Yet Parzival well had marked it how the king and his bravest knights Sought not fame before the portals, but far out in the plain would fight; Then forth by a path untrodden the hero a circuit made, And swiftly he charged where the monarch his banner aloft displayed. 470 And, see! there a mighty slaughter the guard of the king befell, And the shields they were hewn in pieces, the Burgers they fought so well. And Parzival's shield had vanished 'fore the blows and the sword-blades keen; And tho' little his skill rejoiced them, yet all who the strife had seen, They spoke but to praise his valour--Galogandres the standard bare, 475 (Well he knew how to wake their courage!) but dead lay the hero there. And Klamidé himself stood in peril, and great stress on his army lay; Then he bade them withdraw, for the valour of the Burgers had won the day. But Parzival, gallant hero, bade them treat their captives well Till the dawn of the third day's morning, and fear on his foemen fell. 480 Then the young host, proud and joyful, bade the knights on their oath go free-- 'Good friends, when the word I send ye, then wend your way back to me!' Their swords and their goodly harness as prisoners they needs must yield; Unarmed did they fare from the city to the host on the outer field. 'For sooth,' spake their comrades mocking, 'from _wine_ must ye needs be red, 485 Poor souls, since within the city ye have hungered for lack of bread!' 'Nay! nay! ye may spare your pity,' so spake they, the heroes good, 'If ye lie here a whole year longer, within is such store of food, That by them might ye well be nourished! And the queen hath the fairest knight For her husband, that e'er won knighthood, or carried a shield in fight, 490 He may well be of lofty lineage, for he lacketh no knightly skill!' And the king needs must hear the tidings, and in sooth did they please him ill, And heralds he sent to the city, and he bade them this challenge bear To him whom the queen had wedded, 'If this knight the strife shall dare, And the queen doth hold him worthy herself, and her lands so wide, 495 To defend in single combat, then in peace may our hosts abide!'