Parzival

by Wolfram von Eschenbach

  Gawan demanded his surrender: but Lischois’s whole desire was set on his life’s ending in a swift death. ‘Why should I kill this man ?’ Gawan asked himself. ‘If he would obey me in all else I should let him go unharmed.’ And he tried to gain his assent to such terms, but Lischois would not give it.

  Gawan let the warrior rise without pledge of surrender. And now each of them sat among the flowers. Gawan had not forgotten his discontent at having such a wretched nag. It occurred to him in his prudence that he should mount and set spur to Lischois’s charger till he had made trial of its ways. The horse was well caparisoned for battle: above his housings of mail there was a second covering of brocade and samite. Having won the horse in a chance encounter, why should he not ride it now that it fell to him to do so? He mounted and was delighted with the beast’s long leaps as it gathered pace.

  ‘Is it you, Gringuljete,’ he asked, ‘whom Urjans got from me with a perfidious request? – He would know how to name the deed that dishonoured him. Who has equipped you so splendidly since then? If it is really you, God (Who often puts an end to sorrow) has returned you to me most graciously.’ He dismounted and saw a device, the Gral’s escutcheon in the shape of a Turtle-dove, branded on the horse’s forearm. Riding it, Lähelin had slain the knight of Prienlascors. This horse then came to Orilus, who gave it to Gawan on die meadow by the Plimizœl.

  The good man’s spirits that had been so despondent now rose high again, except that he was oppressed by great sadness and the loyal devotion he felt towards his lady, who nevertheless heaped scorn on him. – His thoughts chased him in pursuit of her. Meanwhile, proud Lischois dashed to where he saw his sword lying which Gawan, worthy knight, had torn from his grasp. And now many ladies saw them fight a second battle. Their shields were so far gone that each left his lying where it was and made haste to engage without them – both came on at once, ready to give an account of themselves like stouthearted men. Bevies of ladies were sitting at the windows in die Palace above and watching die duel unfolding before their eyes. And now indeed their fury was renewed! Each was of such high birth that it would have irked his reputation to accept defeat from the other. Their swords and helmets suffered severely, since these were their shields for warding off death. I fancy that any who witnessed the fighting of these warriors would have judged them very hard put to it.

  The tactic of die charming young Lischois G well) us was this: his lofty heart inspired him to bold, courageous deeds with many a swift sword-stroke – time and time again did he leap away from Gawan and return to press his attack. Gawan’s constant purpose was thus: ‘If I can hug you close to me,’ he thought, ‘I shall pay you back in full.’ You could see flashes of fire there, and again and again swords raised on high by valiant hands. They were now manœuvring each other to the side, to the fore and behind: but the execution they did was unnecessary, they could have let the matter rest without fighting. Then my lord Gawan seized him and threw him by sheer strength beneath himself. – May I be spared such loving embraces, they would prove too much for me!

  Gawan demanded his surrender, but Lischois beneath him was as unwilling to give it as in their first bout.

  ‘You are wasting your time,’ he said. ‘Rather than surrender I offer my life. Let your noble hand make an end of whatever fame I knew, for I am accurst in the eyes of God who is oblivious of my glory! For love of Orgeluse the noble Duchess many worthy men have had to yield their fame to me, so that you can inherit much fame by slaying me.’

  ‘Truly, I should not do so,’ thought King Lot’s son, ‘for were I to slay this bold warrior for no cause, Fame would cease to smile on me. It was love of Orgeluse, the same that torments and harasses me, that has driven him to attack me – why shouldn’t I let him live for her sake? If she is destined to be mine, he will be powerless to avert what fortune has bestowed on me. Had she witnessed our battle it is my belief mat she would have to give me credit for knowing how to deserve love. For the Duchess’s sake I will spare your life,’ said Gawan.

  They were now aware that they were very tired. Gawan let him get up, and they then sat down well apart from one another.

  The master of the ferry came ashore carrying a moulted grey merlin on his fist as he walked towards them. It had been determined as his lawful fief that when knights jousted on that meadow he should have the loser’s horse and bow to the hand of him who had won the victory and noise his fame abroad. In this way the flowery mead was made to yield him revenue. Such was his best hidage, or when his merlin tore into a crested lark. He had no other tilth, this seemed ample estate to him. He was of knightly descent and of excellent breeding. He went up to Gawan and politely asked for his due from the meadow.

