Book XIV · GRAMOFLANZ, part 3 of 11

¶And Gawain heard, and saw his sorrow, and he spake out right wonderingly, 'Alas, Sir Knight, who art thou, who speakest thus well of me? If I might such words have hearkened the while I had strength and power, Then my honour had ne'er been forfeit, for the victory is thine this hour! And fain would I know how men call him with whom I shall find my fame, 165 Since hereafter I needs must seek it, so tell me, I pray, thy name-- For ever was I the victor when I fought with one man alone.' 'Yea, gladly my name I'll tell thee who aforetime my face hast known, And true service I fain would do thee wherever such chance befall, For thy kinsman am I, and cousin, and men call me Parzival!' 170 Then out quoth Gawain, 'So, 'tis fitting, here Folly her goal hath found, And her ways full straight hath she wroughten which aforetime but crooked wound. Here have two hearts, leal and faithful, their hate 'gainst each other shown, And thy hand which hath won the victory hath the twain of us overthrown. And for both of us shalt thou sorrow, for thyself by thyself laid low, 175 And the thought it shall surely grieve thee if thy true heart true faith doth know!'

¶Then, e'en as the words were spoken, no longer the knight Gawain Might stand for very weakness, for the blows they had dulled his brain, And his footsteps they failed and faltered, and prone on the grass he lay-- Then down sprang the squire of King Arthur, and aid did he bring straightway, 180 For he lifted his head, and from off it he loosened the helmet's band, With his head-gear of peacock's feathers the face of Gawain he fanned Till his care new strength had brought him--Now on to the field did ride, From the armies twain, much people, they flocked hither from either side. And each one would seek his station, for here should the fight be fought, 185 And the lists, they were set with tree-trunks, each smooth as a mirror wrought.

¶Gramoflanz the cost had given, since from him had the challenge come, A hundred in all the tree-trunks, and brightly they shone each one. And no man should come within them, and the place between was wide, Full forty lengths from each other stood the fifty on either side, 190 Each blazoned with many colours; and here should the combat be; And on either side the army from the strife should hold them free. As by moat and rampart sundered, so should they in peace remain, In this wise they sware, the foemen, King Gramoflanz and Gawain.

¶To this combat, by none awaited, came the folk from either side, 195 At the self-same hour, fain were they to know what should there betide, For they marvelled much who had fought here, and had shown such knightly skill; Or who should such strife have challenged, for alone was it foughten still, And neither side their comrades had bidden unto the ring, But alone had each knight come hither, and men deemed it a wondrous thing. 200 But now as the fight was foughten on the flower-besprinkled plain, Came King Gramoflanz, to wreak vengeance for the garland upon Gawain; And he heard what thing had chanced there, that so fierce the fight had been That never a fiercer conflict with sword might a man have seen, And the twain who fought together had never a cause to fight-- 205 Then the king, from out his army, rode straight to the gallant knights;

¶And he found them battle-weary, and much he mourned their pain; Tho' scarcely his strength might bear him, up-sprang the knight Gawain, And the twain they stood together--Now Bené rode with the king, And with him, as the strife was ended, she came to the battle-ring, 210 And she saw Gawain all powerless, whom, for honour and fair renown, O'er all the world had she chosen to crown with joy's fairest crown. With a cry of heartfelt sorrow from her palfrey the maiden sprung, And she spake, as her arms around him in a close embrace she flung, 'Accurst be the hand that such sorrow on so fair a form hath brought, 215 For in sooth all manly beauty its mirror in thee hath sought!' On the sward did she bid him seat him, and, the while that she wept full sore, With tender hand from his eyelids she wiped the sweat and gore;

¶And heavy and hot his harness--Then Gramoflanz quoth again, 'In sooth must I grieve for thy sorrow, since my hand wrought it not, Gawain; 220 If to-morrow again thou comest, and wilt meet me upon this field, Then gladly will I await thee, and will face thee with spear and shield. Now as lief would I fight with a woman as with thee, who art brought so low, For how shall I win me honour if strength shall have failed my foe? Go, rest thee to-day, for 'tis needful, and then wouldst thou take the place 225 Of thy father, King Lot, I am ready to meet thee here, face to face.'

¶But Parzival stood unwearied, nor as yet a sign he bare Of pallor, nor strength had failed him, and he faced the monarch fair, And he loosed from his head the helmet, that the king his face might see, And he spake, 'Sir, if this my cousin in aught shall have wrongèd thee 230 Then take me as his pledge, unwearied, as thou seest, is yet mine hand, And the wrath thou dost bear against him I may well with my sword withstand.'

¶Then spake the King of Rosche Sabbins, 'Sir Knight, at the morrow's morn For my garland he payeth tribute, and its fame shall anew be born, Or to such a pass shall he bring me that shame shall my portion be-- 235 Thou mayst otherwise be a hero, but this conflict is not for thee!'

¶In wrath spake the lips of Bené, 'Fie on thee! thou faithless hound, Thro' him whom thy false heart hateth thine heart hath its freedom found. She to whom thou wouldst do love-service, she liveth at his command, Thyself hast renounced the victory which else might have crowned thine hand. 240 Thou hast no claim on Love's rewarding, and if ever within thine heart Love had for awhile her dwelling with falsehood she bare a part!' As thus she waxed full wrathful, Gramoflanz led the maid aside, And quoth,'Now, Lady, grieve not, this strife must needs betide. But stay thou here with thy master, and say to his sister sweet 245 That I am in truth her servant, in all that a knight finds meet.'