Book XIV · GRAMOFLANZ, part 5 of 11

¶Then the knights of the Duchess' army they came where by Arthur's side 335 Sat Parzival, fair to look on, 'mid the knightly circle wide. And the king in the tent received them, but so courtly was he and wise, That, tho' wide was the tent of Gawain, he thought best that in all men's eyes He should sit without on the meadow, and the knights they should sit around, And strangers they were to each other who place in the circle found. 340 Would ye know who was this and that one? The tale it were all too long If Christian I named and paynim--Who were Klingsor's warriors strong; Who were they who so well were armèd, and showed them such men of might When they rode from the city of Logrois, and would for their Duchess fight; Who had followed King Arthur hither--If each one, his land and kin, 345 I named in their rightful order 'twere ill to the end to win! But all men they spake together, there was none there like Parzival, For his face and his form so lovely many women might love him well; And nothing there failed unto him of aught that beseemed a knight Who beareth the crown of honour, and fighteth a goodly fight. 350

¶Then Gamuret's son upstood there, and he spake, 'Ye who shall be here Give counsel, and help me win that which my soul ever holdeth dear; A strange and a hidden wonder it drave me from out your band-- Ye who brotherhood once have sworn me, and in friendship have clasped my hand, Now help me, by this your knighthood, mine honour to win again!' 355 And gladly would Arthur grant him that for which his desire was fain.

¶Then aside with few folk he stepped him, and straitly he prayed this grace, That the strife, at the hour appointed, he in Gawain's stead might face, 'Right gladly will I defy him, King Gramoflanz, in his pride; I brake from his tree this morning a bough ere I thence did ride, 360 And for that he of need must fight me--For conflict I sought his land, And for nothing else came I hither but to fight with his strong right hand. I thought not I here should find thee, my cousin, it grieves me sore, For this king did I surely take thee, who never from strife forbore. Now let me, I prithee, fight him; if ever he know defeat 365 My hand shall such lesson teach him as he findeth not over sweet! They have given me back mine honour, and thy brother knight am I, And thy kinsman true, fair cousin, so grant to me, cousinly, That this combat be mine--I swear thee for us twain will I face the foe, And there do such deeds of valour that all men shall my manhood know!' 370

¶Quoth Gawain, 'In the court of King Arthur have I many a brother dear, And kinsman true, yet to no man may I grant what thou prayest here. My cause is so good, I think me, that Fate so shall rule the fight That I stand at the last the victor, tho' my foe be a man of might. God reward thee that thou, of thy kindness, this conflict for me wouldst face, 375 But the day is not yet in its dawning when another may take my place!'

¶Now Arthur the prayer had hearkened, of their speech he an end would make, Once more in the ring beside them his seat did the monarch take. And the cup-bearers did not tarry, the noble youths they bare Many golden cups so precious, and wroughten with jewels fair, 380 Nor one alone could fill them--and when their task was o'er The folk uprose, and gat them each one to his rest once more.

¶And night-fall had come upon them--Naught did Parzival delay, But he wrought in such wise that his harness might be ready ere break of day. Were a strap or a fastening broken, of that did he have good care, 385 And he bade them look well unto it, that all should be fit and fair. And a shield new and strong must they bring him, for his own, in many a fight, With many a blow was cloven, and they brought him a shield of might; And the serving-men who bare it, they knew not the knight, I trow, And Frenchmen were some among them, as the venture doth bid ye know. 390 And the steed that erewhile to jousting the Knight of the Grail must bear, Of that did a squire bethink him, and ne'er might it better fare. But now 'twas the hour for slumber, and the night had o'ercome the day, And Parzival slept, and before him all ready his armour lay.

¶And King Gramoflanz, he rued it that the day such chance had brought 395 That another man in his presence for the sake of his garland fought; Nor his folk might still his longing for the strife that the morn should bring, And the thought, that he had delayed him, full sorely it vexed the king. What, then, should the hero do here? Since honour he sought and fame, He scarce might await the dawning, and the strife that with daylight came, 400 But ere sunrise himself and his charger were clad all in harness rare-- Did women, with wealth o'erburdened, the cost of his decking share? I wot that, without their aiding, it costly and fair should be, For the sake of a maid did he deck him, in her service no laggard he! So he rode hence to seek his foeman, and sorely it vexed the king 405 That the early light of the morning Sir Gawain had failed to bring.

¶Now, unknown unto all, in secret stole Parzival from the court, And he stripped of its floating pennon a strong spear from Angram brought; And fully armed was the hero, and lonely he took his way Where the posts round the ring of battle shone fair in the dawning day. 410 And he saw the king await him, and ere ever a word they spake Men say that they smote each other thro' the shield, and the spear-shafts brake; And from either hand the splinters flew high in the summer air, For skilled were they both in jousting, and their swords they right well might bear. And the dew was brushed from the meadow, and the helmets felt many a blow 415 From the edge of the blades keen-tempered, no faltering might either know.