseph,
the remainder, for about one-fifth of the Merlin. First printed by
Francisque Michel: Le Roman du St. Graal. Bordeaux, 1841. Secondly by
Furnivall: Seynt Graal or the Sank Ryal. Printed for the Roxburghe Club,
two volumes, 4to., London, 1861-63, where it is found in an appendix at
the end of vol i. (2) A prose version of which several MSS. exist, all of
which are fully described by E. Hucher: Le Saint-Graal, ou le Joseph
d'Arimathie, three volumes, 12mo., Le Mans, 1875-78, vol. i., pp. 1-28.
The chief are: the Cangé MS. (_circa_ 1250) of which Hucher prints the
Joseph, vol. i., pp. 209-276, and the Didot MS., written in 1301, of which
Hucher prints the Joseph, vol. i., pp. 277-333. Hucher likewise gives,
vol. i., pp. 335-365, variants from the Huth MS. (_circa_ 1280).
These different versions may be numbered as follows:--
B I. The metrical version, which I shall always quote as Metr. Jos.,
from Furnivall's edition.
B II. The prose versions: B II_a_, Cangé Jos.; B II_b_, Didot Jos.; B
II_c_, Huth Jos., all quoted from Hucher, vol. i.
C.--=Perceval=, prose romance found in the already-mentioned Didot MS. at
the end of the Merlin, printed by Hucher, vol. i., pp. 415-505, from which
it will be quoted as Didot-Perceval.
D.--=Queste del Saint Graal=, prose romance commonly found in the MSS. in
combination with Lancelot and the Mort Artur. Edited by Furnivall: La
Queste del St. Graal. Printed for the Roxburghe Club, 4to., London, 1864.
The introduction contains a full account of the existing MSS. A different
redaction from that of any of the known French MSS. is preserved in a
Welsh translation, printed, with a modern English version by the editor,
from a fifteenth century Hengwrt MS., by the Rev. Robert Williams: Y Seint
Graal, London, 8vo., 1876. I shall quote--
D I. Queste, from Furnivall's edition.
D II. Welsh Quest, from Williams' edition.
E.--The so-called =Grand Saint Graal=, prose romance found in the MSS.,
both preceding the Merlin and the Queste, and preceding the Queste and the
Mort Artur. Printed by Furnivall from Cambridge and Brit. Mus. MSS.,
together with a metrical English adaptation by Henry Lonelich, of about
the time of Henry the VIth, in the already-mentioned Seynt Graal; and by
Hucher, vols. ii. and iii., from a Le Mans MS.; will be quoted as Grand
St. Graal, from Furnivall's edition.
F.--=Parzival=, by Wolfram von Eschenbach, German metrical romance,
critically edited from the MSS. by Karl Lachmann, Wolfram von Eschenbach,
Vierte Ausgabe, 8vo., Berlin, 1879, from which it will be quoted as
Wolfram.
G.--=Perceval le Gallois=, prose romance, first printed by Potvin, vol. i.
of his Conte del Graal, from a Mons MS., with variants from a fragmentary
Berne MS. (as to both of which see pp. 353, etc.). A Welsh translation,
with modern English version by the editor, made from a MS. closely allied
to the Berne fragments, and representing a superior text to that printed
by Potvin, in Williams' already-mentioned Y Seint Graal.
Besides these works there exist two versions of the Perceval legend in
which the Holy Grail, as such, does not appear. These are:--
H.--=The Mabinogi of Peredur, the son of Evrawc=, Welsh prose romance
found in the Red Book of Hergest, a MS. of the end of the fourteenth
century, and in MSS. a hundred years older. I shall quote it as Peredur,
from Lady Guest's English translation of the Mabinogion, 8vo., London,
1877.
I.--=Sir Perceval of Galles=, English metrical romance, printed for the
first time from the Thornton MS., of _circa_ 1440, by Halliwell: The
Thornton Romances, printed for the Camden Society, small 4to., London,
1884; from which I shall quote it as Sir Perceval.
Finally there exists an independent German version of certain adventures,
the hero of which in the Conte du Graal, in Wolfram, and in the Mabinogi,
is Gawain. This is--
K.--=Heinrich von dem Türlin.= Diu Crône. Edited by G. H. F. Scholl.
Bibliothek des Litterarischen Vereins, vol. xxvii., Stuttgart, 1852.
The positive information which the different MSS. of the above mentioned
works afford respecting their authors, date of composition, sources, etc.,
is as follows:--In the prologue to his poem, Chrestien (Potvin i., pp.
307-308) dedicates his work to "Li quens Felippes de Flandres," who as he
states (verse 67), "li bailla le livre," which served him as model, and
whom he praises at great length as surpassing Alexander. We know that
Count Philip of Flanders took the cross in 1188, set out for the Holy Land
in 1190, and died on the 1st of June, 1191, before Akkon.[3] As Chrestien
says not a word about the crusading intentions of Philip, it may be
inferred that he wrote his prologue before 1188, and began the poem in
1189 at the latest. Gautier de Doulens (probably of that ilk, in Picardy,
some miles from Amiens)[4] has only left his name, verse 33,755, Gautiers
de Dons qui l'estore, etc. Manessier the next continuator has been more
explicit; he describes himself as completing the work at the command
of ...
Jehanne la Comtesse
Qu'est de Flandre dame et mestresse.
(Potvin, vi., p. 157.)
This Joan, daughter of Baldwin the VIth, ruled Flanders _alone_ during the
imprisonment of her husband after the battle of Bouvines (1214-1227), and
Manessier's words can only apply to her during this period, so that his
continuation must have been written between 1214-1227.[5] The third
continuator, Gerbers, only mentions his name (Potvin, vi., p. 212).
The author of version B, names himself, B I, verse 3,461, Messires Roberz
de Beron; verses 3,488-94 state that no mortal man had told the story,
until he had it from
Mon seigneur Gautier en peis
Qui de Mont Belyal estoit.
Verse 3,155 gives the name somewhat differently, Meistres Robers dist de
Bouron. The prose versions follow the poem with additions, thus Cangé Jos.
(p. 275); Messires Roberz de Borron lou restrait à mon seigneur Gautier,
lou preu conte de Mobéliart.
Walter of Montbeliard, brother to Count Richard of Montbeliard, went to
the Holy Land in 1199, became Constable of Jerusalem, Regent of Cyprus,
and died in 1212. The date of his birth is uncertain, but as his elder
brother died in 1237, Walter could hardly have been born before 1150. His
father, Amadeus, died in 1183, in which year he received the countship of
Montfaucon. It may only have been after he thus became independent that
Robert entered his service. In any case Robert could not have spoken of
him as "mon seigneur," before 1170. That year may, therefore, be taken as
a _terminus a quo_, and the year 1212 as a _terminus ad quem_ for dating
these versions.
The Grand St. Graal is likewise ascribed in the MSS. to Robert de Borron,
and it is further stated that he translated from Latin into French--Et
ensi le temoigne me sires robiers de borron qui a translatee de latin en
franchois cheste estoire (ii. p. 78).
The Queste ascribed in the MSS. to Walter Mapes, is said to have been
compiled by him for the love of his lord, King Henry--maistre Gautiers Map
les extrait pour l'amor del roy Henri son seignor, qui fist l'estore
translater du latin en francois[6]--Walter Mapes, born before 1143 (he
presided at the assizes of Gloucester in 1173), died in 1210. If we may
believe the MSS., the Queste would probably fall within the last
twenty-five years of the twelfth century.
The author of Perceval le Gallois describes himself (Potvin, i., 348) as
writing the book for the "Seignor de Neele," whose Christian name,
"Johan," is given four lines lower down, at the command of the "Seingnor
de Cambresis," _i.e._, the Bishop of Cambray. This John of Nesle is
probably the one who in the year 1225 sold the lordship of Bruges to
Countess Joan of Flanders.[7]
Wolfram von Eschenbach, of that ilk, in North Bavaria, born in the last
thirty years of the twelfth century, died about 1220. He knew Chrestien's
poem well, and repeatedly refers to it, but with great contempt, as being
the wrong version of the story, whereas he holds the true version from
Kyot, the singer, a "Provenzal," who found the tale of Parzival written in
heathen tongue at Dôlet (Toledo), by Flegetanis, a heathen who first
taught concerning the Grail, put it into French, and after searching the
chronicles of Britain, France, and Ireland in vain, at length found
information in the chronicles of Anjou (pp. 202 and 219).
Nothing is stated in the works themselves respecting the authors of the
Mabinogi and the Thornton Sir Perceval.
Heinrich von dem Türlin frequently quotes Chrestien as his authority,
_e.g._, verses 16,941, 23,046, 23,982.
If these various statements are to be accepted, it follows that in the
course of fifty years (1170-1220) a great body of romance came into
existence, partly in France, Chrestien, his continuators, and Robert de
Borron; partly in England, Walter Mapes; and partly in Germany, Wolfram
von Eschenbach, and Heinrich von dem Türlin. Of this body of romance only
a portion has come down to us, the work of Kyot and the Latin originals of
the Queste and the Grand St. Graal having disappeared. Furthermore, it is
only possible to date with any accuracy three or four of the works, viz.,
Chrestien, Manessier, Wolfram (whose poem falls certainly within the first
ten years of the thirteenth century), though it may also be taken as
certain that R. de Borron wrote after 1170, and the anonymous author of
Perceval le Gallois before 1225. Of the dated works Chrestien's is the
oldest, 1188-90, and it postulates the existence of previous versions.
The object of the present investigation being to determine, as far as
possible, the age and relationship to one another of the different
versions which have come down to us, to exhibit the oldest form of the
story as we have it, and to connect it with Celtic traditional belief and
literature, it will be well, before proceeding to further discuss the
various points left doubtful by the evidence gathered from the MSS., to
give clear and detailed summaries of the most important versions.
CHAPTER II.
Summaries--Conte du Graal: Pseudo-Chrestien, Chrestien, Gautier de
Doulens, Manessier, Gerbert--Wolfram--Heinrich von dem
Türlin--Didot-Perceval--Mabinogi of Peredur--Thornton MS. Sir
Perceval--Queste del Saint Graal--Grand Saint Graal--Robert de
Borron's poem, Joseph of Arimathea.
=The Conte du Graal.=--PSEUDO-CHRESTIEN.[8]--The story tells of the
"Graal," whose mysteries, if Master Blihis lie not, none may reveal; it
falls into seven parts, and shows how the rich land of Logres was
destroyed. (1) In the wells and springs of that land harboured damsels who
fed the wayfarer with meat and pasties and bread. But King Amangons did
wrong to one and carried off her golden cup, so that never more came
damsels out of the springs to comfort the wanderer. And the men of King
Amangons followed his evil example. Thereafter the springs dried up, and
the grass withered, and the land became waste, and no more might be found
the court of the Rich Fisher, which had filled the land with plenty and
splendour. (2) The Knights of the Table Round, learning the ill done to
the damsels, set forth to protect them; they found them not, but fair
damsels wandering in the woods, each with her knight; with the latter they
strove, and when they overcame them sent them to Arthur. Thus came Blihos
Bliheris to Arthur's court conquered by Gauvain; he knew goodly tales and
he told how the wandering damsels were sprung from those ravished by King
Amangons. So long would they wander till God gave them to find the court,
whence joy and splendour would come to the land. (3) Arthur's knights
resolved to seek the court of the Rich Fisher--much knew he of black art,
more than an hundred times changed he his semblance, that no man seeing
him again recognised him. Gauvain found it, and had great joy therefrom;
but before him a young knight, small of age, but none bolder of
courage--Percevaus li Galois was he--he asked whereto the Grail served,
but nought of the lance why it dripped blood, nor of the sword one half of
which was away whilst the other lay in the bier. But he asked surely
concerning the rich cross of silver. Now in the room three times there
arose such great sorrow that no man who heard it, so bold he might be but
feared. Afterwards the room filled and the king came in, full richly
dressed, so that he might hardly be known of them that had seen him the
day before, fishing. And when all were sat down the Grail came in, and
without serjeant nor seneschal served all present, and 'twas wonder what
food it gave them. And then came the great marvel which has not its like.
But Perceval will tell of this, so I must say no more; it is a great shame
to tell beforehand what is in a good tale. When the good knight shall come
who found the court three times you shall hear me tell of Grail and lance,
and of him who lay in the bier, of the sword, of the grief and swooning of
all beholders. (4) Now the court was found seven times, and each time
shall have a fresh tale:--
The seventh (the most pleasing) tells of the lance wherewith Longis
pierced the side of the King of holy Majesty;
The sixth of warlike feats;
The fifth of the anger and loss of Huden; The fourth of heaven, for he
was no coward, the knight Mors del Calan, who first came to Glamorgan;
The third of the hawk whereof Castrars had such fear--Pecorins, the
son of Amangons, bore all his days the wound on his forehead;
The second has not yet been told; it tells of the great sorrows
Lancelot of the Lake had there where he lost his virtue;
And the last is the adventure of the shield, never a better one was
there.
(5) After this adventure the land was repeopled; court and grail were
found; the streams ran again; the meadows were green, the forests thick
and leafy; so that all folk marvelled. But there came back a folk, the
same that came out of the springs (save they were not cooks), a caitiff
set, and built for their damsels the rich Maidens' Castel, and the Bridge
Perillous, and Castel Orguellous, and warred against the Table Round. In
the castle were 376, each sire of 20 knights. And not till after four
years did Arthur overcome them and was there peace.
_(Here beginneth the Story of the Grail.)_
(6) There were in the land of Wales twelve knights, of whom Bliocadrans
alone survived, so eager were they in seeking tournament and combats.
After living for two years with his wife, childless, Bliocadrans set forth
to a tournament given by the King of Wales and Cornwall against them of
the Waste Fountain. At first successful, he is at length slain. A few days
after his departure his wife has borne a son. When at length she learns
her husband's death, she takes counsel with her chamberlain, and
pretending a pilgrimage to St. Brandan, in Scotland, withdraws to the
Waste Forest far removed from all men. Here she brings up her son, and
though she allows him to hunt in the forest, warns him against men covered
with iron--they are devils. He promises to follow her counsel, and
thenceforth he goes into the forest alone.
=The Conte du Graal.=--(_a_) CHRESTIEN.--(1) When as trees and meadows
deck themselves with green, and birds sing, the son of the widow lady goes
out into the wood. He meets five knights, and, as their weapons shine in
the sun, takes them for angels, after having first thought them to be the
devils his mother had warned him against. He prays to them as his mother
has taught him. One of the knights asks if he has seen five knights and
three maidens who had passed that way, but he can but reply with questions
concerning the arms and trappings of the knights. He learns of Arthur the
King who makes knights, and when he returns to his mother tells her he has
beheld a more beautiful thing than God and His angels, knights namely, and
he too will become one. In vain his mother tells him of his father's and
his two elder brothers' fates, slain in battle. Nothing will serve, so the
mother makes him a dress of coarse linen and leather, and before he leaves
counsels him as follows: If dame or damsel seek his aid he is to give it,
he is to do naught displeasing to them, but to kiss the maiden who is
willing, and to take ring and girdle of her if he can; to go for long with
no fellow-traveller whose name he knows not, to speak with and consort
with worthy men, to pray to our Lord when he comes to church or convent.
She then tells him of Jesus Christ, the Holy Prophet. He departs clad and
armed in Welsh fashion, and his mother swoons as though dead. (2) Perceval
comes to a tent in the wood, and, taking it for a convent, goes in and
finds sleeping on a bed a damsel, whom the neighing of his horse wakes. In
pursuance of his mother's counsel he kisses her more than twenty times,
takes her ring from her, and eats and drinks of her provisions. Thereafter
he rides forth, and her lover returning and hearing what has taken place,
swears to avenge himself upon the intruder, and until such time the
damsel, whose tale he disbelieves, is to follow him barefoot and not to
change her raiment. (3) Perceval learns the way to Carduel from a
charcoal-burner; arrived there, he sees a knight coming forth from the
castle and bearing a golden cup in his hand, clad in red armour, who
complains of Arthur as having robbed him of his land. Perceval rides into
the castle hall and finds the court at meat. Arthur, lost in thought, pays
no attention to the first two salutations of Perceval, who then turns his
horse to depart, and in so doing knocks off the King's hat. Arthur then
tells him how the Red Knight has carried off his cup, spilling its
contents over the Queen. Perceval cares not a rap for all this, but asks
to be made knight, whereat all laugh. Perceval insists, and claims the Red
Knight's armour. Kex bids him fetch them, whereat the King is displeased.
Perceval greets a damsel, who laughs and foretells he shall be the best
knight in the world. For this saying Kex strikes her, and kicks into the
fire a fool who had been wont to repeat that the damsel would not laugh
till she beheld the best of knights. (4) Perceval tarries no longer, but
follows the Red Knight, and bids him give up his arms and armour. They
fight, and Perceval slays his adversary with a cast of his dart. Yonès,
who has followed him, finds him put to it to remove the knight's
armour--he will burn him out of it if need be--and shows him how to
disarm the dead man and to arm himself. Perceval then mounts the knight's
steed and rides off, leaving the cup to Yonés to be given to the King,
with this message: he, Perceval, would come back to avenge the damsel of
the blow Kex struck her. (5) Perceval comes to a castle, in front of which
he finds an old knight, to whom he relates what has befallen him, and of
whom he asks counsel as his mother bade him. The knight, Gonemans of
Gelbort, takes him into his castle, teaches him the use of arms, and all
knightly practices. In especial he is to avoid over-readiness in speaking
and in asking questions, and to give over his habit of always quoting his
mother's counsels. He then dubs him knight, and sends him forth to return
to his mother. (6) After a day's journey Perceval comes to a town defended
by a castle, and, being allowed entrance therein, finds all waste and
deserted, even the very convents. The lady of the castle, a damsel of
surpassing beauty, welcomes him and bids him to table. Mindful of
Gonemans' counsels he remains silent, and she must speak to him first. She
turns out to be Gonemans' niece. At night the young stranger is shown to
his chamber, but the damsel cannot sleep for thought. Weeping she comes to
Perceval's bedside, and in reply to his wondering questions tells him how
the forces of King Clamadex encompass the castle, and how that on the
morrow she must yield, but rather than be Clamadex's she will slay
herself. He promises to help her, and bids her to him in the bed, which
she does, and they pass the night in each other's arms, mouth to mouth. On
the morrow he begs for her love in return for his promised aid, which she
half refuses, the more to urge him on. He fights with and overcomes
Aguigrenons, Clamadex's marshal, and sends him to Arthur's court. Clamadex
hearing of this tries afresh to starve out the castle, but a storm luckily
throws a passing ship ashore, and thereby reprovisions the besieged ones.
Clamadex then challenges Perceval, is overcome, and sent to Arthur's
court, where he arrives shortly after his marshal. They relate wonders
concerning the Red Knight, and the King is more than ever displeased with
Kex for having offended such a valiant warrior. After remaining for a
while with Blanchefleur, Perceval takes leave of her, as he longs to see
his mother again. (7) He comes to a river, upon which is a boat, and
therein two men fishing. One of them, in reply to his questions, directs
him for a night's shelter to his own castle hard by. Perceval starts for
it, and at first unable to find it reproaches the fisher. Suddenly he
perceives the castle before him, enters therein, is disarmed, clad in a
scarlet mantle, and led into a great hall. Therein is a couch upon which
lies an old man; near him is a fire, around which some four hundred men
are sitting. Perceval tells his host he had come from Biau-Repaire. A
squire enters, bearing a sword, and on it is written that it will never
break save in one peril, and that known only to the maker of it. 'Tis a
present from the host's niece to be bestowed where it will be well
employed. The host gives it to Perceval, "to whom it was adjudged and
destined." Hereupon enters another squire, bearing in his hand a lance,
from the head of which a drop of blood runs down on the squire's hand.
Perceval would have asked concerning this wonder, but he minds him of
Gonemans' counsel not to speak or inquire too much. Two more squires
enter, holding each a ten-branched candlestick, and with them a damsel, a
"graal" in her hands. The graal shines so that it puts out the light of
the candles as the sun does that of the stars. Thereafter follows a damsel
holding a (silver) plate. All defile past between the fire and the couch,
but Perceval does not venture to ask wherefore the graal is used. Supper
follows, and the graal is again brought, and Perceval, knowing not its
use, had fain asked, but always refrains when he thinks of Gonemans, and
finally puts off his questions till the morrow. After supper the guest is
led to his chamber, and on the morrow, awakening, finds the castle
deserted. No one answers his calls. Issuing forth he finds his horse
saddled and the drawbridge down. Thinking to find the castle dwellers in
the forest he rides forth, but the drawbridge closes so suddenly behind
him that had not the horse leapt quickly forward it had gone hard with
steed and rider. In vain Perceval calls: none answer. (8) He pricks on and
comes to an oak, beneath which sits a maid holding a dead knight in her
arms and lamenting over him. She asks him where he has passed the night,
and on learning it tells him the fisher who had directed him to the castle
and his host were one and the same; wounded by a spear thrust through both
thighs his only solace is in fishing, whence he is called the Fisher King.
She asks, had Perceval seen the bleeding lance, the graal, and the silver
dish? had he asked their meaning? No; then what is his name? He does not
know it, but she guesses it: Perceval le Gallois; but it should be
Perceval the Caitiff, for had he asked concerning what he saw, the good
king would have been made whole again, and great good have sprung
therefrom. He has also a heavy sin on his conscience in that his mother
died of grief when he left her. She herself is his cousin. Perceval asks
concerning the dead knight, and learning it is her lover offers to revenge
her upon his slayer. In return she tells him about the sword, how it will
fly in pieces if he have not care of it, and how it may be made whole
again by dipping it in a lake, near which dwells its maker, the smith
Trebucet. (9) Perceval leaves his cousin and meets, riding on a wretched
horse, a scantily and shabbily clad woman of miserable appearance,
lamenting her hard fate and unjust treatment. She is the lady of the tent
whose ring Perceval had carried off. She bids him fly her husband, the
Orgellous de la Lande. The latter appears, challenges Perceval, but is
overcome by him, convinced of his wife's innocence, compelled to take her
into favour again, and both must go to Arthur's court, relate the whole
story, and renew Perceval's promise to the damsel whom Kex had struck, to
avenge her. Arthur, when he hears of the deeds of the young hero, sets
forth with his whole court to seek him. (10) Snow has fallen, and a flock
of wild geese, blinded by the snow, has had one of its number wounded by a
falcon. Three blood drops have fallen on the snow, and Perceval beholding
them falls into deep thought on the red and white in his love's face.
Arthur and his knights come up with him. Saigremors sees him first, bids
him come, and, when he answers no word, tilts against him, but is
overthrown. Kex then trys his luck, but is unhorsed so rudely that arm and
leg are broken. Gauvain declares that love must be mastering the strange
knight's thoughts, approaches him courteously, tells his own name and
learns Perceval's, and brings the latter to Arthur, by whom he is received
with all honour. Perceval then learns it is Kex he has overthrown, thus
fulfilling his promise to the damsel whom Kex had smitten, and whose
knight he offers himself to be. (11) Perceval returns on the morrow with
the court to Carlion, and the next day at noon there comes riding on a
yellow mule a damsel more hideous than could be pictured outside hell. She
curses Perceval for having omitted to ask concerning the lance and graal;
had he done so the King would have been healed of his wound and ruled his
land in peace; now maidens will be put to shame, orphans and widows made,
and many knights slain. Turning to the King she tells of the adventures to
be achieved at the Castel Orgellous, where dwell five hundred and seventy
knights, each with his lady love. He, though, who would win the highest
renown must to Montesclaire to free the damsel held captive there. She
then departs. Gauvain will forth to the imprisoned damsel, Giflès to the
Castel Orgellous, and Perceval swears to rest no two nights in the same
place till he have learnt concerning graal and lance. (12) A knight,
Guigambresil, enters and accuses Gauvain of having slain his lord. The
latter sets forth at once to the King of Cavalon to clear himself of this
accusation. (13) On his way he meets the host of Melians, who is preparing
to take part in a tournament to approve himself worthy the love of the
daughter of Tiebaut of Tingaguel, who had hitherto refused his suit.
Gauvain rides on to Tingaguel to help its lord. On arriving at the castle
the eldest daughter jeers at him, whilst the youngest takes his part,
declaring him a better knight than Melians, whereat her sister is very
indignant. On the first day of the tournament Melians shows himself the
best knight, but the younger sister still declares her faith in Gauvain,
and has her ears boxed in consequence. She appeals to Gauvain to be her
knight and avenge the injury done her. He consents, overcomes Melians,
whose horse he sends to his little lady, and all other knights; then,
after telling his name, rides forth. (14) He meets two knights, the
younger of whom offers him hospitality, and sends him to his sister,
bidding her welcome him. She receives him kindly, and when, struck with
her beauty, he asks her favours, grants them at once. They are interrupted
by a steward, who reproaches her with giving her love to her father's
murderer, and calls upon the castle folk to attack Gauvain. The latter
defends himself until the return of Guigambresil, who reproaches the lord
of the castle for letting Gauvain be attacked, as he had expressed his
readiness to do single combat. Gauvain is then allowed to go, and is
excused the combat if within a year he can bring back the bleeding lance.
He sets off in search of it. (15) The tale returns to Perceval, who has
wandered about for five years without thinking of God, yet performing many
feats. He meets three knights accompanied by ladies, all clad in
penitents' dress. 'Twas a Good Friday, and the eldest knight rebukes
Perceval for riding fully armed on such a day. He must confess him to a
holy hermit who lives hard by. Perceval goes thither, accuses himself of
having forgotten God through his great grief at not learning the use of
the graal. The hermit reveals himself as his uncle, tells Perceval that he
is in sin as having caused his mother's death, and for that reason he
could not ask concerning lance and graal; but for her prayers he had not
lived till now. Perceval remains two days with his uncle, receives
absolution, and rides forth. (16) The story turns to Gauvain, who, after
Escalavon, finds beneath an oak a damsel lamenting over a wounded knight;
the latter advises Gauvain to push on, which he does, and comes upon a
damsel who receives him discourteously, and when at her bidding he has
fetched her horse from a garden hard by, mocks at him and rides off. He
follows, and culls on the way herbs with which he heals the wounded
knight. A squire rides up very hideous of aspect, mounted on a wretched
hack. Gauvain chastises him for discourteous answers; meanwhile the
wounded knight makes off with Gauvain's steed, making himself known as
Griogoras, whom Gauvain had once punished for ill-doing, Gauvain has to
follow the damsel upon the squire's hack, comes to a river, on the other
side of which is a castle, overcomes a knight who attacks him, during
which the damsel vanishes, is ferried across the stream, giving the
vanquished knight to the ferryman as toll; (17) comes on the morrow to the
Magic Castle, wherein damsels are held fast, awaiting a knight full of all
knightly virtues to restore their lands to the ladies, marry the damsels,
and put an end to the enchantments of the palace. Upon entering, Gauvain
sees a magnificent bed, seats himself therein, is assailed by magic art,
overcomes a lion, and is then acclaimed lord of the castle. He would then
leave the castle, but the ferryman says he may not, whereat Gauvain is
moved to anger. On the morrow, looking forth, Gauvain beholds the (18)
damsel who led him to the ford, accompanied by a knight. He hastens forth,
overcomes the knight, seeks again the damsel's love, but is sent by her to
the Ford Perillous. Here he meets Guiromelant, who loves Gauvain's sister,
Clarissant, a dweller in the Magic Castle. A combat is arranged to take
place after seven days. Upon his return to the damsel, named Orgellouse de
Logres, he is now well received by her. She hates Guiromelant for having
slain her lover, and has long sought a good knight to avenge her.
Guiromelant on his side hates Gauvain for having, as he says,
treacherously killed his father. Gauvain and Orgellouse return to the
Magic Castle. One of the queens who dwells there is mother to Arthur; the
second one, his daughter, mother to Gauvain. The latter gives his sister
Clarissant a ring Guiromelant had begged him, unknowing who he was, to
bring to her. He then sends a knight to Arthur to bid him and his whole
train come witness the fight 'twixt him and Guiromelant. The messenger
finds Arthur plunged in grief at Gauvain's absence....
* * * * *
Here Chrestien's share breaks off abruptly in the middle of a sentence,
and the poem is taken up by
(_b_) GAUTIER DE DOULENS.[9]--(1) Arthur and his court accept Gauvain's
invitation and make for the Castle of Wonders, the Queen whereof has
meantime made herself known to Gauvain as Ygène, Arthur's mother. The duel
between Gauvain and Guiromelant is hindered, and the latter weds Gauvain's
sister. (Montp. MS. here inserts a first visit of Gawain to Grail Castle,
which is substantially the same as the one it repeats afterwards in the
same place as the Mons MS.) Adventures of Arthur and Gauvain against Brun
de Branlant follow, of Gauvain with a maiden in a tent and her brother
Brandalis, of Carduel of Nantes, whose wife is beloved of the magician
Garahiet, and of their son Carados, and the magic horn (verses
11,000-15,800). (2) (A fresh series of adventures begins) Arthur sets
forth to seek Giflet, son of Dos; Gauvain meets again with Brandalis,
whose sister has meanwhile borne him a son; Castel Orgellous, where Giflet
is imprisoned, is captured; Gauvain's son by Brandalis' sister is lost.
(3) An unknown knight comes to Arthur's court; Keie, who demands his name,
is unhorsed; Gauvain brings the unknown to the court, but the latter is
slain by a javelin cast by invisible hands. Gauvain equips himself in the
unknown's armour and starts forth to learn the latter's name. After
praying in a chapel, in which he beholds a light on the altar quenched by
a black hand, he rides through Brittany and Normandy, and comes to a
castle where, owing to his armour, he is at first hailed as lord. In one
of the rooms stands a bier, whereon lies a knight, cross and broken sword
upon his body, his left hand bleeding. A crowned knight enters and goes to
battle with Gauvain; canons and clerks come and perform the Vigil of the
Dead; whilst at table Gauvain sees the rich Grail serving out bread and
wine to the knights. Gauvain remains alone after the meal; he sees a lance
which bleeds into a silver cup. The crowned knight again enters, bearing
in his hand a broken sword which had belonged to the unknown knight, over
whom he mourns. He hands the sword to Gauvain and asks him to put the
pieces together. Gauvain cannot, whereupon the knight declares him unfit
to fulfil the quest (_li besoin_) on which he came. Later he may try
again. Gauvain asks concerning lance, sword, and bier. The lance, he is
told, is the one wherewith the Son of God was pierced in the side, 'twill
bleed till Doomsday. The tale of the broken sword which brought so much
woe upon the kingdom of Logres will also be told, but here Gauvain falls
fast asleep.[10] On the morrow he wakes, and finds himself on the sea
strand. He rides off, and behold the country has burst into green leaf,
and the reason thereof is his having asked concerning the lance. The
countryfolk both bless and curse him for having so far delivered them and
for not having completed the deliverance by asking concerning the Grail.
(4) He meets a young knight who turns out to be his son. (5) (Adventures
in which Carahiès, Gauvain's brother, is chief actor.) (6) The story
returns to Perceval, who, after leaving the hermit, rides for three days
and comes to a castle, over the door of which hangs a horn. Perceval blows
therein, overcomes the knight who answers the challenge, and sends him to
Arthur's court. (7) On his way to the Castle of Mont Orgellous, to the
pillar of which only an accomplished knight might tie his horse, he comes
to the stream on whose banks he had previously met the Fisher King.
Seeking for a bridge he meets a damsel on a mule, who, under pretence of
showing a way across the river, tries to drown him. He then comes to a
castle, which entering he finds untenanted. In the hall stands a
chessboard. Perceval plays, is beaten, seizes the board and makes as if to
throw it in the moat. Hereupon a damsel rises from the water to stay his
hand, and coming into the room reproaches him. Overcome by her beauty he
asks her favours. She will grant them if he bring the head of the stag
which roams in the castle park. Thereto she lends him her hound, bidding
him be sure he return it. The hunt follows; Perceval overtakes the stag,
slays it, and cutting off its head prepares to bring it back, when a maid
of ill-chance (_pucelle de malaire_) takes and carries it off. Perceval
claiming it is reproached by her for having slain her stag, but told he
may win again the hound if he go to a mound whereon a knight is painted
and say, "Vassal, what doest thou here?" The combat with the Knight of the
Tomb follows, during which hound and stag's head are carried off by
another knight, whom Perceval can only follow when he has overcome the
Knight of the Tomb and driven him back therein. Now this knight, hight the
Black Knight, had dwelt there summer and winter five years, striving with
all-comers for the sake of his love. Perceval, following up the Robber
Knight, meets the damsel who had carried off the hound, but she only mocks
him for answer to his questions. (8) After an adventure with a
discourteous knight, Perceval meets at length a brother of the Red Knight
whom he had formerly slain, who tells him he had seen the daughter of the
Fisher King, and she had told him of a knight who had carried off a hound
and stag's head belonging to a good knight who had been at her court, and
had omitted to ask concerning the grail, for which reason she had taken
his hound and refused him help to follow the Robber Knight. (9) Perceval
is directed by the Red Knight's brother to the Fisher King's castle, but
misses his way, and after an adventure at a castle, where he slays a lion,
overcomes Abrioris and sends him to Arthur; finds a damsel mourning over a
knight slain by a giant, whom he kills, achieves the feat of the Ford
Amorous, meets and fights with Gauvain's son until they learn who each
other is, and at length comes to Belrepaire. (10) At first unrecognised by
Blanchefleur he makes himself known, stays with her three days, and then
rides off, in spite of her entreaties. (11) He meets Rosette (the loathly
damsel) and Le Biaus Mauvais, laughs at the former, is challenged by the
latter, whom he overcomes and sends to Arthur. (12) He comes to his
mother's house, enters without making himself known, learns from his
sister that his mother died at his departure ten years before, tells her
who he is, and both set forth to their uncle, the hermit. On the way
Perceval slays a knight who offers violence to his sister. They come to
their uncle, sleep there, and on the morrow Perceval reveals himself,
confesses, is reproved for having slain the knight the day before.
Perceval, after mentioning his desire to learn more concerning lance,
Grail, and sword, and receiving good advice from the hermit, leaves with
his sister, with whom he stays three days and then quits her, despite her
piteous entreaties. (12_a_) Perceval comes to the Castle of Maidens, where
he falls untimely asleep, and on the morrow finds himself in the forest,
far from any castle. (13) Perceval finds the damsel who had carried off
the hound, fights with her knight, Garalas, overcomes him, learns that the
Knight of the Tomb is his brother, who had lived for ten years with a fay
in a magic invisible castle, and had met no one to overcome him until
Perceval came. Perceval sends both knight and damsel to Arthur. (14)
Perceval meets with a white mule led by a damsel; he joins her, although
she entreats him not to do so. Suddenly struck by a great light in the
forest, he turns to ask his companion what it might mean, but finds her
gone. A violent storm comes on. The morrow he meets the damsel with the
mule, who had felt no storm. She tells him about the great light: it came
from the "Gréaus," which was given by the King of kings as He hung on the
Cross; the devil may not lead astray any man on the same day he sees it,
therefore the king has it carried about. Perceval asks further, but is
told only a holy man may speak of these mysteries. Perceval relates his
adventure with the lady of the chessboard, and the damsel gives him the
white mule, which will lead to her castle, together with a ring giving the
possessor power over the mule. He is to give both back when he meets her.
