Then out spake the gallant Gawain, 'Afresh shall be knit a band That naught but death can sever'--Then they came whom the Red Knight's hand Without had taken captive, on the height would they seek their king, 875 And they told him all that befell them; and Gawain must list the thing, And they told of the arms of the hero, how their strength before his must fail, And how he their pledge had taken, and had bidden them seek the Grail; And he thought how the knight of this venture was none other than Parzival, And his thanks uprose to high Heaven that no evil did there befall, 880 But that God apart had held them, and they met not in strife that day. And courteous I ween were those heroes that they tore not the veil away, But both of them there were nameless, and none knew from whence they came, Yet I wot well the world around them rang fair with their warlike fame. To Meljanz he spake, Scherules, 'Now, Sire, wilt thou list to me? 885 Look thou again on my master, and such rede as is given to thee By friends on both sides shalt thou hearken, and thine anger shalt thou recall;' And all deemed it good, the counsel, so they rode to the royal hall, The inner force of the city, as the Marshal was fain to pray. Then Gawain took the Count Lahduman, and the captives he made that day, 890 And he gathered them all around him, and the pledge that to him they gave When he erst on the field o'erthrew them, must they yield to the Burg-grave brave, And gladly they did his bidding--To the palace the heroes fare, And rich garments as fit for a monarch did the wife of the Burg-grave bear; And a veil did she give unto Meljanz that should serve him for a sling 895 For the arm that Gawain had wounded, when his spear smote the youthful king.