Arthurian Romances

by Chretien de Troyes

  ‘Raise your hand, my lady,’ she said. ‘I don’t want you to blame me in the future for this or anything, because you are not doing me a favour. What you’re doing is for your own benefit! If you please, swear now that you will do all that you can to see that the Knight with the Lion will be assured of having his lady’s good favour, just as he once had it.’

  The lady then raised her right hand and spoke these words: ‘Exactly as you have said, I say it too, that, so help me God and the saints, I will never be faint of heart or fail to do all that is within my power. I shall restore the love and goodwill that he once enjoyed with his lady, in so far as I have the strength and ability.’

  Now Lunete has succeeded. She had never desired anything as much as what she had just accomplished. A palfrey of gentle pace had already been led out for her. Merrily and with a smile on her face Lunete mounted and rode until she found beside the pine tree the man she had not thought to find so near at hand. Instead, she had thought she would have to search far and wide before coming upon him. Because of the lion she recognized him as soon as she saw him; she rode swiftly towards him, then dismounted upon the hard earth. And my lord Yvain recognized her as soon as he caught sight of her.

  He greeted her and she returned his greeting, saying: ‘My lord, I am very happy to have found you so close!’

  ‘What?’ my lord Yvain replied. ‘Were you looking for me, then?’

  ‘In truth, yes, and I haven’t felt so happy since the day I was born, for I have made my lady agree that, unless she wants to perjure herself, she will be your lady again as she once was, and you her lord. I can tell you this in all truthfulness.’

  My lord Yvain was overjoyed at this marvellous news he thought he would never hear. He couldn’t show his gratitude enough to the girl who had arranged this for him.

  He kissed her eyes and then her face, saying: ‘Indeed, my sweet friend, there is no way I could ever repay you for this. I fear that I don’t have strength enough or time to pay you all the honour and service due.’

  ‘My lord,’ she said, ‘don’t be concerned or let that worry you, for you’ll have strength and time enough to help both me and others. If I have rendered my dues, then I am owed no more gratitude than the person who borrows another’s goods and then repays him. And even now I don’t believe I’ve paid back all I owed.’

  ‘You have indeed, as God is my witness, in more than five hundred thousand ways! Let’s be off as soon as you are ready. And have you told her who I am?’

  ‘No, upon my word; and she doesn’t know you except as the Knight with the Lion.’

  And so they went off conversing, with the lion faithfully following, until they all three reached the town. They spoke not a word to man or woman they met in the streets. When they came before the lady, they found her overjoyed at having heard that her maiden was approaching, bringing with her the lion and the knight whom she was most eager to meet, to know, and to see.

  My lord Yvain let himself fall at her feet in full armour, and Lunete, who was beside him, said: ‘My lady, bid him rise and use your power, efforts, and wisdom to procure that reconciliation and pardon that no one this whole world over can procure except you.’

  The lady had him arise at once and said: ‘All my resources are his; I wish only to do his will and bring him happiness, so far as I am able.’

  ‘Indeed, my lady,’ replied Lunete, ‘I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true: you have much more power in this matter than I have said. So now I will tell you the whole truth, and you’ll realize that you have never had and never will have a better friend than this knight. God, who desires that there be perfect peace and perfect unending love between you and him, caused me to find him today quite nearby. To prove the truth of all this there’s but one thing more to say: my lady, do not be angry with him further, for he has no other lady but you. This is my lord Yvain, your husband.’

  At these words the lady trembled and said: ‘So help me God Almighty, you’ve caught me neatly in your trap! In spite of myself you will make me love a man who doesn’t love or respect me. What a fine thing you’ve done! What a great way to serve me! I’d rather have put up with the storms and high winds all my life; and if it were not such an ugly and wicked thing to break one’s oath, this knight would find no peace with me no matter what his efforts. Every day of my life I would have harboured, as fire smoulders under the ashes, a pain it is no longer fitting to mention, since I must be reconciled to him.’

  My lord Yvain heard and understood that his cause was proceeding so well that he would have his peace and reconciliation.

