Wolfram von Eschenbach

“ Had failed not to wreak stern vengeance for the ill that Kay wrought that day;465
Then her brother and fair Jeschuté she led by the hand straightway,
And Parzival looked upon them as the three to his tent drew near,
And his face, thro' the rust of his armour, it shone ever fair and clear,
As roses dew-dipped had flown there: his harness aside he laid,
And he stood before Kunnewaaré, and thus spake the gentle maid: 470
'To God shalt thou first be welcome, as welcome thou art to me,
Since thy manhood thou well hast proven, and the faith that I had in thee! ”

“ Hartmann von Aue, though rather attached to than a member of the noble family of the same name from which he has taken the hero of Der Arme Heinrich, seems to have been admitted to knightly society, was a crusader, and appears to have been of somewhat higher rank than Gottfried, whom, however, he resembled in this point, that both were evidently men of considerable education. We rise again in status, though probably not in wealth, and certainly not in education, when we come to Wolfram von Eschenbach. ”

“ Then she bade him put off his helmet and visor, the maiden true,
And e'en as the bands were loosened Klamidé the king they knew,
And Kingron he looked upon him, and he saw his lord again, 645
And he wrung his hands in his anguish till as dry twigs they cracked amain.
Then the seneschal of Klamidé, from the table he sprung straightway,
And he asked of his lord the tidings; and joyless was he that day,
For he spake, 'I am born to sorrow; I have lost such a gallant host,
No man that was born of woman, I think me shall more have lost. ”

“ For the land that as king had crowned me must I leave, and yet more, I ween,
The fairest of wives, and the sweetest, that ever a man hath seen.
For no lovelier form I think me on earth of mankind was born,
And I yearn for her tender greeting, and full sore for her love I mourn!
And yet know I a deeper sorrow and I strive for a higher prize, 145
For the day when the Burg of Monsalväsch, and the Grail shall rejoice my eyes!
Now, Siguné, dear my cousin, thou wast all too wroth with me,
For heavy indeed my sorrow, yet thou fain wouldst my foeman be!' ”

“ Yet Gamuret's hand, I think me, the highest prize hath won.' 375
But by wrath constrained they battled till the shadows of night drew on,
And the inner host the outer by force to their tents had brought,
Save for Askalon's king and Morhold thro' the camp they their way had fought.
Some were winners, and some were losers, and many sore shame had earned,
While others won praise and honour. Then the foe from each other turned,380
Here no man might see—He who holdeth the stakes, if no light he show,
Who would cast the dice in the darkness? To such sport were the weary slow! ”

“ No one except the merest pedant of originality would hesitate to put Parzival above Percevale le Gallois, though Wolfram von Eschenbach may be thought to have been less fortunate with Willehalm. And though in the lyric, the debt due to both troubadour and trouvère is unmistakable, it is equally unmistakable what mighty usury the minnesingers have paid for the capital they borrowed. The skill both of Northern and Southern Frenchmen is seldom to seek in lyric: we cannot give them too high praise as fashioners of instruments for other men to use. ”

“ And Gawain he was clad so richly, with helmet and harness fair,
That all must bewail his coming for naught but true folk dwelt there. 160
They cared for that lovely garden, on the greensward they stood or lay,
Or sat 'neath the tents whose shadow was cool 'gainst the sunlight's ray.
Yet they ceased not to bemoan him, and to grieve for his sorrow sore,
Yea, man alike and maiden, and in this wise their plaint they bore,
'Alas! that our lady's cunning will to danger this knight betray! 165
Alas! that he fain will follow, for she rideth an evil way.' ”

“ Nay, an the Giver of all gifts but gave thee wit enow
To match with a mien so goodly, full rich wert thou then I trow!
May He keep all sorrow from thee, and thy life be a summer's day—'
And with that he turned his bridle, and wended once more his way. 210
Then adown the woodland pathway they rode, till they came full soon
Where the carles of Queen Herzeleide toiled hard thro' the sultry noon:
The fields must they plough and harrow, if a harvest they hoped to reap,
So they goaded the patient oxen to their toil on the hillside steep. ”

“ One father hath left us both
A mighty store of riches, I would share with thee, nothing loth.
Right dear from my heart I hold thee; red gold and jewels bright,
Folk, weapons, horse, and raiment, take thou as shall seem thee right,
That thou at thy will mayst journey, and thy free hand to all be known.135
Elect do we deem thy manhood, didst thou Gylstram as birthplace own,
Or thou camest here from Rankulat, yet still would that place be thine,
Which thou boldest to-day in my favour; true brother art thou of mine!'
'Sir King, thou of need must praise me, so great is thy courtesy! ”

“ Had I touched with bare hand her vesture I were blest to eternity!
An I vantage take of her slumbers to myself untrue I seem,
Methinks we were both dishonoured did I waken her from her dream,
For a woman's sleep is holy, and all men shall own its sway.'
Thus the Waleis, who ne'er had feared him, lay still till the dawn of day.380
Thus he whom men called the Red Knight, a maiden he left the queen,
Yet surely she deemed in the morning his wife she o'er night had been,
And for love of her lord her tresses she bound with the morning light
As matrons are wont to bind them. ”

“ And love ne'er had failed the heathen, and his heart was for combat fain,
For the love of Queen Sekundillé fresh honour he thought to gain;
Tribalibot's land she gave him, and she was his shield in strife—
So bravely he fought, how think ye that the Christian might guard his life? 110
On love let his thoughts be steadfast, else sure is he here undone,
And he hath from the hand of the heathen in this combat his death-blow won.
O thou Grail, by thy lofty virtue such fate from thy knight withhold!
Kondwiramur, thine husband in such deadly stress behold! ”

“ These my comrades who ride beside me, if they will, they may well believe
Of her beauty their king hath robbed her, so sorely the maid doth grieve! 650
Now help me, ye twain, and thou, Bené, that the king he shall hither ride,
E'en to-day, tho' the strife to-morrow he may, if he will, abide.
I will bring Gawain to meet him on the plain, as he prayed but now—
If he cometh to-day to mine army 'gainst the morn is he armed I trow,
For Love such a shield shall give him that his foeman may ill withstand 655
The courage that Love doth kindle, and that nerveth anew the hand. ”

“ And Beau-corps the name men call him'—Then he thought, 'Of a sooth, my heart,
Thou hast found her! For she shall be like him who so knightly doth play his part, 710
For in truth shall she be his sister, she who sent me the headgear rare
That of erst was in Sinzester fashioned, and the hawk on mine hand I bear.
If she further will show me kindness then all earthly power and pride
Would I count as naught, might I win her, tho' the earth were twice as wide.
And surely she meaneth truly—For love of her came I here, 715
Hitherto hath she dealt so kindly that methinks I but little fear ”

“ Then answered the fair Anfortas, who sat by the heathen's side,
'Seest thou not the Grail before thee?' But Feirefis replied,
'Naught I see but a green Achmardi, that my Lady but now did bear,
I mean her who stands before us with the crown on her flowing hair, 380
And her look to mine heart hath piercèd—I deemed I so strong should be
That never a wife nor a maiden my gladness should take from me;
But now doth it sore displease me, the love I may call mine own—
Discourteous indeed I think me to make unto thee my moan
When I never have done thee service! ”

“ The one, in his strong heart, steadfast, lay ever a love so true;
And the other, the precious jewels that burnt with a mystic glow, 155
Thro' whose virtue his strength waxed greater, and his heart must fresh courage know.
And it grieveth me sore that the Christian was weary and faint with fight,
Nor swiftly might he avoid him, and his blows they were robbed of might;
And if the twain fail to aid thee, O thou gallant Parzival,
Thy queen and the Grail, then I think me this thought it shall help thee well, 160
Shall thy fair babes thus young be orphaned? ”

“ And daily in strength and beauty all men might behold him grow;
Till at length no beast so mighty thro' the forest wild did roam,
[Pg 69] If it fell 'neath his shaft, unaided, on his shoulder he bore it home!
It chanced thro' a woodland thicket one morn as he took his way,
And brake from o'erhanging bushes full many a leafy spray, 130
That a pathway steep and winding rose sharply his track anear,
And the distant beat of horse-hoofs fell strange on his wondering ear.
Then the boy grasped his javelin firmly and thought what the sound might be;
'Perchance 'tis the devil cometh! ”

“ And fierce and strong was the heathen, when 'Tabronit,' he cried,
For there, 'neath the mount Kaukasus did the queen, Sekundillé', abide;
Thus gained he afresh high courage 'gainst him who ne'er knew of yore
The weight of such deadly combat, for in sooth was he pressed full sore— 140
To defeat was he aye a stranger, and ne'er had he seen its face,
Tho' his foemen right well must know it, as they yielded them to his grace!
With skill do they wield their weapons, and sparks spring from the helmets fair,
And a whistling wind ariseth as the blades cleave the summer air ”