(16) The mule brings Perceval across a river, over a glass bridge, on the
other side of which he meets with Brios, who persuades him to join in a
tournament held by Arthur at the Castel Orguellous, as he must win the
prize of knighthood before coming to the castle of the Fisher King.
Perceval leaves stag's head and hound at Brios' castle, carries off the
prize at the tournament, remaining unknown. (17) Proceeding thence he
frees a knight imprisoned beneath a tombstone, who, in return, shuts him
up in the tomb, but, being unable to make the mule go forward, is obliged
to release him, and returns to his prison, telling Perceval he knows him
for the best knight in the world. (18) Perceval meets the damsel of the
mule, to whom he returns ring and mule, and who asks him if he has been at
the Fisher King's court; on his saying, No, she hurries off. Perceval
prays God to direct him to the Castle of the Chessboard. A voice tells him
to follow the hound; he does so, reaches the castle, is greeted by the
maiden, to whom he gives stag's head and hound, and who in return tells
him concerning the chessboard which _Morghe la fée_ had had made at
London, on the Thames, and grants him her favours as she had promised. On
the morrow Perceval rides forth, accompanied awhile by the damsel, who
will show him his onward way. (19) They come to a river, on which is a
boat tied to an oak tree. Perceval is to enter it, cross the river, and on
the other side he will find a road leading to the Fisher King. On his way
Perceval releases a knight whom he finds hanging by his feet from a tree;
'tis Bagommedes whom Keie had treated thus, and who returns to Arthur's
court, challenges Keie, and is only hindered by Arthur from slaying him.
All Arthur's knights then start forth for the Mont Dolorous and in search
of Perceval. The adventures of Gauvain alone are related in detail until
the tale returns to Perceval. (20) After freeing Bagommedes, Perceval,
wandering in the woods, comes to a tree, in whose branches sits a child,
who can tell nothing of the Fisher King, but tells Perceval he will come
on the morrow to the Mont Dolorous. This he does, and binds his horse to
the pillar. A damsel on a white mule tells him of Arthur's birth, and how
Merlin had made castle and pillar to prove who should be the best of
knights. She was Merlin's daughter. (21) Perceval rides on, and towards
evening sees afar off a tree upon which burn many lights; as he draws near
he finds only a chapel, upon the altar of which lies a dead knight. A
great and sudden light is followed by the appearance of a black hand,
which puts out the candle on the altar. On the morrow he meets first a
huntsman, who tells him he is near the castle, then a damsel, who explains
the child in the tree, the chapel, and the black hand as having connection
with the Holy Grail and the lance. (22) Perceval comes at last to the
castle of the Fisher King, whom he finds on a couch as heretofore. He
tells him his adventures, and asks concerning the child on the tree, the
tree full of lights, and the chapel with the dead knight. Meanwhile a
damsel enters a hall bearing the Grail, another follows with the bleeding
lance, then comes a squire with a sword broken in two. Again Perceval puts
his questions, and will not eat until they are answered. First, he is told
of the child which would not speak to him on account of his many sins, and
which climbed ever upwards to show man's thoughts should be raised to the
Creator. Before learning aught further Perceval is to try and weld the
broken sword together; none but a true knight lover of God, and of God's
spouse, Holy Church, may accomplish it. Perceval succeeds, save that a
little crack still remains. The Fisher King embraces him and hails him as
lord of his house.
Here the section which goes under the name of Gautier ends.
[A portion of Gautier's section of the Conte du Graal is found in the
Berne MS., partly edited, partly summarised, by Rochat in his work, _Ein
unbekannter Percheval li Gallois_ (_vide_ _infra_ p. 101). This version
offers some remarkable peculiarities. It has a short introduction of
thirteen lines; then follows line 21,930 of Gautier in Potvin's text (Mons
MS.). An incident follows, omitted in the Mons MS., but found in
Montpellier and in Paris, 794: Perceval meets a huntsman who upbraids him
for having been at the Fisher King's court, and failed to ask about Grail
and bleeding lance. Then follow Incidents 6, 7 (8 is absent so far as one
can judge from Rochat's summary), 9 to 13 (in which Perceval does not
apparently send Garalas and his love to Arthur), and 14 to end, the
following finish being then tacked on: The Fisher King is father to Alain
le Gros, husband to Enigeus, sister to that Joseph who, when Christ's body
was taken down from the Cross, had it from Pilate as a reward for his
services. Joseph had the vessel prepared to catch in it the blood from the
body; it was the same Jesus had made the Sacrament in on the Thursday
before. The Fisher King dies on the third day and Perceval reigns in his
stead.][11]
The Conte du Graal is continued by--
(_c_) MANESSIER.--(1) Perceval, full of joy, sits down to table; after the
meal, lance, Grail, and a goodly silver dish pass before the royal table
away into the next room. Perceval, sighing, asks concerning these objects
and the maidens bearing them. (2) The King tells as follows: the lance is
that wherewith Longis pierced God's side that day he hung on the Cross
(Montpellier MS.: When Longis withdrew the spear the blood ran down to
feet, so that Joseph of Barimacie turned black from sorrow, and he
collected the blood in the holy vessel). On Perceval's asking further, the
Grail is the vessel wherein the holy precious blood of our Lord was
received. Then Perceval asks how it came thither; (3) Joseph brought it
when he departed from the prison whence he was freed by Vespasian. He
baptized forty of his friends, and wandered forth with them till they came
to Sarras, where, as the tale tells, they found the King in the Temple of
the Sun. Joseph helped the King against his enemies by means of a red
cross which he fixed on the King's shield. Evelac, such was the King's
name, won the battle thereby, was baptized, and renamed Noodrans. It went
so likewise with his brother-in-law, Salafrès, renamed Natiien. Joseph
departed thence, ever bearing the Grail with him, till at length he came
hither, converted the land, and I, of his seed, am keeping manor and
Grail, the which shall never dwell elsewhere, God willing. (Montpellier
MS. merely says, how Joseph was put into a dark prison, and kept there
forty years, but the Lord sent him the sweetness of the Grail twice or
thrice a day. Tiberius and Vespasian deliver him and bring him to Rome,
whence he carries away the lance.) (4) To Perceval's questions concerning
the damsels: the Grail-bearer is of royal blood, and pure maid, or God
might not let her hold it, she is my child; the dish-bearer is also of
high lineage, daughter to King Goon Desert. (5) The King would then go to
sleep, but Perceval would know about the broken sword: In Quiquagrant
dwelt Goon Desert, the King's brother. Besieged by Espinogre he made a
sally and slew him. Espinogre's nephew swore revenge; donning the armour
of a knight of Goon Desert, he slew him, but the sword broke when the
traitrous blow was struck. Goon Desert's body was brought to his brother's
castle, whither came, too, his daughter with the broken sword, foretelling
that a knight should come, rejoin the pieces, and avenge the foul blow.
The Fisher King taking up the fragments incautiously was pierced through
the thigh, and the wound might not be healed until his brother's death was
avenged. The murderer's name is Partiniaus, Lord of the Red Tower.
Perceval vows to avenge this wrong, but first, despite the King's strong
hints that it is bed-time, must learn (6) about the candles on the trees,
how they are fay trees, and the lights deceiving ones, but they might not
deceive Perceval, he being destined to achieve the wonders of the earth,
and he has put an end to this illusion; (7) how the black hand haunted a
chapel wherein Pinogres had slain his mother, and over four thousand
knights had been slain by it. (8) Perceval starting on the morrow in
search of Partinal meets with Saigremors, and with him delivers a damsel
from ten robber knights. Perceval, wounded, stays a month at the damsel's
castle, and (9) the story tells for some fifteen hundred verses
(36,100-37,400) of Saigremors; how he pursues the robber knights, comes to
the Castle of Maidens, delivers the dame thereof from a knight, Calides,
who wars upon her, and afterwards delivers another maiden, to whom two
knights were offering violence; (10) then, for over two thousand verses of
Gauvain; how he prepares to set forth again in search of the Fisher King;
how a maiden comes to him whose brother had been slain in his service,
reproaches Gauvain for his conduct at the Fisher King's castle, and
carries him off; how he saves a maid going to be burnt; how after other
adventures he slays King Margon, returns to Arthur's court, fights with
Kex to avenge the brother of the damsel, etc. (11) Meanwhile Perceval,
leaving the damsel who has tended him right well, rides forth into a wood,
where he is overtaken by a great storm of thunder and hail, after which he
comes to the chapel where lies the body of the knight slain by the black
hand. Perceval strives with the devil to whom this belongs, overcomes, and
with the help of a hermit who tells him the tale of all the knights who
had fallen there, buries the body. He then confesses to the hermit, who
warns him not to think of acquiring fame, but rather to save his soul.
(12) Perceval, riding forth on the morrow, is met by the devil, who throws
him from his horse; he finds another, mounts it, but coming to a stream
luckily crosses himself, when it disappears; it was the devil. (13) A
damsel passes by with a bark, wherein Perceval mounts; she minds him of
Blanchefleur, and desire masters him, but again he crosses himself in
time, and ship and damsel vanish. (14) A hermit comes who instructs him
concerning all these things, brings him where he finds a fresh steed, and
to a fair castle. Perceval overcomes a knight who would bar his passing,
delivers the lady love of Dodinel from a felon knight; is appealed to for
help by a damsel of Blanchefleur's, oppressed by Arides of Cavalon. (15)
Setting off to the succour of his lady love, his horse falls lame, he
comes to a smith who tells him his name is Tribuet, the forger of the
broken sword. Tribuet makes the sword whole, and bids Perceval guard it
well, never had king or conqueror a better one. (16) Perceval reaches Bel
Repaire, overcomes Arides, whom he sends to Arthur's court, bidding him
announce his own arrival for Whitsuntide. He then quits Blanchefleur, and
(17) meets with the Coward Knight, who will not fight even when he sees
two damsels carried off by ten knights. Perceval attacks the ravishers,
the Coward Knight is drawn into the struggle, and quits himself valiantly.
The rescued damsels bring the knights to their castle, where Perceval,
sore wounded, remains for two months. (18) Meanwhile Saigremors has
announced Perceval's arrival at Camelot. Whitsuntide passing, all the
knights set forth in search of him, and, amongst others, Boort; he meets
his brother Lyonel led, bound and naked, by six knights, who scourge him,
and at the same moment he hears the plaint of a maid to whom a knight is
doing violence. Her he succours, then hurries after his brother, whom,
meanwhile, Gauvain has rescued. Lyonel bitterly reproaches his brother for
abandoning him, and falls upon him, sword in hand; Boort offers no
defence, and would be slain but for a passing knight, Calogrinant, who
pays for his interference with his life. Finally, heavenly intervention
appeases Lyonel. Calogrinant is buried by a hermit. (19) Perceval, healed,
leaves the castle together with the Coward Knight, is present with him at
a tournament, at which he distinguishes himself above all others, leaves
his companion, to whom he gives the name Le Hardis, and (20) meets Hector,
who challenges him. The two fight, and well-nigh kill each other. To them,
lying on the field of combat, appears an angel with the Grail, and makes
them whole. (21) Perceval rides on to Partinal's castle, before which
stands a fir tree whereon hangs a shield. Perceval throws this down,
whereupon Partinal appears and a desperate combat ensues, ended by the
overthrow of Partinal, and, as he will submit to no conditions, his death.
Perceval cuts off his head and makes for the Grail Castle, but only after
a summer's seeking, lights upon it chancewise. (22) As he nears the
castle, the warders come to the King, telling him a knight is coming with
a head hanging at his saddle-bow; hereupon the King leaps to his feet and
is straightway made whole. Partinal's head is stuck on a pike on the
highest tower of the castle. After supper, at which the same mystic
procession of talismans takes place as heretofore, the King learns
Perceval's name, and thereby finds that he is his own sister's son. He
would hand him his crown, but Perceval has vowed not to take it, his uncle
living. (23) He returns to Arthur's court, overcoming on the way seven
knights, and tells his adventures, which Arthur has written down and kept
in a box at Salisbury. The Grail damsel appears and tells Perceval his
uncle is dead. Perceval goes to Corbière accompanied by all the court, who
assist at his crowning and remain with him a month, during which time the
Grail feeds all with the costliest foods. He marries his cousins, the two
Grail-bearers, to two valiant kings, and reigns in peace for seven years.
(24) After which time he follows a hermit into the wilderness, accompanied
by Grail, lance, and holy dish. He serves the Lord for ten years, and,
when he dies, Grail, lance, and dish were doubtless carried up to heaven,
for since that day no man saw them.
(_d_) GERBERT.--(According to Birch Hirschfeld interpolated between
Gautier and Manessier, and joining on therefore to the last incident in
Gautier.)[12]
(1) Perceval's sin in having indirectly caused the death of his mother
disables him from making whole the broken sword, and he must set forth
again in search of the Grail. In the night he dreams a danger threatens
his sister, and on the morrow he wakes up in open field, the Grail Castle
having vanished. (2) He comes to a fair castle in the midst of a meadow,
and, finding the door shut, knocks at it with his sword till the latter
breaks. An old man appears, and tells him the broken sword will cost him
seven years more wanderings until he come again to the Grail Castle. All
he can do for Perceval is to give him a letter which heals the wounded and
makes the wearer invincible. (3) Perceval riding thence through country
that the day before was waste and folkless, finds it now well cultivated
and peopled; all press round him and bless him for the change wrought by
his asking concerning the Grail. (4) He comes to a castle wherein is a
forge guarded by two serpents, and on it was a sword forged for a year,
and it might not be broken, save in a certain danger, or mended save at
the same forge. Perceval, after resisting the devil in the shape of a fair
maid, attacks and overcomes the two serpents, and has his sword mended by
the blacksmith, who tells him how he broke it at the gate of Paradise.
(5) After making whole by his letter two knights of the Round Table who
had lost their wits in Castle Dolorous, Perceval comes to Carlion, to
Arthur's court, and accomplishes the adventure of the Perillous Seat which
a fairy had sent to Arthur. Only the destined Grail-finder might sit in
it. Six knights who had previously essayed the feat had been swallowed up
by the earth; they reappear when Perceval is successful. (6) Perceval is
called away from the court by a forsaken damsel, whose false lover he
compels to marry her; then, after overcoming fresh temptation in
damsel-shape, he comes to his sister's castle, overcomes her adversary,
who turns out to be Mordret, and reaches the Castle of Maidens, where he
is healed of his wounds by the lady of the castle, his cousin. She tells
him of his mother, Philosofine, and how the Grail was taken from the ken
of man owing to the sinfulness of the world. Perceval leaves his sister in
this castle where dames are chaste and damsels maids. (7) Returning to
court, whither Mordret had preceded him in sorry plight, Perceval is
mocked at by Kex, whom he overcomes, and afterwards meets Gauvain and
Tristan. (8) Leaving the court, he meets with four knights carrying their
father, mortally wounded, accompanies them to their castle, recognises in
the wounded knight, Gornumant, who had knighted him, swears to avenge him,
tells all that has befallen himself, and learns that the cause of his
successive failures is his forsaking his betrothed, Blanchefleur, whom he
knows to be Gornumant's niece. He is told that if he listen heedfully to
mass and marry the damsel all will be well, and he will learn the secrets
of lance and Grail. But first Perceval overcomes a hideous hag, who by
night brings to life Gornumant's enemies slain during the day. She has a
potion, whereof Christ made use in the sepulchre, and with it she quickens
the dead. She recognizes Perceval and acknowledges him as her conqueror,
yet while she lives he shall know nought of the Grail; she works by order
of the King of the Waste City, who hates all Christian folk. Perceval
tries the virtue of the potion on the most valiant of his enemies, with
whom he engages in a fresh and desperate struggle, heals Gornumant with
it, and sets off to marry Blanchefleur, as he is wishful to live cleanly
and fly deadly sin. (9) She is overjoyed at his arrival; preparations are
made for the marriage; the night before, she comes to his bedside in smock
and mantle, and they pass the night side by side, but with the sheet
between them. The wedding follows, and then, fearful of losing the
heavenly joy for sake of carnal longing, they resolve to resist the devil
and live virgin-wise, for virginity surpasseth aught else, even as the
topaz does crystal. Perceval, in a dream, is assured that of his seed
shall be the Swan Knight and the deliverer of the Holy Sepulchre.
Meanwhile he is still to search after lance and Grail. (10) On the morrow
he quits Blanchefleur, "maid she laid her to bed, maid she arose;" frees a
maiden pursued by a brutal knight; (11) comes to a castle where the
wayfarer must first fight against four knights and then against the lord
of the castle; does away with this custom; (12) comes to cross roads,
whereof one is safe and easy, the other adventurous and full of danger;
meets a knight all on fire; sees two hermits, one kneeling at a cross,
the other scourging it; then a wonderful beast, a doe followed by fawns,
which assail and devour her; (13) is presented at a hermit's with a shield
none but the Grail-winner may wear, after which the table heretofore
meanly spread is covered with rich fare, and learns the meaning of the
mystic scenes he has witnessed. (14) He is summoned by a damsel, who tells
him of the Dragon King, lord of a heathen folk dwelling in mid-sea,
possessor of a shield whereon is painted a dragon that belches forth
flame. Perceval sets forth to attack him, resists the devil who dwells in
the dragon head, thanks to his miraculous shield whereon the cross is
painted, and forces him to flee; continues the fight against the Dragon
Knight without his shield, and slays him, but not till he has repented him
of his sins. (15) Meanwhile a thief has made off with the shield, in
pursuing whom Perceval comes to an abbey, where he learns the story of
Joseph of Arimathea. Some forty years after the Crucifixion lived a
heathen king, Evelac, in Sarras, wherefrom the Saracens have their name,
sore pressed by Tholomes, King of Syria. But Joseph of Barimaschie, who
had been five years in Pilate's service, comes to him, and with him his
brother-in-law, Seraphe; he promised the King victory if he would let
himself be baptized. The King consented, and received the name of
Mordrach. Joseph then came to this land, and with him sixty folk and two
fair ladies, whereof the one, Philosophine, bore a plate, the other an
ever-bleeding lance, whilst Joseph had a vessel, never saw man a fairer
one. But King Crudel flung Joseph and his companions into prison, where
they dwelt forty days, but it harmed them not, as through the Holy Grail
they were filled with great plenty and had every wish fulfilled. Now,
Mordrains, learning this, brought together a great host, invaded King
Crudel's lands, attacked and slew him. Mordrains, disarming, was found to
be covered with wounds, none of which he had felt. On the morrow Joseph
put up a table, altar-wise, and thereon laid the Grail, which Mordrains
seeing, pressed near to. But an angel with a fiery sword kept him back,
and a voice assured him he had laid such a burden on his shoulders as he
might not pass away, nor would his wounds be healed until should come the
true knight, loved of Christ, sinless, and in his arms he, Mordrains,
should die. And till then the Host should be his only food. Since then
three hundred years have passed, and the monks have heard that the knight
is in the land who shall ask concerning lance and Grail, and thereby heal
the king. (16) Perceval leaves on the morrow and comes to a castle wherein
is a coffin, brought thereto in a boat drawn by a swan; none save the best
knight in the world may open it. All have tried, even Gauvain, and failed.
Perceval succeeds, and finds in the coffin the body of a knight, former
lord of the castle, and a letter setting forth that he who should open the
coffin was his murderer. Perceval, attacked in consequence by the dead
man's sons, defends himself by making a buttress of the youngest son's
body. Afterwards he overcomes the folk of the castle, and delivers
Gauvain, held prisoner therein. (17) Perceval, after confessing his sins
to a hermit, has an adventure with the devil, who comes out of a tomb,
but whom he forces back therein. (18) He then succours a maiden whom her
jealous lover has thrown into a fountain; (19) punishes a damsel who
tempts him in traitrous-wise; (20) meets with and is sore pressed by a
giant, whom he overcomes; (21) has a fresh and victorious encounter with
Kex, and, finally, (22) arrives at crossways, is directed by the cross to
the Fisher King's court, reaches it, asks straightway for the Grail, is
questioned by the King and relates his allegorical adventures. At table
the Grail appears, followed by lance and sword. Perceval pieces together
the sword, and the King, full of joy, embraces him.
=Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival.=--Gahmuret, Parzival's father, goes to
the East, takes service with Baruc, wins the love of the heathen queen
Belakane, but after remaining with her a short time forsakes her,
promising to return if she become Christian. She bears a son, and names
him Feirefiz. Gahmuret by his prowess at a tournament wins the love of
Herzeloyde, whom he marries on condition he may go a tourneying every
month. Hearing his old lord Baruc is in danger, he hastens to his aid, and
is slain. Herzeloyde on receipt of the news resolves to withdraw to the
wilderness, and bring up her son in ignorance of knighthood.
[From this point up to and including the adventure with Orgeuilleuse,
where Chrestien's share of the Conte du Graal breaks off, Wolfram agrees
very closely with Chrestien. It has been much debated in Germany whether
he really had any other model but Chrestien, and whether his alleged model
Kyot be not a feigned source to justify his departure from the story as
found in the Conte du Graal. A brief outline of the arguments for and
against this view will be found in Appendix A. The chief points of
difference in the portion common to the two poets are: the more important
position in the narrative assigned to Perceval's cousin, whom Wolfram
names Sigune, who is fed from the Grail by the Grail messenger, the
loathly damsel, and about whose loves with Schianatulander Wolfram has
left fragments of another poem, Titurel. Parzival meets her immediately
after his adventure with the lady of the tent. Parzival's love is named
Condwiramur. On the first night of their marriage he leaves her maid (as
in Gerbert's version). But the most important peculiarity of Wolfram's
poem is his account of the Grail itself, a stone which yields all manner
of food and drink, the power of which is sustained by a dove, which every
week lays a Host upon it, given, after the fall of the rebel angels, in
charge to Titurel and his dynasty, by them preserved in the Grail castle,
Montsalvatch, guarded by a sacred order of knighthood whom it chooses
itself. The knights are vowed to virginity, the king alone being allowed
marriage. The cause of the maimed king's (Amfortas) hurt is his having
taken up arms in the cause of worldly and unlawful love. When Parzival
leaves the Grail castle after the first visit, he is mocked at by the
inmates for having omitted the question. More stress is laid on the broken
sword, connected with which is a magic spell Parzival must master before
he can become lord of the Grail castle. The "loathly damsel," Kundrie, is
also a much more important person with Wolfram than with Chrestien, and
she is brought into contact with Parzival's cousin, Sigune. Parzival's
love for his wife is dwelt upon at length, and he is urged by the hermit
rather to rejoin her than to seek the Grail.]
After the adventure with Orgueilleuse, Wolfram continues as follows:--The
lord of the magic castle, wherein are kept prisoners Arthur's mother and
the other queens, is Clinschor, nephew of Virgilius of Naples, who took to
magic after his unmanning at the hands of King Ibert, whose wife, Iblis,
he loved. Gawain overcomes the magician, and, both unknowing, fights with
Parzival. The latter, after many lesser adventures, meets his half-brother
Feirefiz, and sustains with him the hardest of all his fights. At length
recognition is brought about, the two embrace, and repair to Arthur's
court. Cundrie nears once more, tells Parzival he has been chosen Grail
king, that his wife and twin sons, Loherangrin and Kardeiz, have been
summoned to the Grail castle, and that the question will now free Amfortas
and his land. With Cundrie and Feirefiz, Parzival rides to the Grail
castle, meets his wife, together they all behold the talismans, save
Feirefiz, to whom as a heathen the sight of the Grail is denied. But he is
baptised, weds Repanse de Schoie, the Grail damsel, the two return to
India, and from them is born Prester John. Parzival rules over his Grail
kingdom. Of his son Loherangrin it is told how he is led to the aid of the
Duchess of Brabant by a swan, how he marries her on condition she inquire
not as to his origin, and how, on her breaking the command, the swan
carries him away from her.
=Heinrich von dem Türlin.=--_The Gawain Episodes of Diu Crône._--The
parallelism of Heinrich's poem with those of Wolfram and Chrestien begins
about verse 17,500 with an adventure of Gawain's corresponding to Inc. 13
in Chrestien (Tournament for the hand of Tiebaut of Tingaguel's daughter,
episode of the two sisters, combat with Melians de Lis). In Heinrich the
father is named Leigamar, the eldest daughter Fursensephin, (Fleur sans
epine ?), the youngest Quebelepluz, where Heinrich has taken a French
phrase setting forth the greater fairness of the damsel for a proper name.
Inc. 14 in Chrestien then follows with these differences: the name of the
castle is Karamphi; Gawain and the facile damsel are surprised by the
latter's brother, and it is her father who, to avenge the wrong done his
house, makes Gawain swear that within a year he will either seek out the
Grail or return as prisoner to Karamphi. Chrestien's Inc. 15 is of course
missing, the story going straight on to Inc. 16, meeting with the wounded
knight (here Lohenis) and his lady love Emblie, who by treachery deprive
Gawain of his steed; then the arrival at the Castle of Wonders, and the
night passed in the enchanted bed, where the hero is overwhelmed with
crossbolts shot at him by invisible foes. The plucking of the flower from
the enchanted garden at the bidding of a damsel (Orgueilleuse in Chrestien
and Wolfram, here Mancipicelle), and the meeting with and challenge by
Giremelanz follow. Arthur's court comes to the Castle of Wonders to
witness the combat. Gawain and Giremelanz are reconciled, the latter
marries Gawain's sister, and Gawain himself sets off to search for the
Grail. [Adventures then follow which correspond to nothing in Chrestien or
Wolfram, in which Gawain wins talismans destined to aid him in his
search.] Gawain sets forth on his quest accompanied by Kay, Lancelot, and
Calocreant. They part at crossways. Gawain comes to the sister of the
magician (anonymous in Chrestien, Klinschor in Wolfram, here Gansguoter)
of the Castle of Wonders. She bids him take heed, if he wish to see the
Grail, he be not overcome by sleep, and for this that he drink not
overmuch; as soon as he saw it and its accompanying damsels, he was to ask
about it. If he neglected this, all his past and any future toil would be
useless. On his way to the Grail castle, the hero meets with all sorts of
dangers, and obstacles, and wonders; amongst others, passing the night in
a castle where he is tended by invisible hands. After month-long
wanderings he meets with Lancelot and Calocreant, and learns that Kay, in
a vain attempt to penetrate to the Grail, has been flung into prison. The
three comrades then come to the Grail castle. They are led into a hall
which passes in splendour aught earthly eye ever saw. The floor is strewn
with roses, on a bed lies an old man in gold-embroidered garments, and
watches two youths playing at chess. Towards night the hall fills with
knights and dames, a youth enters bearing a sword which he lays before the
old man. Gawain is pressed to drink; but refuses, not so his two
companions, who straightway fall asleep. Then enter two damsels bearing
lights, followed by two knights with a spear, and two more damsels with a
"toblier" (? tailleor, plate) of gold and jewels. After them comes the
fairest woman ever God created, and with her a maiden weeping. The spear
is laid on the table, by it the "toblier" wherein are three drops of
blood. In the box borne by the fair lady is a piece of bread, one third
part of which she breaks off and gives to the old man. Gawain recognising
in her Gansguoter's sister, stays no longer, but asks what these wonders
mean. Straightway knights and dames all with mighty shout leap from table,
and great joy arises. The old man says what he has seen is the Grail; none
saw it before save Parzival, and he asked not. By his question Gawain has
delivered from long waiting and suffering both those which are dead and
those which live. The old man himself and his companions are really dead,
though they seem it not, but the lady and her damsels are living; for
their unstained womanhood God has granted them to have the Grail, and
therewith yearly to feed the old man. All Gawain's adventures latterly
have come from the Grail. Now he has ended all, he is to take as prize of
his knighthood the sword which will help him in every danger. After him no
man shall see the Grail; further concerning it he must not ask, nor may
know more. At daybreak the old man's tale ends, and he with his whole
court vanish, leaving only the lady with her five damsels. [After
releasing Kay, and undergoing other adventures, Gawain returns to Arthur's
court.]
=The Petit Saint Graal or Didot-Perceval.=[13]--_Prologue._--After the
choosing of Arthur to be King, Merlin comes to the court, and tells how
Arthur is Uther-Pendragon's son, brought up by Antor as his son. All
rejoice at this, especially Gauvain, son of Lot. After dinner the barons
bring Merlin to Arthur, and tell him how he was the prophet of
Uther-Pendragon, and had made the Round Table. Arthur promises to honour
Merlin. The latter calls him apart with Gauvain and Key, and tells him
how, in the time of Uther-Pendragon, the Round Table was made after the
pattern of one Joseph constructed when he separated the good from the
evil. Two Kings of Britain before had been Kings of France, and conquered
Rome; Queen Sibyl and Solomon had prophesied Arthur should be third, and
he, Merlin, was the third to assure him of it. But this could only be if
Arthur established the Round Table as Merlin directed. Now the Grail had
been given Joseph by our Lord himself, and at His command Joseph led a
great folk into the desert. And when evil befell them Joseph, at our
Lord's command, made a table; whereat one place was left empty in
remembrance of Judas. But Moyses, a false disciple, sat therein, but sank
into the abyss, whereout he shall not come until the time of Antichrist.
Our Lord made the first table; Joseph, the second; he, Merlin, the third.
The Grail was given into the keeping of the rich Fisher King; but he was
old, full of sickness, and should not win health till a knight came,
having sat at the Round Table, true man of God and of Holy Church, and the
best knight in the world for feats of arms. He must ask the rich fisher of
what use is the Grail; then the King would be cured of his infirmity, the
enchantments of Britain would cease, and the prophecy be fulfilled. Should
Arthur do this, great good would come of it; he, Merlin, must go, as he
could not often show himself to the people. Whereupon he departs to
Ortoberland, to Blaise, his master, who writes down these things, and by
his writings we know them. The son of Alein le Gros is a child named
Percevaux, and as Alein is dying he hears the voice of the Holy Ghost
saying, Know thou art near thy end, and wilt soon come into the fellowship
of Jesus Christ. Brons, thy father, dwells in these isles of Ireland, and
with him is the Grail. And he may not die until thy son finds him, to whom
he shall commend the grace of the vessel, and teach the secret words
Joseph taught him, then shall he be cured of his infirmities. And I
command thy son that he go to the court of Arthur, where he shall be
taught how he may find the house of his grandfather. Alein dies, and
Percevaux mounts his horse and comes to Arthur's court, and asks arms from
him, and stays there and is much loved.
(1) Arthur proposes holding a tournament at Easter, the greatest the world
had seen, to honour the Round Table. Perceval at first takes no part in
the tournament; but afterwards, for love of Aleine, niece of Gauvain, who
incites him thereto, and sends him a suit of red armour, he enters the
lists unknown, and overbears all opponents, so that all say he should fill
the empty place at the Round Table. Perceval claims the empty place from
the King, and when refused threatens to return to his land and never visit
the court again. Arthur yields, and Perceval seats himself. Then the rocks
and the earth groan dolorously, and a voice reproaches Arthur with having
disobeyed Merlin's command. Were it not the goodness of Alein le Gros
Perceval had died the death of Moys. Now should Arthur know the vessel our
Lord gave Joseph was in the keeping of the rich fisher, and he was ill and
infirm, and until the best knight in the world should come might not die.
And when that knight should come to the rich fisher and ask concerning the
vessel, then should he be cured, but die within three days after giving
the vessel to that knight, and teaching him the secret words handed down
by Joseph. Thus the enchantments of Britain should cease. (2) Perceval
swears not to lie one night where he had lain the night before till he
find the rich fisher. Gauvain, Sagremors, Beduers, Hurgains, and Erec
swear the same. The knights set forth amid general lamentation. They part
at a chapel, and the story follows Perceval. (3) He comes, after two days,
upon a damsel weeping over a knight, Hurganet, one of the Round Table, who
had gone forth on the Grail Quest. He had delivered her from a giant, and
ridden with her into a tent where they found knights and ladies, who
warned them not to await the owner, the "Orgoillos Delandes," who would
kill him. And whilst speaking a dwarf entered, scourge in hand, who threw
down the tent. The Lord of the Tent then appeared, clad in red armour, and
slew Hurganet. Perceval determines to avenge his death; rides to the tent
with the damsel; is warned of its inmates; is surprised by the dwarf, who
smites the damsel with his scourge, whereupon Perceval fells him to the
ground. The Knight of the Tent appears; after a desperate struggle
Perceval overcomes him and sends him with the damsel to Arthur's court.
She had fain stayed with him, but he thought of other things. (4) Perceval
comes to the finest castle in the world, enters, and finds no inhabitant.
Only a chessboard he finds. He begins to move the pieces, and they play
against him, and he is checkmated three times running. Full of anger he
prepares to throw the chessmen into the castle moat--suddenly a damsel
shows herself and reproaches him. He will abstain if she comes to him. She
consents, and after her squires and maidens have disarmed Perceval he
joins her. Overcome by her beauty he requests her love. She will grant it
him if he capture the white stag of the wood. She lends him her hound, and
recommends him to take the utmost care of it. Perceval chases the stag,
captures it, and, having cut off its head, starts back. But meanwhile an
old woman has carried off the hound. She will only give it up if Perceval
will go to a grave whereunder is a knight painted, and say: "Felon, he
that put you there." Perceval complies; whereupon appears a knight on a
black horse armed in black. They strive, and Perceval overcomes him. But
meantime a second knight has carried off both the stag's head and the
hound from the old woman. Perceval's adversary flees to the tomb, which
closes upon him, and Perceval follows the second knight after a vain
attempt to get help from the old woman. (5) Him he found not; but after
feats longer than I can tell, comes to his father's house, where he was
born. He only finds his sister and a niece. The former tells him
concerning her brother, who went to Arthur's court; whereupon their mother
died of grief. Perceval reveals himself, and is amazed at what she relates
concerning the Grail and its guardian, and asks if he may come to behold
it. She answers, Yes; whereupon he vows not to rest till he have found it.
She attempts to dissuade him, but he remains firm. She then urges him to
go to their uncle, who is a hermit, to whom he may confess the sin of his
mother's death, and who will advise him concerning the Quest. (6) Both
proceed thither. He rejoices to see them, and asks if Perceval has been to
the house of his father, guardian of the vessel named Grail, and, on
hearing that he has not, tells him how at the table which Joseph and
himself had made, the voice of the Holy Ghost had come to them, telling
them to go westward, and ordering the rich fisher, his father, to come to
that land where the sun goes down (_avaloit_), telling him he should not
die till the son of Alein had become the best knight in the world.
Perceval had been chosen to do his Lord's service; he is to slay no knight
nor to lie with any woman, that being luxurious sin. His sins have
prevented his reaching Brons. He is to be careful to keep himself from sin
and felony, being of a race our Lord so loved that He committed His blood
to their keeping. Much else he says, and on the morrow Perceval and his
sister ride forth. (7) They meet a knight who challenges them. Perceval,
thinking of the damsel who had given him the hound, at first pays no
attention, but then overcomes and slays him. Perceval is much grieved at
having so soon broken his uncle's injunction. On the morrow he leaves his
sister, promising to return so soon as he may. (8) He meets a knight,
accompanied by a damsel the most wonderfully ugly nature ever made,
whereat he signs himself and laughs. The knight, indignant, challenges
him, but is overcome and sent with the damsel to Arthur's court. Kay makes
mock of them; but Arthur reproves him and receives them courteously. They
remain at the court, and know that she was the most beautiful woman in the
world! (9) Perceval comes to a ford and is challenged by its guardian,
whom he overcomes. His name is Urban of the Black Thorn; his lady had set
him to guard the ford. Her castle vanishes with a great noise, and she
comes to her lover's aid with her maidens in shape of birds. Perceval
slays one who becomes a woman, and is carried off by the others to
Avallon. (10) Perceval comes to a tree at the crossing of four roads,
among its branches he sees two naked children of seven years old. They
speak to him concerning the Grail, and direct him to take the road to the
right. They vanish, and a voice tells him to heed their counsel. (11)
Perceval comes to a river whereon are three men in a boat, and the master
of the boat bids him go down the stream till he should come to his house.
Perceval rides a whole day without finding it, and curses the fisher. At
last he comes to a castle with lowered drawbridge, enters, and is robed in
scarlet by two squires. Meanwhile four attendants have carried the Fisher
King, father of Alein, and grandfather of Perceval, into the hall. The
King wished to do Perceval what honour he might. They eat, and whilst at
table a squire comes out of a chamber, and brings in both hands a lance,
whence flows a drop of blood. Him follows a damsel bearing two silver
plates and clothes; then a squire with a vessel in which was our Lord's
blood. All bow as he passes, and Perceval had fain asked, but he fears to
displease the King, minding him of the worthy man to whom he had
confessed, and who forbade his speaking too much and enquiring
overmuch--for a man of idle words is displeasing to our Lord. All night
Perceval thinks of the lance and of the Grail, and in the morning, on
waking, finds neither man nor woman. He sets forth to seek some one, but
in vain, and is greatly distressed. (12) He finds a damsel weeping
bitterly, who, seeing him, cries out: "Percevaux le Gallois, be accursed,
unhappier art thou than ever, having been in the house of the rich Fisher
King, and not having asked concerning the Grail. Thy Lord hates thee; and
'tis wonder the earth do not open beneath thee." Had he not seen Grail and
lance pass? Had he asked what one did with them, the King, cured of his
infirmity, would have returned to his youth; our Lord's prophecy to Joseph
been fulfilled, and the enchantments of Britain undone. But Perceval is
neither wise, valiant, nor true man enough to have charge of the blood.
But he shall come again and ask concerning the Grail, and his grandfather
shall be cured. (13) The damsel departs, and Perceval, unable to find his
grandfather's house, rides on and comes to a tree under which a damsel is
sitting, and in whose branches the stag's head, which had been carried off
from him, is hanging. Perceval takes it, and when his hound following a
stag comes up, takes possession of it likewise. But the knight who had
taken them appears. Perceval fights with and overcomes him; learns that he
is the brother of the Knight of the Tomb, who lives therein with his love,
sister of the damsel for whose sake Perceval had hunted the stag. To her
Perceval now returns, gives her hound and stag's head, and then departs
refusing the offer of her love, even to stop one night with her. (14)
Perceval wanders for seven years achieving many feats, and sending more
than one hundred knights prisoners to Arthur; but, not being able to find
his grandfather's house, he falls into such melancholy as to lose his
memory, so that he minds him no more of God, and never enters Church. One
Good Friday, fully armed, he meets a knight and ladies in penitents'
dress, who reproach him for going armed on a day that our Lord was
crucified. Perceval repents; returns to his uncle, the hermit; learns that
his sister is dead, and does penitence. The songmen, in their pleasing
rhymes, say nothing of this; but we tell you of it as we find it in the
tale Merlin made Blaise write down. (15) Perceval rides forth and meets
seven squires of Melianz de Liz, who is going to a tournament at the White
Castle, the damsel of which is to be the victor's prize. All the knights
of the Round Table will be there, having returned that Whitsuntide from
the Quest of the Grail without achieving aught. Perceval leaves the
squires and come to a castle where he puts up. His host urges him to take
part in the tournament. The morrow they ride forth and look on; Melianz
wears the scarf of the lady of the castle; he and Gauvain prove themselves
the best knights, the onlooking ladies know not to whom to award the
prize. The next day, Perceval, having resolved upon taking part, accepts
the scarf of his host's daughter, overcomes all adversaries, and sends
steeds to the lady in return for her scarf. Being asked by his host if he
will not woo the damsel of the White Castle, Perceval answers he may not
take wife. Then appears an old man who reproaches Perceval for going to a
tournament, and with forgetting his vow to sleep no two nights in the same
house till the Quest be accomplished. He is Merlin, come from Hortoblande,
to say that owing to the prayers of Perceval's uncle, our Lord wills that
the latter may have his blood to keep. He is to go to his grandfather.
Perceval asks when he shall get there. "Before a year," is the answer.
"'Tis a long time." "Not so," says Merlin, who leaves him, and tells all
to Blaise, from whose writing we know of it. (16) That same night Perceval
comes to his grandfather's house, is received by the Fisher King, and as
they sit at table the Grail appears, and the relics with it, and when
Perceval sees it he asks to what use is the vessel put? Forthwith the King
is cured, and his being changed. Perceval must say first who he is before
learning such holy things. Upon learning it is his grandson before him,
the King leads him to the Grail, and tells him with this lance Longis
pierced the side of Jesus Christ, whom he knew in the flesh. In this
vessel is the blood, Joseph caught as it ran to the ground. It is called
Grail because it is agreeable to worthy men; none may sin in its presence.
Then Brons, kneeling, prays, and the voice of the Holy Ghost tells him the
prophecy will be fulfilled; and he is to teach Perceval the secret words
our Lord on the cross told Joseph, and Joseph told him. He does, but I
cannot and may not say what these words were. Then angels carry him off;
and Perceval remains, and the enchantments of Britain and of the whole
world cease. And that same day Arthur and his knights sitting at the Round
Table are aware of a great noise, and the seat is made whole again which
had broken under Perceval. Merlin appears to Blaise, tells him his work is
ended, and takes him to Perceval, who was right glad of his company.
_Epilogue._--Merlin comes to Arthur's court and relates all that had taken
place. The knights, finding the Quest of the Grail is over, and mindful of
Merlin's former words, urge Arthur to invade the continent. He does so,
overcomes Frollo, King of France; refuses tribute to the Emperor of Rome,
overcomes him, but is recalled to England on learning Mordret's treachery.
The latter is slain; but Arthur, wounded mortally, is carried to Avallon
to be healed of Morguen, his sister. Lastly, Merlin tells Perceval how he
will withdraw from the world, and be no more seen of men. And the tale
says no more of Merlin and the Grail.
=The Mabinogi of Peredur ab Evrawc.=--Evrawc, Earl of the North, has seven
sons, six of whom, like himself, fall in tournaments and combats. His wife
carries off her youngest son, Peredur, to the desert, and forbids horses
or arms being shown to him. He grows up strong and active, and can outrun
his mother's goats and hinds. (1) One day he sees three knights
passing--Gwalchmai, the son of Gwyar, and Geneir Gwystyl, and Owain, the
son of Urien. His mother declares them to be angels; whereupon he
determines to join them. He questions Owain concerning his accoutrements
and the use of his weapons. His mother swoons away at the thought of his
leaving her; but he picks out a horse and saddles it. Before leaving, his
mother counsels him to repeat his paternoster wherever he sees a church;
to take food and drink if none offer them; to aid when any outcry is,
especially a woman's; if he sees a fair jewel to take it and give it to
another; to pay his court to fair women whether they will or no. (2) After
two days and nights Peredur comes to a tent, where he finds a damsel. Half
of the food and drink she has he takes, half leaves to her; asks her for
her ring at leaving, which she gives him. Her lord returning, is jealous,
and sets forth to avenge his supposed wrong. (3) Peredur journeys on to
Arthur's court. A knight has been there before him, and grievously
insulted Gwenhwyvar by dashing a goblet of wine in her face, and carrying
the goblet out, and has dared any to avenge the insult; but all hang their
heads. Peredur enters the hall and demands knighthood. On Kai's protesting
he is too meanly equipped, a dwarf, who, with his female companion has
been a year at Arthur's court without speaking, salutes him as the flower
of knighthood. Kai strikes him for this, and kicks the female dwarf, who
repeats the salutation. Kai bids Peredur seek the knight and win back the
goblet, then shall he have knighthood. Peredur does so, and slays the
knight. Owain, who has followed, shows him how to undo the armour and to
clad himself in it, and bids him back to Arthur. But Peredur refuses, he
will not come back to the court till he have avenged the injury done by
Kai to the dwarf and dwarfess. (4) Peredur overcomes sixteen knights and
sends them to Arthur with the same message. (5) Peredur comes to a castle
by a lake, and sees a venerable man sitting by the lake and his attendant
fishing, and the old man is lame. And Peredur enters the castle, and is
practised in the use of weapons, and learns courtesy and noble bearing;
and the old man is his uncle--his mother's brother. He is to leave his
mother's habits and discourse, and if he sees aught to wonder at, not to
ask the meaning of it. (6) Peredur leaves his uncle and comes to a castle
where dwells a second uncle of his--brother likewise of his mother. His
strength is tested by his having to cut through an iron staple with a
sword. Twice he does it and the broken pieces re-unite, but the third time
neither would unite as before. He has arrived at two-thirds of his
strength, and when he attains his full power none will be able to contend
with him. Whilst talking, two youths enter the hall bearing a mighty spear
with three streams of blood flowing from the point to the ground. All
wail and lament; but as Peredur is not vouchsafed the meaning of what he
sees he forbears to ask concerning it. Then enter two maidens with a
salver in which a man's head swims in blood. The outcry redoubles. Peredur
retires to sleep. (7) On the morrow, with his uncle's permission, he rides
forth, finds a beautiful woman lamenting over the corpse of a knight. She
reveals herself as his foster-sister; calls him accursed for causing his
mother's death by leaving her; and tells him it is her husband she mourns
for, slain by the Knight of the Glade. Peredur meets the latter, overcomes
him, and makes him take his foster-sister in marriage. (8) Peredur comes
to a castle where are eighteen youths and five maidens, and he had never
seen one of so fair an aspect as the chief of the maidens. A flask of wine
and six loaves are brought by two nuns, and that must suffice for all. The
youths press the maiden to offer herself to Peredur as his wife or lady
love. She refuses; but consents when they threaten leaving her to her
enemies. She comes weeping to Peredur and relates how she is besieged by
an earl who seeks her hand. She implores his aid, and offers to place
herself in his hands. Peredur bids her go sleep, he will assist her, The
next day he overthrows the master of the household of the earl. To save
his life the latter must deliver up one-third of the besieged maiden's
lands. The second day it fares the same with the earl's steward; the third
with the earl himself. Peredur thus wins back all his hostess' lands, and
tarries with her three weeks; but for her love he would not have stayed so
long. (9) Peredur next meets the Lady of the Tent, ill-entreated of her
husband concerning him. Him he overcomes, compels to acknowledge her
innocence, and sends both to Arthur. (10) Peredur comes to the castle of a
tall and stately lady, who bids him escape from the sorceresses of
Gloucester, who will attack the castle that night; but he resolves to
remain, and defends one of the watch when overtaken by a sorceress. The
latter hails him by his name. She foreknows she is to suffer harm from
him. If he will go with her he shall learn chivalry and the use of arms.
Peredur consents on her promising to refrain from injuring the countess,
and stays with her three weeks. (11) Peredur comes to a hermit's cell. In
the morning it has snowed. A hawk has killed a fowl in front of the cell,
but is scared away by Peredur's horse; a raven has alighted on the bird.
