But Kundry answered still: "I will not tempt him!" Then Klingsor: "Yea, thou must! It is my will. For this I wakened thee. And fair is he. See, from my window I can watch him come. He scales the ramparts like a hero born. This trumpet I will blow and wake the guards. Ho! warders of the gates and walls! to arms! A foe is near!... List to the clash of swords! How my deluded vassals swarm the walls To guard my castle and the maidens here-- Bewitching creatures fashioned by my art! Behold! the guileless lad is not afraid! He fights with bold Sir Ferris, wrests a sword, And flashes it with fury in their midst." And as he fought, Kundry laughed loud and long, And now she groaned in awful agony, Then with a sudden shriek was lost to sight. Still Klingsor spake: "How ill his fiery zeal Agrees with the weak spirit of these knights. Wounded in arm and limb, they yield, they fly, And carry off a multitude of scars. But what care I, you puny, craven race? Would that the weak knights of the Holy Grail Might rise in wrath and slay each other thus! How proudly stands the youth upon the walls! How red the roses in his cheeks are laughing! And how amazed he is, like some sweet child, To see this wondrous garden at his feet! Ho! Kundry! Hast thou gone? I thought I heard Thy laughter, or a sudden cry of pain. Doubtless already she is hard at work To do my bidding, for she is my slave, And what I tell her, she must surely do. There, there, my gallant lad, so sweet and brave, Thou art too young to understand these things. But thou shalt learn,--my arts will teach thee well, And when thy guileless heart shall be ensnared, Then thou art weak, and lost,--and mine the Grail!" Then, wondrous sight! the castle disappeared, Save here and there a distant battlement, And through the foliage the palace walls, And windows of Arabian tracery. But everywhere were flowers--wondrous flowers-- Rising in terraces of tropic growth: A splendid garden of luxuriant flowers Created by dread Klingsor's magic art. And Parsifal, astounded at the scene, Stood silently upon the castle walls, As to his eye the great flowers seemed to wake, And rush in airy garments here and there. They seemed like maidens and they seemed like flowers, So graceful and so beautiful were they. And as they moved they spoke in rhythmic tones: "Here was the tumult and shoutings! Here was the clashing of weapons! "Horror! our lovers are wounded! Here in the palace is carnage! "Who is the foe that assails us? Accurst shall he be by us all!" But Parsifal leaped gaily to their midst, And smiled upon them with unfeigned delight; And cried: "Thus do I win my way to you,-- The loveliest maidens that mine eyes have seen." And pacified they ask: "Thou comest here And wilt not harm us, but be kind to us?"