“ Then the King of Arragon smote him Uther Pendragon old,
From his charger adown on the meadow fell the king of the Bretons bold,250
And the flowers stood fair around him—Ah! I courteous am I, I trow,
Since the Breton before Kanvoleis I lay on such couch alow,
Where never the foot of a peasant hath trodden unto this day,
Nay, perchance they may never tread there—'tis the truth and no lie I say—
No more might he keep his saddle as he sat on his steed of yore, 255
But his peril his friends forgat not, they fought fiercely the hero o'er. ”

“ Of Love's service and Love's rewarding henceforward were I forlorn!
In her favour I found aforetime my life and my life's best bliss— 95
God knoweth how he hath pleased her, she oweth me much for this!—
And tho' ever I did disdain me to fight with one man alone,
Yet Gawain hath so bravely borne him that him as I my peer I'll own.
And I think me I shame my manhood when such easy strife I fight;
And yet have I fought, believe me, (ye can ask if it seem ye right,) 100
With folk whom mine hand hath proven to be valiant men and true,
But ne'er have I fought but one man! ”

“ Then methinks shall my fame be tarnished; and yet if I here delay,
E'en tho' it may be for battle, then in sooth is it reft away,
My meed of worldly honour—To fight not, methinks, were best, 195
First must I fulfil my challenge.' But afresh doubt vexed his breast,
For he deemed that his warlike errand but little might brook delay,
Yet how could he take his journey thro' this army that barred his way?
And he quoth, 'Now God give me counsel, and strengthen my manhood's might,'
And on to the town of Beaurosch rode Gawain as gallant knight. 200
So before him lay Burg and city ”

“ Yet Parzival asked no question, and left them of joy forlorn— 340
But now, in joy and gladness, might they look on the Grail again,
For at last was their mourning ended, and their sorrow was pierced and slain!
When the queen her riding garment had put off, and decked her hair,
She came in such garb as beseemed her, in the light of the tapers fair;
And Feirefis stepped to meet her, and he took her by the hand, 345
And no man gainsaid his fellow, that in this, or in other land,
None might speak of a fairer woman! ”

“ Had not Klingsor been ever friendly, and warfare with her my share 350
Who in Love's strife is ever victor, since her beauty doth win the day;
And she beareth fierce wrath against me, and in sooth hath she cause alway!
Eidegast have I slain, her husband, and with him I slew heroes four;
Orgelusé herself, as my captive, I thence to my kingdom bore,
And my crown and my land would I give her, yet what service my hand might yield, 355
Of all would she naught, but with hatred her heart 'gainst my pleading steeled. ”

“ Since thou ill didst entreat a maiden, and the peace of the land didst break,
With a rope had the king repaid thee, but to him for thy life I spake!'
'Howe'er that might be, here thou standest, and the proverb thou well mayst know, 355
"Who saveth the life of another, that other shall have for foe."
And I do as a wise man doeth—'Tis better a child should weep
Than a full-grown man, and bearded,—this charger mine hand shall keep!'
Then he spurred him amain, and he rode thence, as fast as his steed might fly,
And wroth was Gawain at his dealing, and he spake out right angrily ”

“ Seemeth me all too great a wonder, say, Lady, how shalt thou live,
Since no man abideth by thee who succour or food can give?'
Then she quoth, ''Tis the Grail that doth feed me, and It feedeth me well I ween,
From Its marvels the sorceress Kondrie, (of her own will the task hath been,)
Doth bring me each Sabbath vigil what serveth me for the week.' 105
A little space she kept silence, then further the maid did speak:
'An it otherwise were with me as I would, I need little care
For the food, since the Grail doth feed me I never too ill shall fare!' ”

“ The version used by Wagner is supposed to be told by Wolfram von Eschenbach, the Minnesinger, at one of the Wartburg contests, and is in substance as follows: Henry I., King of Germany, known as "the Fowler," arrives at Antwerp for the purpose of raising a force to help him expel the Hungarians, who are threatening his dominions. He finds Brabant in a condition of anarchy. Gottfried, the young son of the late Duke, has mysteriously disappeared, and Telramund, the husband of Ortrud, daughter of the Prince of Friesland, claims the dukedom. ”