  ‘I have never been a tradesman, sir, and you can well spare me your toll,’ said brave Gawan.

  ‘My lord,’ replied die master of die ferry, ‘so many ladies saw you win a glorious victory here that you will have to concede my rights. Give me my lawful due, my lord. For did you not win this horse for me in regular joust with renown untarnished when you thrust this man down, who was truly acknowledged supreme until this day? Your victory – for him a blow from on high – has taken away his happiness, while great fortune has befallen you.’

  ‘He thrust me down,’ Gawan answered, ‘though I made up for it later. Since one has to pay you tax on a joust, let him discharge it. There is a little nag, sir, which he won from me in battle. Take it if you will. The man that shall dispose of this war-horse is myself! It will have to carry me away though you never gained another. You talk of right. If you want right on your side you could never agree to my leaving on foot. I tell you I should regret it too keenly if this horse were yours. Early this morning it was still mine beyond all challenge. If you want an easy ride you had rather mount a hobby! Orilus the Burgunjoys gave it me for my own, but Urjans the prince from Punturteis stole it from me for a while. You would sooner get a she-mule’s foal! But I can favour you in another way: since you value him so highly, in lieu of the horse you are now asking for, take the man who rode it against me – I don’t care if he likes it or not.’

  The ferryman was delighted. ‘I have never seen so rich a gift,’ he said, with laughter on his lips, ‘if it were fitting for a man to accept it. But, sir, if you will guarantee it to me, my demand has been exceeded! Truly, he has always been of such resounding reputation that I would not have taken five hundred swift strong chargers for him, since that would have been unseemly in me. If you intend to make me rich, act as a true knight – if it lies within your power deliver him into my cog. I should then say you knew how to do a handsome deed!’

  ‘I shall deliver him over to you as a captive both on to and off your cog till he stands inside your door,’ answered the son of King Lot.

  ‘Then you shall be well received,’ said the ferryman bowing assiduously in token of his gratitude. ‘My dear lord,’ he continued, ‘honour me further by condescending to spend the night in comfort under my roof. No greater honour ever befell any of my fellows who ply the ferry. – It will be accounted a most felicitous event for me if I entertain a man of such worth.’

  ‘I ought to ask for what you have desired. I am overcome by a great weariness which makes it imperative for me to rest. It is the way of her at whose command I suffer this hardship, to turn sweet to bitter, to make die heart poor in joy but rich in cares. – Hers is no fair reward! Alas, Loss, inseparable from the finding of her, you weigh down my left breast, here, that always was uplifted when God gave me joy! The heart that lay beneath it, has, I fancy, vanished away! Where shall I find solace? Must I endure such grief for love’s sake all unaided? If she is a true-hearted woman, she who has such power to wound me ought to make me happy.’

  Hearing him thus oppressed by love and grappling with its cares, the ferryman addressed him: ‘“Sad today, glad tomorrow” – this is the rule here below, both out in the meadow and in the forest, and everywhere where Clinschor is lord, and neither courage nor cowardice can contrive to alter it. Here
is a thing of which you may well be unaware. – This whole land is one great marvel, and its magic holds night and day! If a man has courage, luck can help him. But, sir, the sun is very low, and you should come aboard.’ The ferryman urged him to do so.

  Gawan led Lischois away with him and on to the water, and the warrior was seen to comply patiently and without demur, while the ferryman followed with the charger. And so they crossed over to the other shore.

  ‘Be host in my house,’ the ferryman asked Gawan. Indeed the house was such that Arthur need never have built a better at Nantes where he often had his residence. Gawan escorted Lischois inside while the master and his household did die honours. ‘See to the comfort of my lord here!’ he at once commanded his daughter. ‘You two go together. Now see to his every need, we have received great benefactions from him.’ Gringuljete he commended to the care of his son.

  The girl did as she was bidden most courteously, and Gawan accompanied her to an upper chamber whose pavement was strewn with fresh-cut rushes and gaily coloured flowers. The sweet girl now unarmed him.

  ‘May God reward you,’ said Gawan. ‘I am acutely embarrassed, madam, and had you not been told to do it by the master of the house, I should say you were showing me too much attention.’

