Then Parzival, e'en as he bade him, sprang lightly unto the ground; Humbly he stood before him, as he told how he folk had found Who had told of the hermit's dwelling, and the counsel he wisely gave, And he spake, 'I am one who hath sinnèd, and rede at thy lips I crave!' As he spake the hermit answered,'Right gladly I'll counsel thee, 415 But, say, what folk hast thou met with? Who showed thee thy way to me? 'In the wood I met with an old man grey-headed, and fair he spake, And kindly, I ween, were his people, he bade me this road to take, On his track my steed came hither.' Then answered the hermit old, ''Twas Kahenis, and his praises shall ever by men be told. 420 A prince of the land of Punturtois, and his sister Kareis' king Hath taken to wife--Fairer maidens no mother to earth did bring Than those maidens twain, his daughters, who met thee upon thy road, Of a royal house, yet yearly he seeketh this poor abode!' Then Parzival spake to the hermit, 'Now say, when thou saw'st me here, 425 Didst thou shrink from my warlike coming, didst thou feel no touch of fear?' Quoth the hermit,'Sir Knight, believe me, far oftener for stag or bear Have I feared than I feared a man's face, in sooth shalt thou be aware I fear me for no man living! Both cunning and skill have I, And tho' I were loath to vaunt me, yet I ne'er to this life did fly 430 For fear, as beseems a maiden! For never my heart did quail When I faced as a knight my foeman, and ne'er did my courage fail, In the days when such things became me, in the days when I too might fight, I was armèd as thou art armèd, like thee did I ride, a knight! And I strove for high love's rewarding, and many an evil thought 435 With the pure mind within me battled, and ever my way I wrought To win from a woman favour! All that was in time of yore, And my body, by fasting wasted, remembereth those days no more.'