Now Anfortas and his Templars they suffered sore grief and pain,

And their true love in bondage held him, since he prayed them for death in vain;

And in sooth death had been his portion, save they wrought that the Grail he saw—

From the might of Its mystic virtue fresh life must he ever draw.

Then he spake to the knights of Monsalv?sch, ‘Of a sooth, were ye true of heart,5

Ye had pitied ere this my sorrow, how long shall pain be my part?

If reward ye would have as deserving, then God give ye payment fair,

For ever was I your servant since the days that I harness bare.

Atonement in full have I made here for aught I have done of wrong

To ye, e’en tho’ none had known it, and my penance endureth long!10

If ye would not be held unfaithful, by the helmet and shield I bore,

And the bond of our common knighthood, release me from bondage sore!

For this of a truth must ye grant me, if ye do not the truth disdain,

I bare both as a knight undaunted, and fame thro’ my deeds did gain.

For hill and vale have I ridden, and many a joust have run,15

And with sword-play good from my foemen much hatred methinks, I won.

Yet with ye doth that count for little! Bereft of all joy am I;

Yet, cometh the Day of Judgment, my voice would I lift on high,

And in God’s sight, I, one man only, at the last will accuse ye all,

If freedom ye fail to give me, and to Hell shall ye surely fall!20

For in sooth ye should mourn my sorrow—From the first have ye seen the thing,

And ye know how it came upon me—Now I profit ye not as king,

And all too soon will ye think so, when thro’ me ye have lost your soul—

Alas! why thus ill-entreat me? Ere this had I been made whole!’

And the knights from his grief had freed him, save they hope from the word must draw25

That Trevrezent spake of aforetime, and that writ on the Grail he saw.

And once more would they wait his coming whose joy there had waxen weak,

And the hour that should bring them healing from the question his lips should speak.

Then the king of a wile bethought him, and fast would he close his eyes,

And four days long so he held them, when the knights, in their ‘customedwise,30

Before the Grail would bear him, if he said them or yea, or nay;

But his weakness so wrought upon him, as before the shrine he lay,

That his eyelids he needs must open, and against his will must live,

For the Grail held death far from him and fresh life must Its vision give.

And so was it with Anfortas till the day when Parzival35

And Feirefis his brother, rode swift to Monsalv?sch’ hall;

And the time was near when the planet, its course in high heaven run,

Mars or Jupiter, glowing wrathful, its station had well-nigh won,

And the spot whence it took its journey—Ah! then was an evil day

That wrought ill to the wound of Anfortas, and the torment would have its way;40

And maiden and knight must hearken as the palace rang with his cries,

And the help that no man might give him he besought with despairing eyes,

For past all aid was he wounded, and his knights could but share his grief—

Yet the tale saith he drew ever nearer who should bring him alone relief.

Then oft as the bitter anguish in its bondage the hero held,45

The taint of the wound to banish, the hall was with sweetness filled,

For before him they spread on the carpet Terebinth, and odours fair

Of aromatic spices and sweet woods filled the scented air.

Teriak and precious Ambra, and methinks that their smell was sweet—

Cardamom, Jeroffel, Muscat, lay broken beneath the feet50

Where’er one set foot on the carpet; and e’en as each footstep fell

Their perfume arose, and their freshness, of the venom o’ercame the smell.

And his fire was of Lignum aloe, as methinks ye have heard afore—

Of the horny skin of the viper had they fashioned the pillars four

That stood ‘neath his couch—‘Gainst the venom must his knights on the cushions strew55

Powder of roots so precious, whose healing scent they knew.

Well stuffed, but unsewed, was the covering against which the monarch leant,

And the silk and the mattress ‘neath it were of Palmat of Nouriente.

And the couch itself was yet richer, with many a precious stone

Was it decked, nor were others found there save the rarest of jewels alone;60

And by Salamanders woven were the cords which the bed did bind,

Yea even the fastening ‘neath it—Yet no joy might Anfortas find.

The couch on all sides was costly, (no man shall contend I ween

That he in the days of his lifetime a richer shall e’er have seen,)

’Twas precious alone from the virtue of the jewels and their magic power,65

Would ye learn their names, then hearken, for we know them unto this hour.

Carbuncle and Balas ruby, Silenite, and Chalcedony,

Gagatromeus, Onyx, Coral, and Bestion, fair to see.