  ‘My lady,’ he said, ‘one should have mercy on a sinner. I have paid dearly for my foolishness, and I am glad to have paid. Folly caused me to stay away, and I acknowledge my guilt and wrong. I’ve been very bold to dare to come before you now, but if you will take me back, I’ll never do you wrong again.’

  ‘Indeed,’ said she, ‘I do agree to this, because I’d be guilty of perjury if I did not do everything I could to make peace between us. So if you please, I grant it to you.’

  ‘My lady,’ said he, ‘five hundred thanks! And as the Holy Spirit is my help, nothing in this mortal life that God could give would have brought such happiness.!’

  Now my lord Yvain is reconciled, and you can be sure that he had never before been so happy for anything. Although he has been through suffering, now everything has turned out well, for he is loved and cherished by his lady, and she by him. He didn’t recall any of the times of hardship, because the joy he felt for his sweet love made him forget them all. And Lunete, too, was very happy: she lacked for nothing now that she had established an unending peace between the noble Sir Yvain and his dear and noble lady.

  Thus Chrétien brings to a close his romance of the Knight with the Lion. I’ve not heard any more about it, and you’ll never hear anything more unless one adds lies to it.

  EXPLICIT THE KNIGHT WITH THE LION

  This manuscript was copied by Guiot; his shop is set up permanently before the church of Our Lady of the Valley.

  THE STORY OF THE GRAIL (PERCEVAL)

  HE WHO sows sparingly, reaps sparingly, but he who wishes to reap plentifully casts his seed on ground that will bear him fruit a hundredfold;1 for good seed withers and dies in worthless soil. Chrétien sows and casts the seed of a romance that he is beginning, and sows it in such a good place that it cannot fail to be bountiful, since he does it for the most worthy man in all the empire of Rome: that is, Count Philip of Flanders,2 who surpasses Alexander, whom they say was so great. But I shall prove that the count is much more worthy than he, for Alexander had amassed within himself all the vices and wickedness of which the count is pure and exempt. The count is not the sort of man to listen to wicked gossip or vain words and if he hears evil spoken of another, no matter whom, it grieves him. The count loves true justice, loyalty, and Holy Church, and despises all wickedness. He is more generous than one realizes, for he gives without hypocrisy or deceit, in accord with the Gospel injunction that states: ‘Let not your left hand know the good your right hand is doing.’3 But the receiver of his largesse knows, as does God, who sees all secrets and knows all that is hidden in our innermost hearts.

  Why does the Gospel state: ‘Hide your good deeds from your left hand’? The left hand, according to tradition, stands for vainglory, which is derived from false hypocrisy. And what does the right stand for? Charity, which does not boast of its good deeds, but hides them, so that only He whose name is God and Charity knows of them.4 God is Charity, and he who abides in charity, according to the Holy Writ – Paul states it and I read it there – abides in God and God in him.5 Know truly therefore that the gifts given by the good count Philip are gifts of charity; for he consults no one except his noble honest heart, which urges him to do good. Is he not more worthy than Alexander, who cared not for charity or any good deeds? Indeed yes, have no doubt! Therefore Chrétien’s efforts will not be in vain, since he aims and strives by command of the count to put into
rhyme the greatest story that has ever been told in royal court: it is the Story of the Grail, the book of which was given to him by the count. Hear now how he acquits himself of it.

  It was in the season when trees flower, shrubs leaf, meadows grow green, and birds in their own tongue sing sweetly in the mornings, and everything is aflame with joy, that the son of the widow lady of the Waste Forest arose, effortlessly placed the saddle upon his hunter and, taking three javelins, left his mother’s manor. He thought that he would go to see some harrowers in his mother’s service, who were harrowing her oats with twelve oxen and six harrows.

