Book XV · FEIREFIS, part 9 of 10

¶Thus in festive guise, and gaily, they rode to the circle wide, And often to maid had it chancèd (so closely the guests must ride) 700 Were her steed not well girthed she had fallen--with banners waving high From every side of the meadow to each other the groups drew nigh; And a Buhurd fair was ridden without the Table Round, And in courtly guise and skilful no man rode within its bound; There was space without for the chargers, and they handled their steeds with skill, 705 And rode each one against the other till the ladies had looked their fill.

¶Then in order fair they seat them when 'twas time for the guests to eat, And cup-bearer, steward, and butler, they bethink them as shall be meet, How, courteous, to do their office--No lack of food had they, And many a maid was honoured as she sat by her knight that day. 710 And many thro' fond heart's counsel had been served by knightly deed-- And Feirefis, and the Waleis, to the maidens they gave good heed, And they looked on the one and the other, and a fair choice was theirs, I ween, For never on field or meadow may the eye of man have seen So many sweet lips and fair faces as shone there at the Table Round, 715 And the heathen was glad for their beauty, and the joy that his heart had found. Now hail to the hour that cometh, and the tidings they soon shall hear From the welcome lips of a maiden who draweth the host anear; For a maiden came towards them, and her raiment was fair to see, And e'en as in France the custom so 'twas fashioned right cunningly. 720 Her mantle was costly velvet, and blacker, I ween, its hue Than the coat of a sable jennet; and with gold was it woven thro' With turtle-doves, all shining, the badge of the Grail were they. And they looked and they marvelled at her as toward them she made her way, For swiftly she came, and her head-gear was high and white, her face 725 With many a veil was shrouded, and her features no man might trace.

¶Then with even pace and seemly she rode o'er the turf so green, And saddle and reins and trappings were costly enow I ween; And they let her within the circle--Now she who would tidings bring No fool was she, but wise maiden--So rode she around the ring, 730 And they showed her where sat King Arthur, nor her greeting should fail that day, In French was her speech, and in this wise the monarch she fain would pray; They should wreak not on her their vengeance for the words that she spake of yore, But hearken unto her message since welcome the news she bore. And the king and the queen she pleaded to give unto her their aid, 735 That she failed not to win from the hero the grace that she fain had prayed.

¶Then to Parzival she turned her, since his place by the king's was found, And she stayed not, but down from her charger she sprang swiftly unto the ground, And with courteous mien, as beseemed her, fell low at the hero's feet, And, weeping, she prayed that in friendship her coming he now would greet, 740 And forget his wrath against her, and forgive her without a kiss. And they joined to her prayer their pleadings, King Arthur and Feirefis. Of a sooth Parzival must hate her, yet he hearkened to friendship's prayer, And of true heart and free forgave her--Tho' I say not the maid was fair, Yet methinks she was honour-worthy--Then swiftly she sprang upright, 745 And thanked those who had won her pardon for the wrong she had done the knight. Then she raised her hand to her head-gear, were it wimple or veil, no less Was it cast on the ground, and all men knew Kondrie, the sorceress. And they knew of the Grail the token and the badge that the maiden bare, And all men I ween must marvel--Her face it was e'en as fair 750 As man and maiden saw it when to Plimizöl's banks she came, Of her countenance have I told ye, and to-day was it still the same, And yellow her eyes as the topaz, long her teeth, and her lips in hue Were even as is a violet, that man seeth not red but blue!

¶Yet methinks had her will been evil she had borne not the head-gear rare 755 That aforetime, on Plimizöl's meadow, it had pleasured the maid to wear. The sun it had worked no evil, if its rays thro' her hair might win Yet scarce had they shone so fiercely as to darken one whit her skin.

¶Then courteous she stood, and she spake thus, and good were her words to hear, In the self-same hour her tidings came thus to the listening ear; 760 'Oh! well is thee, thou hero, thou Gamuret's son so fair, Since God showeth favour to thee whom Herzeleide of old did bear. And welcome is he, thy brother, Feirefis, the strange of hue, For the sake of my Queen Sekundillé, and the tidings that erst I knew Of the gallant deeds of knighthood that his valiant hand hath done, 765 For e'en from the days of his childhood great fame for himself he won!'

¶And to Parzival she spake thus, 'Now rejoice with a humble heart, Since the crown of all earthly blessings henceforward shall be thy part, For read is the mystic writing--The Grail, It doth hail thee king, And Kondwiramur, thy true wife, thou shalt to thy kingdom bring, 770 For the Grail, It hath called her thither--Yea, and Lohengrin, thy son, For e'en as thou left her kingdom twin babes thou by her hadst won. And Kardeiss, he shall have in that kingdom a heritage rich I trow! And were no other bliss thy portion than that which I tell thee now-- That with true lips and pure, thou shalt greet him, Anfortas the king, again, 775 And thy mouth thro' the mystic question shall rid him of all his pain, For sorrow hath been his portion--If joy's light thro' thy deed shall shine On his life, then of all earth's children whose bliss shall be like to thine?'

¶Seven stars did she name unto him in Arabic, and their might, Right well Feirefis should know it, who sat there, both black and white. 780 And she spake, 'Sir Parzival, mark well the names that I tell to thee, There is Zevâl the highest planet, and the swift star Almustri; Almaret and the shining Samsi, great bliss unto thee they bring, Alligafir is fifth, and Alketer stands sixth in the starry ring; And the nearest to us is Alkamer; and no dream shall it be, my rede, 785 For the bridle of heaven are they, to guide and to check its speed, 'Gainst its swiftness their power, it warreth--Now thy sorrow is passed away, For far as shall be their journey, and far as shall shine their ray. So wide is the goal of thy riches and the glory thine hand shall win, And thy sorrow shall wane and vanish--Yet this thing It holds for sin, 790 The Grail and Its power, It forbids thee unlawful desire to know, And the company of sinners henceforth must thou shun, I trow; And riches are thine, and honour, but from these shall thy life be free-- Now thy youth was by sorrow cherished, and her lesson she taught to thee, But by joy she afar is driven, for thou hast thy soul's rest won, 795 And in grief thou o'er-long hast waited for the joy that is now begun.'