And there too were Pearl and Opal, Ceraunius and Epistites,

Jerachites, Heliotropia, Panterus, Agate, and Emathites.70

Antrodragma, Praseme, and Saddae, Dionisia and Celidon,

Sardonyx and red Cornelian, Jasper and Calcofon.

Echites, Iris, Gagates, and Lyncurium, with many more,

Asbestos and Cecolithus, and Jacinth, that rich couch bore.

Galactida, Orites, Enydrus, and Emerald, glowing green,75

Absist and Alabanda, and Chrysolect had ye seen.

Hiennia, Sapphire, Pyrites, and beside them, here and there,

Turquoise, and Lipparèa, Chrysolite, and Ruby fair—

Paleisen, Sardius, Diamond, Chrysoprasis, and Malachite,

Diadoch, Peanite, and Medus with Beryl and Topaze bright.80

And many they taught high courage, and others such virtue knew

That healing skill they taught men, and fresh life from their power they drew.

And many their strength won from them, if aright they might use their art,

And therewith would they tend Anfortas whom they loved with a faithful heart—

And great grief had he brought his people, yet joy soon his lot shall be—85

To Terre de Salv?sch from Ioflanz he rideth to speak him free,

Parzival, with the maid and his brother, nor in truth did I ever hear

The distance these three had journeyed ere they drew to the Burg anear;

But conflict had been their portion had Kondrie not been their guide,

But afar from all strife did she hold them, and in peace on their way they ride.90

So came they at length to an outpost—Then swiftly towards them sped

Many Templars well armed and mounted, and right soon they the truth had read,

And they knew by the guide that succour at last to their walls should draw,

And the Captain he spake out gladly as the Turtle-doves he saw

Gleam fair on Kondrie’s vesture, ‘Now an end hath it found, our grief,95

With the sign of the Grail he cometh who shall bring to our king relief,

The knight we have looked and have longed for since the dawn of our sorrow’s day—

Stand ye still, for great gladness cometh, and our mourning is past away!’

Feirefis Angevin would urge him, his brother, to joust to ride,

But Kondrie, she grasped his bridle, lest conflict should there betide,100

And the maiden, true but unlovely, spake thus unto Parzival,

‘Shield and banner, thou sure shouldst know them, of the Grail are these heroes all,

And ready to do thee service.’ Then out spake the heathen bold,

‘If so it shall be, from battle mine hand may I well withhold.’

Then Parzival prayed that Kondrie would ride forward, the knights to meet,105

And she rode, and she spake of the gladness that neared them with flying feet.

And, one and all, the Templars sprang straightway unto the ground,

And from off their head the helmet in the self-same hour unbound,

And Parzival they greeted, and they were in his greeting blest,

And Feirefis they welcomed as befitted a noble guest.110

And then with the twain to Monsalv?sch the Templars they took their way;

Though they wept, yet methinks that gladness was the fount of their tears that day.

And a countless folk they found there, many grey-haired knights and old,

And pages of noble bearing, and of servants, a host untold.

And sad were the folk and mournful, whom their coming might well rejoice,115

And Parzival and his brother they welcomed with friendly voice,

And kindly did they receive them, without, in the palace court,

At the foot of the noble stairway, and the knights to the hall they brought.

And, e’en as was there the custom, a hundred carpets round,

Each one with a couch upon it, were spread there upon the ground;120

And each couch bare a velvet covering, and methinks, if the twain had wit,

The while that the squires disarmed them ’twould pleasure them there to sit.

And a chamberlain came towards them, and he brought to them vesture fair,

And each should be clad as the other, and many a knight sat there.

And they bare many precious vessels of gold, (none I ween was glass,)125

And the twain they drank, and upstood them to get them to Anfortas.

And this have ye heard of aforetime, how he lay, for he scarce might sit,

And the couch and its goodly decking, forsooth have ye read of it.

And the twain did Anfortas welcome with gladness, and yet with grief,

And he spake, ‘O’er-long have I waited tho’ I win from thine hand relief;130

But a while ago didst thou leave me in such wise, art thou true of heart,

And thinkest to aid my sorrow, thou must have in repentance part.

If e’er men have praised thy valour, then be thou to my woe a friend,

And pray of these knights and maidens that death may my torment end;

If Parzival men shall call thee, then forbid me the Grail to see135

Seven nights and eight days, and I wot well my wailing shall silenced be!

Nor further I dare to warn thee—Well for thee if thou help canst bring!

