Now the feast drew nigh to its ending--By his brother sat Parzival, And he prayed him to be his comrade, nor his words did unheeded fall, For Feirefis spake him ready to Monsalväsch' Burg to ride-- In the self-same hour upstood they, the guests, o'er the ring so wide, 830 And Feirefis prayed this favour from Gramoflanz, the king, If in sooth he should love his cousin of that love he would token bring; 'Both thou and Gawain, ye must help me, whether princes or kings they be, Or barons, or knights, none betake them from this field till my gifts they see. Myself had I shamed if I rode hence and never a gift should leave, 835 And the minstrel-folk they shall wait here till they gifts from my hand receive. And Arthur, this thing would I pray thee, seek that none of these knights disdain, Tho' lofty their birth, a token of friendship from me to gain; For the shame, on thyself shalt thou take it--one so rich shall they ne'er have known-- Give me messengers unto the haven that the presents to all be shown!' 840 Then they sware them unto the heathen that no man of them should depart From the field till four days were ended, and the heathen was glad at heart, And wise messengers Arthur gave him, who should forth to the haven fare-- Feirefis took him ink and parchment, and a letter he bade them bear, Nor the writing, I ween, lacked tokens of his hand from whom it came, 845 And seldom methinks a letter such goodly return might claim! Then soon must the messengers ride hence--Parzival stood the host before, And in French did he tell the story from Trevrezent learnt of yore, How the Grail, throughout all ages, may never by man be known, Save by him whom God calleth to It, whose name God doth know alone. 850 And the tale shall be told in all lands; no conflict may win that prize, And 'tis vain on that Quest to spend them, since 'tis hidden from mortal eyes!'