Peredur likens the blackness of the raven and the whiteness of the snow
and the redness of the blood to the hair and the skin and the two red
spots on the cheeks of the lady he loves best. Whilst thus lost in
thought, Arthur and his household come up with him, but fail to recognise
him. A youth accosts him, but receives no answer; whereupon he thrusts at
Peredur but is struck to the ground. Twenty-four youths essay the same,
and are repulsed in like manner. Kai then comes and speaks angrily, but
Peredur breaks his arms for him. Gwalchmai then approaches him
courteously, learns his name, and brings him to Arthur, who does him
honour. Thus all return to Caerlleon. (12) Peredur solicits the love of
Angharad Law Eurawc, and when she denies him, vows to speak to no
Christian till she loves him. (13) Peredur comes to the castle of a huge
grey man, a heathen, after slaying a lion, his porter. The grey man's
daughter warns him of her father, and at his request brings his horse and
arms to his lodging. Peredur overcomes the vassals, and slays the sons of
the grey man, and sends the whole household to Arthur to be baptized. (14)
Peredur slays a serpent lying upon a gold ring, and wins the ring. For a
long time he speaks to no Christian, and loses colour and aspect through
longing for Arthur and his lady love. He returns to Arthur's court, but
none know him, and he suffers Kai to thrust him through the thigh without
his saying a word. He overcomes many knights, and at length Angharad Law
Eurawc confesses her love for him. He remains at Arthur's court. (15)
Peredur comes to the castle of a huge, black, one-eyed man. The latter's
daughter warns him against her father. But Peredur stays, overcomes the
latter, and learns how he lost his eye. On the Mound of Mourning is a
cairn, in the cairn a serpent with a stone in its tail, the virtue whereof
is to give as much gold to the possessor as he may desire. In fighting the
serpent he had lost his eye. He directs Peredur to the serpent, and is
slain by him. Peredur refuses the love of the maidens of the castle, and
rides forth. (16) He comes to the palace of the son of the King of the
Tortures. Every day the Addanc of the Lake slays them. Whilst at discourse
a charger enters the hall with a corpse in the saddle. They anoint the
corpse with warm water and balsam, and it comes to life. The same happens
with two other youths. The morrow they ride forth anew against the Addanc,
refusing Peredur, who would go with them; but he follows and finds seated
on a mound the fairest lady, who, if he will pledge her his love, will
give him a stone by which he may see the Addanc and be unseen of it. He
promises, and she gives him the stone, telling him to seek her in India.
Peredur passes through a valley wherein is a flock of white sheep, and one
of black, and when they cross the river flowing through the valley they
change colour. He learns of their shepherd the way to the Addanc's cave,
slays it, meets his three companions of the night before, who tell him it
was predicted that he should slay the monster, offers them its head,
refuses their sister whom they proffer him in marriage; accepts the
services of a youth, Etlym Gleddyv Coch, who wishes to become his
attendant, and rides forth. (17) He comes to the court of the Countess of
Achievements, overthrows her three hundred knights; but learning she loves
Etlym resigns her to him. (18) Peredur, accompanied by Etlym, comes to the
Mound of Mourning, slays two out of the three hundred knights he finds
guarding the serpent, slays the latter, repays the remaining hundred
knights all they have spent, gives Etlym the stone and sends him back to
his love. (19) Peredur comes to a valley wherein are many coloured tents,
lodges with a miller, from whom he borrows food and lodging, and learns
that a tournament is forward. He overcomes all the knights present, and
sends their horses and arms to the miller as repayment. The Empress of the
Tournament sends for him, he repels her messengers thrice, the fourth time
he yields. She reveals herself as the lady who had helped him against the
Addanc, and she entertains him for fourteen years. (20) Arthur is at
Caerlleon-upon-Usk, with him his knights, and among them Peredur. There
enters, riding upon a yellow mule, a maiden of hideous aspect. She greets
all save Peredur, to whom she reproaches his silence at the court of the
Lame King; had he asked the meaning of the streaming spear and of the
other wonders the King would have regained health and the dominions
peace--all his misfortunes are due to Peredur. She then tells of a castle
where are five hundred and seventy knights, each with the lady he loves
best--there may fame be acquired; and of a castle on a lofty mountain
where a maiden is detained prisoner, whoso should deliver her should
attain the summit of the fame of the world. Gwalchmai sets forth to
release the imprisoned maiden, Peredur to enquire the meaning of the
bleeding lance. Before they leave a knight enters and defies Gwalchmai to
single combat, for that he had slain his lord by treachery. (21) Gwalchmai
meets a knight who directs him to his own castle, where he is welcomed by
his sister. The steward of the castle accuses him to the knight of being
the slayer of his, the knight's, father. Gwalchmai demands a year to
acknowledge or deny the accusation. (22) Peredur, who, seeking tidings of
the black maiden, but finding none, has wandered over the whole island,
meets a priest who chides him for being in armour on Good Friday. Peredur
dismounts, asks the priest's blessing, and learns of a castle where he may
gain tidings of the Castle of Wonders. (23) Peredur proceeds thither, and
meets the King of the castle, who commends him to his daughter, by whom he
is well received. A little yellow page accuses him to the King of winning
his daughter's love, and advises that he should be thrown into prison. But
the damsel befriends him, and assists him to take part in a tournament,
where, for three days, he overthrows all opponents. The King at last
recognises him, and offers him his daughter; but he refuses and sets forth
for the Castle of Wonders. (24) On arriving there he finds the door open,
and in the hall a chessboard and chessmen playing by themselves. He
favours one side which loses, whereupon he casts the chessboard in the
lake. The black maiden comes in and reproaches him--he may find the
chessboard again at the Castle of Ysbidinongyl, where a black man lays
waste the dominions of the Empress. Him Peredur overcomes, but spares his
life; this the black maiden chides him for, and he slays him; but the
black maiden still refuses him access to the Empress unless he can slay a
stag, swift as the swiftest bird, with one sharp horn in his forehead. She
gives him a little dog belonging to the Empress which will rouse the stag.
With its aid he slays the latter, but a lady, riding by, carries off the
dog, and chides him for slaying the stag. He can only win her friendship
by going to a cromlech which is in a grove, and challenging to fight three
times a man who dwells there. Peredur complies, and fights with a black
man clad in rusty armour; but when he dismounts his adversary disappears.
(25) Peredur, riding on, comes to a castle where sits a lame grey-headed
man, and Gwalchmai by him. A youth enters the hall and beseeches Peredur's
friendship--he had been the black maiden who came to Arthur's court, and
who had chid Peredur concerning the chessboard; he was the youth who came
with the bloody head in the salver, and the head was that of Peredur's
cousin slain by the sorceresses of Gloucester, who also lamed Peredur's
uncle, and he, the speaker, was Peredur's cousin. Peredur seeks aid of
Arthur, and they start against the sorceresses. One of the latter slays
three of Arthur's men; whereupon Peredur smites her, and she flees,
exclaiming this was Peredur, who had learnt chivalry of them, their
destined slayer. She and all her companions are slain. Thus is it related
concerning the Castle of Wonders.
=The Thornton MS. Sir Perceval.=--(1) PERCYVELLE is son of Percyvelle and
Acheflour, Arthur's sister. His father is slain in a tournament by the Red
Knight whom he had previously overcome in a former tournament. His mother
takes to the woods, brings up her son without instruction till he is
fifteen years, when she teaches him to pray to God. (2) He then meets with
three knights of Arthur's court--Ewayne, Gawayne, and Kay. He takes them
for gods. Learning that they are knights, he determines to go to Arthur's
court and become a knight himself, catches a wild horse, and, returning to
his mother, announces his attention. She counsels him to be always of
measure, to salute knights when he meets them, and at his departure gives
him a ring for token. (3) He sets forth, and finding on his way a house
makes himself free of it, eats, drinks, and finding a lady sleeping on a
bed takes from her her ring, leaving his mother's in its place. (4) Coming
to Arthur's hall he rides into it and up to the King so that his mare
kisses Arthur's forehead. He demands knighthood at Arthur's hands,
threatening to slay him if refused. Arthur sees the likeness to his
father, laments over the latter's untimely fate, and recalls that books
say the son should avenge the father's bane. Percyvelle bids him let be
his jangling and dub him knight. Whilst sitting down to table the Red
Knight comes in, carries off Arthur's cup (five years long had he done so)
none daring to hinder him. At the King's lament Percyvelle engages to slay
the Red Knight, and bring the cup back if knighthood be granted him. The
King promises, Percyvelle follows the ravisher, who scorns him, but is
slain by a dart flung at him. He captures the knight's steed, and not
being able otherwise to remove his armour, and recalling his mother's
injunction "out of the iron burn the tree" kindles a fire to burn the
body. Gawayne, who has followed him, shows him how to unlace the armour;
when that is removed Percyvelle casts the body into the fire to roast. He
refuses to return to Arthur, looking upon himself as great a lord as the
King, but sends the cup back through Gawayne and rides on. (5) He meets an
old witch, mother to the Red Knight, who addresses him as her son; her he
spears and casts into the fire. (6) He meets ten knights, who flee, taking
him for the Red Knight, but on his raising his vizor the oldest knight,
reassured, relates how the Red Knight bore him and his sons enmity, and
how, fifteen years before, he had slain his brother. Learning that
Percyvelle had burnt his enemy, he invites him to his castle. (7) Whilst
at meat a messenger comes in from the Maiden-land begging help from the
Lady Lufamour against a "Sowdane," who would have her to wife. Percyvelle
starts forth with three of the old knight's sons, whom, however, he sends
back each after a mile. Meanwhile, the King at Carebedd, mourning for
Percyvelle, receives Lufamour's messages, gains from him tidings of
Percyvelle, and sets forth with his court to follow him. Percyvelle,
coming to the Sowdane's camp, is set upon by the guard, but slays them
all, and then lays him down to rest under the castle wall. In the morning
Lufamour's men make her aware of the slaughter wrought upon her enemies.
She perceives Percyvelle and sends her chamberlain, Hatlayne, to bid him
to her chamber. Whilst at table together tidings are brought that the
enemy have nearly taken the town. Percyvelle sallies forth alone and soon
leaves not one alive. He is then ware of four knights--Arthur, Ewayne,
Gawayne, Kay. He pricks against them and Gawayne receives his onslaught.
They recognise each other, and all proceed to Lufamour's castle. The next
day the Sowdane challenges all comers; Percyvelle, dubbed knight by
Arthur, slays him, and thereafter weds Lufamour. (8) After a year he
thinks on his mother's loneliness, and sets forth to seek her. Hearing a
damsel lamenting in the wood, he finds her bound to a tree, for that a
year before, while sleeping, a stranger had robbed her of a ring leaving
his own in its stead. Now her ring was of a stone of such virtue that
neither death nor hurt could come to the wearer. He releases her,
overcomes the Black Knight who had bound her, reconciles them and claims
his own ring for the ring he had taken. But the Black Knight has given it
to the lord of the land--a giant. (9) Percyvelle slays the giant, and
claims the ring of the porter. The latter tells him how his master, loving
a fair lady, had offered her that same ring, but she, exclaiming that he
had killed her son, rushed into the forest and was since then bereft of
her senses. Percyvelle puts on a goat's skin, and after nine days search
finds her. A magic drink of the giant's throws her into a three days'
sleep, after which, restored to her right mind, she goes home with her
son. He afterwards goes to the Holy Land, and is there slain.
=The Queste del Saint Graal.=--[_Furnivall's text (F.) has been taken as
the basis of the present summary. Words and passages not found in the
Welsh translation (W) are italicised; words or passages found in the Welsh
translation instead of those in Furnivall are in parentheses. The variants
from Birch-Hirschfeld's Summary (B. H.) are given in the notes._]