A stranger shall be thy comrade, and I think it an evil thing

That thus he doth stand before me, say wherefore no thought dost take

For his comfort, and bid him seat him?’ Then Parzival, weeping, spake:140

‘Now say where the Grail It lieth? If God’s mercy He think to show,

And it be o’er His wrath the victor, this folk, they shall surely know!’

Then three times on his knee he bowed him in the Name of the Trinity,

And three times he prayed that the sorrow of Anfortas should ended be,

Then he stood upright, and he turned him to the monarch, and thus he spake:145

‘What aileth thee here, mine uncle?‘ He who Lazarus from death did wake,

And by the mouth of His saint, Sylvester, a dead beast to life did bring,

Wrought healing and strength on Anfortas—and all men beheld the king,

And what French folk shall know as ’Florie‘ it shone on his face so fair,

And Parzival’s manly beauty was but as the empty air!150

Yea, Vergulacht, Askalon’s monarch, and Absalom, David’s son,

And all who the dower of beauty as their birthright shall e’er have won—

E’en Gamuret, as men saw him draw near unto Kanvoleis,

So wondrous fair to look on—they were naught unto all men’s eyes

When matched with the radiant beauty that forth from his bitter woe155

He bare, the King Anfortas—such skill God doth surely know!

No choice was there for the Templars since the writing upon the Grail

Had named unto them their ruler, and Parzival did they hail

Their king and their lord henceforward; and I ween ye in vain would seek

Would ye find two men as wealthy, if of riches I here may speak,160

As Parzival and his brother, Feirefis Angevin—

And many a proffered service the host and his guest did win.

I know not how many stages queen Kondwiramur had made

On her journey towards Monsalv?sch, nor, joyful, her steps delayed,

For already the truth had been told her, and a messenger tidings bare,165

And she knew that her grief was ended and her gladness had blossomed fair.

And led by her uncle, Kiot, and by many a hero bold,

Had she come unto Terre de Salv?sch and the wood where they fought of old;

Where in joust Segramor had fallen, and her lord did her likeness know

In the threefold blood-drops mystic, on the white of the drifted snow.170

And there should Parzival seek her, and tho’ toilsome and rough the way

Yet never a gladder journey had he ridden than he rode that day!

Then a Templar tidings brought him, ‘E’en as doth her rank beseem

Full many a knight so courteous rideth hither beside the queen.’

Then Parzival bethought him, with the knights of the Holy Grail175

To Trevrezent did he ride first, and he told him the wondrous tale;

From his heart was the hermit joyful that it thus with Anfortas stood,

Nor death was his lot, but the question brought rest to the hero good.

And he quoth, ‘Yea, God’s power is mighty—Who doth at His Council sit?

Who hath known of His strength the limit? What Angel hath fathomed it?180

God is Man, and the Word of His Father; God is Father at once and Son,

And I wot thro’ His Spirit’s working may succour and aid be won!’

Then Trevrezent quoth to his nephew, ‘Greater marvel I ne’er may see

Than that thou by thy wrath hast won blessing, and th’ Eternal Trinity

Hath given thee thy desiring! Yet aforetime in sooth I lied,185

For I thought from the Grail to bring thee, and the truth I from thee would hide.

Do thou for my sin give me pardon, henceforth I thy hand obey,

O my king, and son of my sister!—Methinks that I once did say

That the spirits cast forth from Heaven thereafter the Grail did tend

By God’s will, and besought His favour, till their penance at last did end.190

But God to Himself is faithful, and ne’er doth He changing know,

Nor to them whom I named as forgiven did He ever forgiveness show.

For they who refuse His service, He Himself will, I ween, refuse,

And I wot they are lost for ever, and that fate they themselves did choose.

And I mourned for thy fruitless labour, for ne’er did the story stand195

That the Grail might by man be conquered, and I fain had withheld thine hand;

But with thee hath the chance been other, and thy prize shall the highest be,

But since God’s Hand doth give It to thee, turn thine heart to humility.’

Quoth Parzival to his uncle, ‘I would see her I ne’er might see

For well-nigh five years—When together we dwelt she was dear to me,200

And no whit less dear shall she now be! Yet thy counsel I fain would hear

So long as death fail to part us, thou didst help me in need so drear!

Now I ride to my wife, since she cometh to meet me upon my way,

By Plimiz?l’s banks doth she wait me, and leave I from thee would pray.’