  As soon as he entered the forest his heart leapt within his breast because of the gentle weather and the songs he heard from the joyful birds; all these things brought him pleasure. Because of the sweet calm weather he lifted the bridle from his hunter’s head and let it wander along grazing through the fresh green grass. Being a skilled thrower, he began to cast his javelins all around him: sometimes behind him, sometimes in front, sometimes low and sometimes high, until he heard five armed knights, in armour from head to toe, coming through the woods. And the approaching knights’ armour made a great racket, for the branches of oak and hornbeam often slapped against the metal. Their hauberks all clinked, their lances knocked against the shields, and the metal of hauberks and the wood of shields resounded.

  The boy heard but could not see the swiftly advancing knights; he marvelled and said: ‘By my soul, my lady mother spoke the truth when she told me that devils are more frightening than anything in the world. She instructed me to make the sign of the cross to ward them off, but I scorn her teaching and indeed I won’t cross myself; instead, I’ll strike the strongest of them at once with one of the javelins I am carrying so that none of the others, I believe, will dare approach me.’

  Thus spoke the boy to himself before he saw them. But when he caught sight of them coming out of the woods, he saw the glittering hauberks and the bright, shining helmets, the lances and the shields – which he had never seen before – and when he beheld the green and vermilion glistening in the sunshine and the gold, the blue and silver, he was captivated and astonished, and said: ‘Lord God, I give You thanks! These are angels I see before me. Ah! In truth I sinned grievously and did a most wicked thing in saying they were devils. My mother did not lie to me when she told me that angels were the most beautiful creatures alive, except God, who is the most beautiful of all. Yet here I see God Almighty in person, I think, for one of them – so help me God – is more than ten times more beautiful than any of the others. And my mother herself said that one must believe in God and adore, worship, and honour Him. So I shall adore that one there and all the angels with Him.’ He flung himself to the ground at once and recited his entire Creed and all the prayers he knew that his mother had taught him.

  And the leader of the knights saw him and said to the others: ‘Stay back, for the sight of us has made this boy fall to the ground in fright. If we all approach him together, I think he would be so frightened that he would die and not be able to answer any questions I might put to him.’

  They pulled up, and their leader rode swiftly on towards the boy and greeted and reassured him, saying: ‘Don’t be afraid, young man!’

  ‘I’m not, by the Saviour I believe in,’ replied the boy. ‘Are you God?’

  ‘No, by my faith.’

  ‘Who are you, then?’

  ‘I am a knight.’

  ‘I’ve never before met a knight,’ said the boy, ‘nor seen one, nor ever heard tell of one; but you are more beautiful than God! Would that I were like you, so shining and so well formed!’

  Upon hearing these words, the knight drew near him and asked: ‘Have you seen five knights and three maidens cross this clearing today?’

  But the boy had his mind made up to inquire about other matters; he reached out for the knight’s lance, took it, and asked: ‘Good sir, you who are called “Knight”, what is this you carry?’

  ‘Well, I’ve really arrived at the ideal place!’ said the knight. ‘I had intended to get information from you, my fair sweet friend, but you are seeking it from me. I’ll tell you: it is my lance.’

  ‘And do you launch it, would you say, as I do my javelins?’6

  ‘Not at all, young man. You’re such a dolt! One thrusts with it instead.’

  ‘Then any one of these three javelins you see here is better, because I can kill as many birds and beasts as I want or need, and I can kill them from as far away as one can shoot a crossbow bolt.’

  ‘I’m not interested in this, young man; but give me an answer about the knights. Tell me if you know where they are and whether you saw the maidens?’

  The boy grasped the bottom of his shield and spoke directly: ‘What’s this and what is it used for?’

  ‘Young man, this is some trick! You are leading me on to subjects I didn’t even ask you about! I intended, so help me God, to get information from you rather than have you draw it from me – yet you want me to inform you! So I’ll tell you, come what may, because I’ve grown to like you. What I’m carrying is called a shield.’

  ‘It’s called a shield?’

  ‘Exactly,’ he said, ‘and I shall never despise it, for it is so true to me that, if anyone thrusts or shoots at me, it stands firm against all blows: that is the service it renders me.’

  Just at that moment those who had remained behind came swiftly along the path to their lord and said to him at once: ‘My lord, what is this Welshman telling you?’

  ‘He doesn’t know his manners, so help me God,’ replied the lord, ‘because he won’t answer anything I ask him in a straightforward way; instead he asks the name of everything he sees, and what it is used for.’

  ‘Sir, you must be aware that all Welshmen are by nature more stupid than beasts in the field:7 this one is just like a beast. A man is a fool to tarry beside him, unless he wants to while away his time in idle chatter.’

  ‘As God is my witness, I don’t know,’ the knight replied. ‘But before I leave I’ll tell him everything he wants to know – otherwise I shall not depart!’

  Then he asked him anew: ‘Young man, don’t be upset if I insist: tell me whether you have seen or encountered the five knights, and also the maidens.’

  But the boy grasped him by the edge of his hauberk and tugged at it: ‘Now tell me,’ he said, ‘good sir, what is this you’re wearing?’

  ‘Young man,’ he replied, ‘don’t you know?’

  ‘No, I don’t.’

  ‘It’s my hauberk, young man, and it is as heavy as iron – for it is made of iron, as you can clearly see.’

  ‘I don’t know anything about that, but it is very beautiful, so help me God. What do you use it for? What good is it?’

  ‘Young man, that’s easy to say: if you tried to throw a javelin or shoot an arrow at me you couldn’t do me any injury.’

  ‘Sir knight, I hope God will never let the hinds and stags have such hauberks, for I wouldn’t be able to kill any and could never hunt them again.’

  And the knight asked him once more: ‘Young man, as God is your help, can you give me any information about the knights and maidens?’

  And the boy, who lacked instruction, said to him: ‘Were you born like this?’

  ‘No indeed, young man, it’s impossible for anyone to be born like this.’

  ‘Then who fitted you out in this fashion?’

  ‘Young man, I’ll tell you who.’

  ‘Then tell me.’

  ‘Most willingly. It hasn’t been five full days since King Arthur knighted me and gave me all these trappings. But now you tell me what became of the knights who passed by here escorting the three maidens: were they proceeding slowly, or were they in flight?’

  He answered him: ‘Sir, now observe the woods that encircle the top of that mountain. There lie the passes of the river Doon.’8

  ‘And what of them, good brother?’

  ‘My mother’s harrowers are there, sowing and ploughing her lands. I
f these people passed by there, and if they saw them, they would tell you.’

  And the knights said that they would accompany him there, if he would take them to those who were harrowing the oats. So the boy took his hunting horse and went to where the harrowers were harrowing the ploughed ground where the oats were sown. When they saw their master they all trembled in fright. And do you know why? Because they saw armed knights coming along with their master; and they were well aware that if these knights had explained to him what knighthood was he would want to become a knight, and his mother would go mad with grief – for they had sought to keep him from ever seeing knights or learning of their ways.

  And the boy said to the ox-drivers: ‘Have you seen five knights and three maidens pass this way?’

  ‘This very day they went through these woods,’ replied the ox-drivers.

  And the boy said to the knight who had spoken to him at such length: ‘My lord, the knights and maidens passed this way. But now tell me news of the king who makes knights, and where he can usually be found.’

  ‘Young man,’ he said, ‘I wish to tell you that the king is staying in Carlisle; and it can’t have been more than five days since he was there, for I was there and saw him. And if you don’t find him there, someone will surely tell you where he is; he will not have gone too far.’

  At that the knight galloped off, for he was most eager to catch up with the others. And the boy was not slow in returning to his manor, where his mother was grieving and sad of heart because of his delay. She was filled with joy the moment she saw him and could not conceal the joy she felt, for like a deeply loving mother she ran towards him calling to him: ‘Fair son, fair son!’ more than a hundred times. ‘Fair son, my heart was most distressed because of your delay. I’ve been overwhelmed with grief and almost died of it. Where have you been for so long today?’

  ‘Where, my lady? I’ll tell you honestly, with no lie, for I’ve experienced great joy because of something I saw. Mother, didn’t you used to say that our Lord God’s angels are so very beautiful that Nature never made such a beautiful creature, nor is there anything so fair in all the world?’