  ‘I am waiting on you more to win your favour, sir,’ she answered, ‘than for any other reason.’

  A son of Gawan’s host, a squire, brought in a pile of soft cushions and bolsters and set them beside the wall opposite die door, then a carpet was laid before it. Gawan was to sit here. Next die squire skilfully spread a coverlet of red cendale over the bed, and a couch was made for the host, after which another squire set table-linen and bread before it, all as the master had bidden them. They were followed by the lady of the house, who on seeing Gawan welcomed him warmly. ‘You have made us rich who were poor,’ she said. ‘Our good fortune is awake and smiles on us!’

  Gawan’s host now entered, and water was brought in. After he had washed, Gawan uttered a wish. He asked his host for company. – ‘Let this young lady dine with me.’

  ‘There has never been any word of her dining with lords or of sitting so close beside them – she might easily put on airs! Yet this favour is but one of many kindnesses you have done us. – Daughter, do everything he asks, I give my full approval.’

  The sweet girl blushed with confusion, but did as the master had commanded. Lady Bene sat down beside Gawan. His host had reared two sturdy sons besides, and his merlin having caught three crested larks on the wing, he told die boys to go together and serve up all three of them to Gawan, together with a sauce. The girl was mindful to cut tasty morsels for Gawan and lay them on white wastel-bread with her fair hands, and this she did with excellent breeding.

  ‘You should send one of these roasted birds over to my mother, sir, since she has none,’ she said.

  Gawan told the comely girl that he would gladly do her will in this or any other thing she might ask him. And so a lark was sent to the lady of the house, who acknowledged Gawan’s gesture with many polite bows, while his host, too, voiced his thanks. After this, one of the latter’s sons brought in purslane and lettuce dressed with vinegar. (If consumed for any length of time such provender is not highly recommended for building up one’s strength, nor does one have a good colour from it. Yet die colour one gets from what one slips into one’s mouth speaks true, whereas colour laid on above one’s skin has never won resounding praise. If you ask me, it is the woman whose heart is perfect in constancy that wears die best lustre.)

  Had Gawan been able to nourish himself on good will alone, he would have thriven there; for no mother could ever have wished her child better than wished him this host whose bread he was eating. When die board had been removed and die mistress of the house had left, bedding and pillows were brought up and placed for Gawan. One item was a bed of down in a cover of green samite, not of die better sort, but imitation. A quilt was spread over die bed especially for Gawan’s comfort – it was made of brocade, but without die gold thread brought from far-off heathen lands, and quilted over palmat-silk.* Over this, soft bed-clothes were drawn – a pair of sheets of snowy linen. They laid a pillow on them and a spotless new ermine cloak such as young ladies wear.

  The master asked leave before going off to bed, and I was told that Gawan was left alone there with the girl for company. Had he desired anything of her I fancy she would have granted it him. But Gawan needs to sleep if he can. May God preserve him when the new day dawns!

  Chapter 11

  GREAT weariness shuttered Gawan’s eyes. He slept must till he awoke early next morning. One wall of his chamber had a number of glazed French windows, one of which stood open towards die orchard. Into this he went to see what he could see, to breathe die fresh air and listen to the birds singing. He had not sat there for long before he recognized die Castle he had seen the evening before, when undergoing his adventure, and die many ladies in die Palace, of whom no few were very beautiful. And he marvelled that these ladies should choose to be awake instead of sleeping, since it was still early twilight.

  ‘I will go to sleep again for their sakes,’ he thought and went back to bed. His blanket was the girl’s cloak that covered him. You ask if he was wakened? No, his host would have been displeased. But now the girl broke her slumber where she lay at her mother’s feet and went to her guest to offer him company. But he was fast asleep. So, ever mindful of her service, the lovely girl sat down beside the bed on die carpet. I cannot say that I ever see an apparition of this sort gliding in to me of an evening or a morning.

  After some time Gawan awoke. He looked at her and laughed. ‘God preserve you, young lady,’ he said, ‘for cutting short your sleep like this for my sake and inflicting hardship on yourself quite beyond what I deserve.’

  ‘I wish to be without your service,’ said the lovely girl, ‘I crave nothing but your gracious favour. My lord, command me. I shall do whatever you say. All who live with my father, my mother and her children, shall always have you for their lord – you have done us so much kindness!’

