Book III · GURNEMANZ, part 12 of 13

¶'And thus I begin, do thou hearken--From true shame shalt thou never flee, A shameless man, bethink thee, what place in the world hath he? As a bird that moulteth ever so his honour doth fall away, And hereafter he hath his portion in the fires of Hell for aye.' 965

¶'So noble methinks thy bearing, a folk's Lord thou well mayst be; If high be thy birth, and yet higher the lot that awaiteth thee, Then see that thy heart hath pity for the poor and needy man And fight thou against his sorrow with free gifts as best thou can, For a true knight must aye be humble--A brave man who need doth know 970 Full often with shame he battles, and sore is that strife I trow, For him shall thy help be ready--(Who lighteneth his brother's need From Heaven he winneth favour as rewarding for righteous deed.) For in sooth his case is harder than theirs who as beggars stand 'Neath the window, and succour seeking, for bread shall stretch forth the hand.' 975 'Thou shalt learn in a fitting measure both rich and poor to be, Who spendeth as lord at all times no lordly soul hath he-- Yet who heapeth o'er-much his treasure he winneth methinks but shame, But give thou unto each their honour, so best shalt thou guard thy fame.'

¶'I saw well as thou earnest hither that thou hadst of my counsel need-- 980 Yield not unto ways discourteous but give to thy bearing heed, Nor be thou so swift to question--Yet I would not that thou withhold An answer good and fitting to the speech one with thee would hold. Thou canst hear and see, I wot well full five shalt thy senses be, An thou use them aright, then wisdom it draweth anear to thee.' 985

¶'In thy wrath remember mercy, and slay not a conquered foe, He who to thine arms shall yield him take his pledge and let him go; Unless he such ill have wrought thee as sorrow of heart doth give, An my counsel thou fain wouldst follow, then in sooth shalt thou let him live.'

¶'Full oft shalt thou bear thy harness--When thy knightly task is sped 990 Thy hands and face thou shalt cleanse them from the rust and the iron red, For such is in truth thy duty, so thy face shall be fair and bright, And when maiden's eyes behold thee they shall deem thee a goodly sight.'

¶'Be manly and of good courage, so shalt thou deserve thy fame; Hold women in love and honour, it shall be to thine own good name; 995 And be ever steadfast-minded as befitteth good man and true, An with lies thou wouldst fain deceive them much harm can thy dealings do. If true love be repaid with falsehood then swift shalt the judgment be, And a speedy end to all honour and renown shall it bring to thee. As beneath the stealthy footsteps of the thief the dry stick breaks, 1000 And the slumbering watcher, startled, to his danger swiftly wakes So false ways and dealings crooked in their wake bring but strife and woe; Prove this by true love, for true women have skill 'gainst the hidden foe, And their wiles can outweigh his cunning--An thou winnest from women hate, Then for ever art thou dishonoured, and shame on thy life shall wait.' 1005

¶'So take thou to heart my counsel--And more would I tell to thee; Husband and wife united as one shall they ever be, As the sun that this morning shineth, and this morn that we call to-day, So the twain may be sundered never but one shall be held alway. As twin blossoms from one root springing e'en so shall they bloom and grow; 1010 With wisdom receive my counsel that its truth thou hereafter know.'

¶Then he thanked his host for his teaching, nor spake of his mother more, But as true man and son so loving in his heart her memory bore.

¶Then the prince spake as did him honour, 'Yet more will I teach to thee, Thou shalt learn knightly skill and bearing--In such wise didst thou come to me, 1015 Full many a wall have I looked on that the shields might better deck Than that shield erewhile became thee, as it hung there around thy neck. None too late shall be the morning, we'll hence to the open field, And fitting skill I'll teach thee that thine arms thou mayst rightly wield. So bring to my guest his charger, and mine shalt thou hither lead, 1020 And each knight shall make him ready, and mount, e'en as I, his steed. And pages shall thither follow, and each one shall bear a spear, And the shaft shall be strong and untested, and blazoned with colours clear.'

¶So the prince and his guest together they rode to the grassy plain, And many a feat so skilful was shown by that knightly train. 1025 And the lad he learned how to check him his charger in seeming flight With touch of spur, and turn him once more 'gainst the foeman's might; His spear to sink as needed, and before him hold his shield As he rode a joust; 'Thus shalt thou thine arms in future wield!'

¶Thus of lack of skill he cured him better than by the bough 1030 That smiteth unruly children and breaketh their skin I trow. Then he bade swift knights come hither, and a joust with the stranger ride, And himself to the ring he led him, and against the foe would guide; And the lad in his first joust carried his spear through the foeman's shield, And tho' strong was the knight yet he smote him from his steed on the open field. 1035

¶And they marvelled much who beheld it--Then another to joust rode near, And Parzival took unto him a fresh and unbroken spear, And his youth had strength and courage--The beardless lad and fair Was spurred by his inborn manhood, and to Gamuret's skill was heir-- Then he urged his charger onward full swiftly against the foe, 1040 And his spear rang true on the four nails, and struck nor too high nor low, Nor the host's knight might keep his saddle, but prone on the sward he fell, Of the spear-shaft full many a splinter the force of the blow might tell. Thus five of the knights were smitten ere the host to the Burg would ride, And the victory was his, and hereafter fierce strife might he well abide. 1045