To the palace hall they gat them, where a hundred crowns hung low With many a taper laden; round the walls shone the tapers' glow. 100 And beneath stood a hundred couches, with a hundred cushions fair, And each of these goodly couches four knights should between them share. And betwixt each twain of the couches an open space was found, And before each there lay a carpet of cunning work fashioned round. Thereto had he wealth in plenty, King Frimutel's son and heir: 105 And one thing had they not forgotten, nor their gold did they think to spare, For within the hall were builded three hearths of marble rare, With skill and wisdom fashioned, and each hearth stood four-square, And the wood was Lignum aloe, and so great a fire, I ween, Ne'er hath burnt on the hearth at Wildberg--Such things have aye costly been. 110 And the host had bid them lay him on a costly folding bed 'Fore the central hearth; and gladness from before his face had fled, And his life was but a dying--Parzival the hero fair In the hall found kindly welcome from him who had sent him there. Then his host bade him stand no longer, but be seated his couch anear, 115 'Yea, here by my side, didst thou seat thee yet further from me, I fear 'Twere treating thee as a stranger'--In this wise to his gallant guest Spake the host thus rich in sorrow, whose heart was by grief opprest. And the host he craved thro' his sickness great fires, and warm robes would wear Both wide and long, and with sable were they lined and garnished fair. 120 And the poorest skin was costly, and black was its hue and grey; And a cap of the self-same fashioned he wore on his head that day, 'Twas within and without of sable, with bands of Arabian gold Wrought around, and a flashing ruby in the centre might all behold.