And the good man bade ‘God speed him,’ and he rode thro’ the dusky night,205

And his men knew the woodland pathways—In the early morning light

He found that which brought him gladness; full many a tent stood fair,

From out the kingdom of Brobarz many banners were planted there,

With many a shield beneath them—there lay princes from out his land,

And Parzival fain would ask them where the tent of the queen might stand?210

If her camp lay apart from the others? Then they showed him where she should be,

And a goodly ring around her of tents did the hero see.

And Duke Kiot of Katelangen, he had risen ere dawn of day,

And he looked on the band of riders who came by the woodland way.

And tho’ grey was the light of the morning, yet, as the host nearer drew,215

Kiot saw the Dove on their armour, and the arms of the Grail he knew;

And the old man sighed as he thought him of Schoysiané, his lovely bride,

How he won her in bliss at Monsalv?sch, and how she untimely died.

Towards Parzival he stepped him, and he bade him a greeting fair;

By a page he bade the queen’s Marshal a lodging meet prepare220

For the knights who had there drawn bridle—in sooth ’twas a gallant band—

Then to the queen’s dressing-chamber he led Parzival by the hand,

(’Twas a small tent made of buckram,) and there, in the waxing light,

His harness they take from off him ere he pass to his lady’s sight.

And the queen she knew naught of his coming—her twin sons beside her lay,225

Lohengrin and Kardeiss; and their father, methinks he was glad that day!

There he found them slumbering sweetly, in a tent both high and wide,

And many a lovely lady lay sleeping on either side.

Then Kiot, he drew the covering from the queen, and he bade her wake,

And look, and laugh, and be joyful, and her love to her arms to take;230

And she looked up and saw her husband; and naught but her smock she bare,

The covering she wrapt around her, and sprang swift on the carpet fair,

Kondwiramur, the lovely lady—and Parzival held her tight,

And they say that they kissed each other, the queen and her faithful knight.

‘Thou joy of my heart! Good Fortune hath sent thee again to me,’235

She quoth, and she bade him welcome, ‘Now in sooth I should wrathful be,

Yet have I no heart for anger! Ah! blest be the dawn and the day

That this dear embrace hath brought me, which all sorrow must drive away.

For now at last have I found thee, whom my heart hath desired so long,

And grief in my heart is vanquished, and sighing is turned to song.’240

And now from their sleep they wakened, both Lohengrin and Kardeiss,

Naked they lay on their pillows, and fair in their father’s eyes,

And, joyful, Parzival kissed them whom he never had seen before—

Then at Kiot’s courteous bidding the babes from the tent they bore,

And Kiot, he bade the maidens to get them from out the tent,245

And they greeted their lord, long absent, ere yet on their way they went.

Then he bade the queen care for her husband, and the maidens from thence he led,

And the curtains they drew together, for as yet was the night scarce sped.

Now if blood and snow had robbed him of his senses and wit of yore,

(In this self-same spot its message the snow to his true heart bore,)250

For such sorrow she well repaid him, Kondwiramur, his wife—

Nor elsewhere had he sought love’s solace in payment for love’s fierce strife,

Tho’ many their love had proffered—I ween that in bliss he lay,

And converse sweet, till morning drew nigh to the middle day.

And the army, they rode together, on the Templars had they gazed,255

And their shields in jousts were piercèd, and with many a sword-blow grazed;

And each knight he wore a surcoat of silk or of velvet rare,

And their feet were shod with iron, nor harness beside they bare.

Nor longer they cared to slumber—Then the queen alike and king

Arose, and e’en as they bade him, a priest the Mass would sing;260

And closely they thronged together, that army, brave and good,

Who in their queen’s day of peril her shield ‘gainst Klamidé stood.

Then, the benediction given, his men greeted Parzival,

Many gallant knights and worthy, their true words from true lips must fall.

From the tent they take the hangings, and the king spake, ‘Say which is he,265

Of my boys, who henceforward ruler of your folk and your land shall be?’

And further he spake to the princes, ‘Both Waleis and Norgal’s land,

And their towns, Kingrivals and Kanvoleis, by his birthright shall serve his hand,

With Béalzenan and Anjou, should he grow unto man’s estate;

And thither shall ye fare with him, and shall there on his bidding wait.270

Gamuret was he called, my father, and he left them to me, his heir,

But I, by God’s grace, have won me an heritage yet more fair!

Since the Grail shall be mine, I bid ye your fealty to swear anew

To my child, ere this hour be ended, if your hearts shall to me be true!’