  ‘Have you been here long?’ he asked. ‘Had I known of your coming sooner I should have liked to ask you some questions, provided you would not have minded answering me. Yesterday, and this morning, I saw many ladies high above me. Please tell me who they are.’

  The young lady was startled. ‘Do not ask that, sir!’ she said. ‘I shall never tell you! I cannot tell you anything about them. Though I know, I am bound to silence. Do not be offended with me, ask me about something else – that is my advice if you will take it.’

  Gawan asked her again and again and pressed his question concerning all the ladies he saw sitting up there in the Palace. But the loyal girl wept bitterly and showed every sign of grief.

  While it was still very early her father joined them. He would have let it pass and not upbraided him had the comely girl been forced to something or other and there had been a rough-and-tumble; for the modest girl was behaving as though there had been, and was sitting near the bed. Her father made no bones about that. ‘Don’t cry, daughter,’ said he. ‘When things of that sort happen in fun, though at first they may arouse anger, it is soon forgiven and forgotten.’

  ‘Nothing has happened here,’ said Gawan, ‘other than what we are ready to own openly. I asked this girl a question, but she thought it would lead to my undoing and begged me to refrain. If you do not mind, let me deserve it of you, dear host, that you kindly tell me about those ladies up there. Never in any land did I ever hear of any place where so many superb women wearing such dazzling fillets were on display together.’

  ‘In God’s name do not ask!’ cried his host, wringing his hands. ‘My lord, there is anguish surpassing all other there!’

  ‘Then I have reason to deplore their distress,’ replied Gawan. ‘Tell me why my question displeases you, host.’

  ‘Sir, it is because of your manly spirit. If you cannot forbear to ask, you are bound to question me further, and this will bring sor
row to your heart and sadden me and all my children who have been born to serve you.’

  ‘You must tell me!’ answered Gawan. ‘If you withhold it from me and leave me uninformed, I shall learn how matters stand there, nevertheless.’

  ‘I cannot help being very sorry indeed, my lord, that you insist on asking,’ said his faithful host. ‘I will lend you a shield, now arm yourself for battle. You are in Terre marveile, and Lit marveile is here. My lord, die perils up at Schastel marveile have never yet been attempted. Your life is hastening deathwardsl If you have known adventure before, whatever your past feats, that was child’s play compared with this I Calamity is coming your way.’

  ‘I should be very sorry if I were to ride away from these ladies in comfort without exerting myself,’ replied Gawan, ‘and without trying to learn more about them. I have heard of them before, and now that I have come so near, for their sakes I shall not shirk die challenge!’

  ‘No hardship can be compared to mat man’s who has to endure this adventure,’ this host told his guest in tones of heartfelt grief, ‘for it is sharp and terrible! Believe me, my lord, I am no deceiver.’

  The illustrious Gawan ignored die other’s fears. ‘Now advise me as to this battle,’ said he. ‘By your leave and please God I shall achieve knightly exploits here. I shall be glad of your advice and instruction always. But it would be very wrong of me simply to ride away, sir. Friends and enemies alike would think me a coward.’

  At this, his host’s unhappy protests were redoubled, since such sorrow had never befallen him before. He turned to Gawan and said: ‘If God makes it manifest that you are not to die, you will be lord of this land. If you have die strength to release all die ladies held captive here, and numerous men-at-arms and noble knights too, you will be accorded such renown as no knight ever won till now, and God himself will have honoured you well. Then you will be able to lord it happily over many dazzling beauties from many lands. But who would set it down to your dishonour were you to leave these parts as matters stand, now that Lischois Gwelljus has surrendered his renown to you? Sweet youth, how well he deserves this salute! For he has done many deeds of arms, his chivalric exploits are performed with great spirit! Apart from Idler of Gaheviez, the Almighty never thrust so many fine qualities into a man’s heart. Yesterday my ship ferried over die man who slew Idler below the walls of Nantes. He gave me five war-horses, God bless him, that had been ridden by dukes and kings. Whatever booty he won from them will be narrated at Belrepeire, since he made them his sworn prisoners. His shield bears the scars of many jousts. He was riding here in quest of the Gral.’