Book X · ORGELUSE, part 4 of 10

¶Now Adam, of all men father, from God did he learn such skill, All beasts, wild and tame, he knew them, and he namèd them at his will. And he knew the stars and their pathway, as they circle the silent sky, 245 And the power of the seven planets, how they rule men from heaven high, And he knew of all roots the virtue, and the ill that was theirs of yore-- When his children were grown to manhood, and daughters and sons they bore, From evil desires he warned them; and his daughters he oft did rede Of certain roots to beware them, that wrought ill with the human seed, 250 And would change their face, and their aspect, and dishonoured the race should be; And he spake, 'Then shall we be other than erst God did fashion me, And therefore do ye, my children, give heed to the words I say, Nor be blind to your bliss, lest your children they wander too far astray.'

¶But the women, they did as women, in forbidden ways they went, 255 And they wrought out the lust and the evil on which their desire was bent, And the shape of men was changèd, such rewarding their fault must win, And tho' firm stood the will of Adam yet sorely he mourned their sin-- Now the fair Queen Sekundillé, her body, her crown, and land, Feirefis had won as his guerdon by the power of his knightly hand, 260 And there, in her far-off kingdom (no lie is the tale I tell) Full many of this strange people since the days that are gone do dwell, And their faces are ill to look on, and the birth-marks are strange they bear. And once of the Grail men told her, and Anfortas' kingdom fair, That on earth was naught like to his riches, and a marvel she thought his land-- 265 (And the waters within her kingdom bare jewels instead of sand, And many a golden mountain shall rear its crest on high.) And the queen she thought, 'How may I win speech of his majesty, Who ruleth the Grail?' she bethought her, and rich presents she sent the king, Of jewels fair, and beside them, they should to his kingdom bring 270 Of this folk, so strange to look on, the twain of whom now I tell, Kondrie and the squire, her brother--and in this wise the chance befell (Much treasure beside she sent him whose cost might of none be told,) That Anfortas, the gentle monarch, who was courteous as he was bold, For the love he bare Orgelusé sent this squire unto her grace, 275 By the sin and the lust of women set apart from the human race!

¶Now this son of the herbs and the planets loud mocked at the gallant knight, Who, courteous, would wait his coming; no charger he rode of might, But a mare so feint and feeble and halting in every limb, And oft to the ground it stumbled 'neath its rider so harsh and grim. 280 I wot well e'en Dame Jeschuté rode a better steed that day When Parzival's hand avenged her, and her shaming was put away!

¶The squire he looked well upon Gawain, and thus in his wrath he spake, 'If thou be a knight, I think me, and my lady with thee wilt take Thou shalt sorely repent the journey--A fool thou in truth must be, 285 And such peril shall be thy guerdon as winneth great praise to thee, If so be that thou canst withstand it--Yet, if but a servant thou, Of buffets and blows, I think me, full soon wilt thou have enow!'

¶Then out quoth Gawain, 'My knighthood such chastisement ne'er might feel, 'Tis good but for worthless youngsters who shrink from the touch of steel; 290 But I hold me free of such insults, and e'en if it so shall be That thou and this lovely lady your mock'ry shall pour on me, Then one sure shall taste my vengeance, nor think thou that I wax wroth For ill tho' thou be to look on I hold thee but light in troth!' With that by the hair he gripped him, and he swung him from off his horse, 295 The squire glared wrathful on him, and his bristles, so sharp and coarse, Took vengeance sore on Gawain, his hand did they cut and tear Till the blood dripped crimson from it--then loud laughed the lady fair, 'Now in sooth this is good to look on, to see ye twain in wrath!' So rode the twain, the squire's horse came halting upon their path. 300

¶So came they unto the linden where the wounded knight they found, On his side the herb of healing the hand of Gawain bound; Quoth the knight, 'Now, how went it with thee since first thou didst find me here? Thou leadest with thee a lady who plotteth thine ill, I fear! 'Tis thro' her I so sore am wounded; at the Perilous Ford, I ween, 305 Did she force such a joust upon me as well-nigh my death had been! So, if thou thy life now lovest, I warn thee to let her be, And turn thee aside, nor ride with her, but warning to take by me-- And yet may my wounds be healèd, if rest for awhile I gain, And, Sir Knight, thereto canst thou help me!' 'That will I,' quoth knight Gawain. 310 Then the wounded knight spake further, 'A spital shall stand near by, And if I but now might reach it for awhile I in peace might lie, Thou seest my lady's palfrey, it can carry, methinks, the twain If she rideth afore, I behind her, so help me its back to gain.'

¶From the bough of the mighty linden Sir Gawain he loosed the steed, 315 And the bridle he took that the palfrey he might to the lady lead-- 'Away from me!' cried the sick man, 'thou treadest on me I trow!' Then he led it apart, and the lady she followed so soft and slow, For she knew what her lord did purpose; as the maid to her horse he swung, Up started the knight, and swiftly on the charger of Gawain sprung! 320 And, methinks, an ill deed he did there--With his lady he rode away, And I ween that with sin was tainted the prize that he won that day!

¶Then sore did Gawain bemoan him, but the lady laughed loud and clear; (And, were it a jest, he thought him such mirth were unfitting here,) As his charger was taken from him her sweet lips in this wise spake, 325 'First wert thou a knight, then, in short space, I thee for a leech must take, Now art thou become my footman! yet thou shouldst in no wise despair, Such skill sure should bring thee comfort! Wouldst thou still in my favours share?'