Book V · ANFORTAS, part 10 of 10

¶Then they brought to the lovely lady a palfrey, so strong and fair, 'Twas bridled, and richly saddled, and a lady right well might bear, 800 And they lifted her to the saddle, with her brave lord she hence would ride; But his charger was armed, as for battle the knight would his steed bestride, And the sword he that morn had wielded hung the saddle-bow before. Then from foot to head well armèd he came forth to his steed once more, And there, where his lady waited, to the saddle he sprung, the knight, 805 He would ride forth without delaying, with Jeschuté his lady bright. But his folk should fare back to Lalande, save one knight who should show the way To the camp and the court of King Arthur, so he counselled his folk that day.

¶Soon came they anear King Arthur, and his tents they right well espied, For the space of a mile they stretched them adown by the water's side. 810 The knight who had led him hither he bade to his folk repair, No comrade he'ld have save Jeschuté, his lady so true and fair. And Arthur, the brave and humble, he sat where at eve he'ld eat, On a plain with his vassals round him, in order due and meet. Duke Orilus rode to their circle, and none might his blazon know, 815 So hewn were both shield and helmet--'twas Parzival dealt such blow!

¶From his horse sprang the gallant hero, Jeschuté she held his rein; Swift sprang the squires to aid them, and thronged close around the twain, And they spake, 'We will care for the horses,'--Orilus, on the grass he laid His shield so marred and splintered, and he asked of the gracious maid 820 For whose sake he had ridden thither, and they showed him the lady's seat, Kunnewaaré she was of Lalande, and her mien for a maid was meet.

¶Then, armed, he drew near unto them--King and queen bade him welcome fair, He thanked them, and to his sister his pledge was he fain to swear, But the maiden, right well she knew him by the golden dragon's shine, 825 And she spake, 'Thou art sure my brother, Orilus, or Lähelein, And pledge will I take from neither, for both of ye aye were fain To render to me such service as I from your hands would gain. I were dead to all truth and honour if I dealt with thee as a foe, My courtesy sure were shamèd by my own hand, and laid alow.' 830

¶Then the prince knelt before the maiden and he spake, 'Thou the truth hath said, I am Orilus thy brother; the Red Knight this oath hath laid On me that my pledge I yield thee, for so must I buy my life, Wilt thou take it, then have I done that which I sware after bitter strife.' Then his pledge, who had borne the dragon, in her white hand the maid must take, 835 And she set him free, and he rose up, and thus to his sister spake:

¶'Now to sorrow shall faith constrain me, alas! who hath smitten thee? The blows perforce must wound me--He who lusted thereto might see, If this were the hour for vengeance, that grief I with thee must share; And the bravest of men mourneth with me that ever a woman bare, 840 He calleth himself the Red Knight--O king! he doth bid me greet Both thee and the queen thy lady, he doth offer ye service meet, As he fain would serve this my sister--His service ye will repay, If ye kindly entreat this maiden that her shaming be put away. And I, too, had fared far better at the hand of this dauntless knight, 845 Had he known the maid for my sister, and her blows on my heart must light.'

¶Now Kay, he hath earned fresh hatred from all who would there abide, Both knights and gentle ladies, by Plimizöl's flowing tide, From Iofreit the son of Idöl, from Gawain, and the vanquished king Klamidé, of whose sore peril I of yore unto ye would sing. 850 And from many another hero whose names I right well had told, But o'er-long would it be my story--So they thronged round the hero bold, And, courteous, he took their service--his wife would they nearer bring, She sat as yet on her palfrey, and they welcomed her, queen and king.

¶Then the women they kissed each other, and thus spake the king so true, 855 'Thy father, King Lac of Karnant, for a gallant man I knew, For his sake I mourned thy sorrow when first men the tale did bear, Methinks that thy lord should have spared thee for the sake of thy face so fair! For the prize was thine at Kanedig thro' the light of thy beauty's ray, And the hawk didst thou win for thy fairness, on thine hand did it ride away. 860 If Orilus wrong hath done me, yet I wished unto thee no ill, And never I liked his judgment; and so doth it please me still To see thee restored to favour, and clad in these garments fair, As fitting thy state, O Lady! since woe thou o'er-long didst bear.' And she quoth, 'Now may God reward thee, O Sire! for these words so true, 865 That thy fame may wax the higher, and may blossom and bloom anew!'

¶Then Jeschuté and her husband, the twain, she took by the hand, And forth from the circle led them, the maiden of fair Lalande. And near to the royal pavilion, where a stream from the meadow sprung, Stood her tent on the plain, and above it a wingèd dragon hung; 870 Half an apple it held in its clutches, and four ropes did it draw on high, E'en as if the tent it lifted, and aloft to the clouds would fly. And Orilus thereby knew it, for the self-same arms he bare, And beneath it would they disarm him--Then his sister so true and fair, She gave him due care and honour, and the vassals, each one they spake, 875 How the Red Knight's valour dauntless would Fame for its comrade take.

¶As thus aloud men praised him, in Kingron's ear spake Kay, And he bade him do Orilus service--(Well he might, whom he thus did pray, For oft had he done such service for Klamidé in Brandigan.) And for this Kay would give his office to the hand of another man, 880 His ill-star had bid him smite her, the prince's sister fair, So hard with his staff, 'twas fitting from their service he should forbear. Nor pardon she found for his trespass, this maiden of royal race; But viands he sent, and Kingron, he set them before their face.

¶Kunnewaaré, the wise and gentle, with her slender hands and white, 885 Would cut the food for her brother, at his side sat his lady bright. And Jeschuté of Karnant bare her with courteous and comely mien, And Arthur the King forgat not, for fain he the twain had seen, And he came where they sat together, and ate with right friendly will, And he spake, 'Be good service lacking, then for sure it shall please me ill, 890 For ne'er hath a host received ye, I trow, with a will so good, And a heart so free from falsehood!' And he spake in kindly mood, 'My Lady Kunnewaaré, see thou well to this gallant knight, And the blessing of God be on ye, and keep ye till morning light!' Then Arthur to rest betook him, and a couch for the twain they spread, 895 And till daylight in peace they slumbered, and sorrow afar had fled.