And of right goodwill they did this—Ye saw many proud banners wave,275

And two little hands the tenure of many a wide land gave.

And there did they crown Kardeiss king; and, when many a year had flown,

Kanvoleis, and Gamuret’s kingdom they needs must his lordship own—

And then by Plimiz?l’s water did they measure a circle wide

That there a feast might be holden ere again on their way they ride.280

Nor long at the board they tarried; no longer the host might stay,

The tents were struck, with their child-king they wended their homeward way.

And many a maid and vassal must bid to their queen Farewell

In such wise that they made loud mourning, and many a teardrop fell.

And Lohengrin and his mother did the Templars take in their care,285

And with them to the Burg of Monsalv?sch again on their journey fare.

Quoth Parzival, ‘Once in this woodland an hermitage did I see,

And thro’ it a rippling brooklet flowed swift on its way so free;

If ye know where it stands ye shall show me.’ His comrades swift answer gave,

They knew one; ‘There dwells a maiden, and she weeps o’er her true love’s grave;290

A shrine of all goodness is she—Our road it doth lead that way,

And her heart is ne’er free from sorrow.’ ‘That maid will we see to-day,’

Quoth Parzival, and the others, as he willed, so they thought it good,

And onward they spurred their chargers, and rode thro’ the lonely wood.

And they found, in the dusk of the evening, on her knees Siguné dead,295

And the queen wept for bitter sorrow—Then they brake thro’ unto the maid;

Parzival, for the sake of his cousin, bade them raise of the tomb the stone,

There, embalmed lay Schionatulander, nor long should he lie alone,

For beside him they laid the maiden, who in life to him true love gave

In such wise as beseemed a maiden, and they closed o’er the twain the grave.300

And she wept for her uncle’s daughter, the queen, with a faithful heart;

Schoysiané, the dead maid’s mother, had shown her a mother’s part,

And had cared for her in her childhood, and therefore she sorrow knew:

And Parzival’s aunt, too, was she, if the tale Kiot read be true.

Kiot knew not the death of his daughter, he was guardian to King Kardeiss—305

(Nor my tale like the bow shall be bended, but straight as an arrow flies,)

They delayed not upon their journey, to Monsalv?sch they came by night,

And the hours Feirefis must wait them sped swift in their joyful flight.

And they lighted many a taper, ’twas as flamed all the woodland wide,

And a Templar of Patrigalt, armèd, by the queen’s bridle rein did ride;310

And broad and wide was the courtyard, and many a host stood there,

And they welcomed the queen, and a greeting to their lord and his son they bare;

And they bore Lohengrin to his uncle, Feirefis, who was black and white,

And the babe turned aside nor would kiss him—as children oft do from fright!

But gaily he laughed, the heathen—Then they gat them from out the court,315

When first the queen had dismounted, who joy with her coming brought—

And they led the guests so noble, where, with many a lady fair,

Both Feirefis and Anfortas awaited them on the stair.

Répanse de Schoie, and from Greenland, Garschiloie, the fair of face,

Florie of Lünel, the bright-eyed, rich were they in maiden grace.320

There she stood, than a reed more graceful, to whom beauty nor truth should fail,

The daughter of Reil’s lord, Jernis, as Anflisé the maid they hail;

And of Tenabroc, maid Clarischanz, sweet was she, and bright to see,

And so slender her shape, I think me, an ant’s scarce might slighter be.

Feirefis stepped toward his hostess, and he kissed her e’en as she bade,325

And a kiss did she give Anfortas, for she joyed that his woe was stayed.

Feirefis by the hand must lead her where her husband’s aunt she found,

Répanse de Schoie, and she kissed her, and the maidens who stood around,

And her lips that were red aforetime thro’ kissing grew yet more red,

(And sorely I ween doth it grieve me, that this labour, I, in her stead,330

Might not here have taken on me, for weary in sooth was she;)

Then her maids by the hand they take her, and they lead her in courteously.

And the knights, in the hall they waited, that with countless tapers bright

Was decked, on the walls they sparkled, and burnt with a steady light,

For a solemn feast they made ready, when the Grail should be shown to all;335

For it was not on every feast-day, that they bare It thro’ the hall,

But on high festivals only—When nearer their aid should draw,

On that even when joy forsook them, and the bleeding spear they saw,

’Twas then, that the Grail might help them, that It thus thro’ the hall was borne—

Yet Parzival asked no question, and left them of joy forlorn—340............