“And on I rode, and greater was my thirst. Then flashed a yellow gleam across the world, And where it smote the plowshare in the field, The plowman left his plowing, and fell down Before it; where it glittered on her pail, The milkmaid left her milking, and fell down Before it, and I knew not why, but thought ‘The sun is rising,’ though the sun had risen. Then was I ware of one that on me moved In golden armour with a crown of gold About a casque all jewels; and his horse In golden armour jewelled everywhere: And on the splendour came, flashing me blind; And seemed to me the Lord of all the world, Being so huge. But when I thought he meant To crush me, moving on me, lo! he, too, Opened his arms to embrace me as he came, And up I went and touched him, and he, too, Fell into dust, and I was left alone And wearying in a land of sand and thorns. “And I rode on and found a mighty hill, And on the top, a city walled: the spires Pricked with incredible pinnacles into heaven. And by the gateway stirred a crowd; and these Cried to me climbing, ‘Welcome, Percivale! Thou mightiest and thou purest among men!’ And glad was I and clomb, but found at top No man, nor any voice. And thence I past Far through a ruinous city, and I saw That man had once dwelt there; but there I found Only one man of an exceeding age. ‘Where is that goodly company,’ said I, ‘That so cried out upon me?’ and he had Scarce any voice to answer, and yet gasped, ‘Whence and what art thou?’ and even as he spoke Fell into dust, and disappeared, and I Was left alone once more, and cried in grief, ‘Lo, if I find the Holy Grail itself And touch it, it will crumble into dust.’ “And thence I dropt into a lowly vale, Low as the hill was high, and where the vale Was lowest, found a chapel, and thereby A holy hermit in a hermitage, To whom I told my phantoms, and he said: