And this have ye heard of aforetime, how he lay, for he scarce might sit, And the couch and its goodly decking, forsooth have ye read of it. And the twain did Anfortas welcome with gladness, and yet with grief, And he spake, 'O'er-long have I waited tho' I win from thine hand relief; 130 But a while ago didst thou leave me in such wise, art thou true of heart, And thinkest to aid my sorrow, thou must have in repentance part. If e'er men have praised thy valour, then be thou to my woe a friend, And pray of these knights and maidens that death may my torment end; If _Parzival_ men shall call thee, then forbid me the Grail to see 135 Seven nights and eight days, and I wot well my wailing shall silenced be! Nor further I dare to warn thee--Well for thee if thou help canst bring! A stranger shall be thy comrade, and I think it an evil thing That thus he doth stand before me, say wherefore no thought dost take For his comfort, and bid him seat him?' Then Parzival, weeping, spake: 140 'Now say where the Grail It lieth? If God's mercy He think to show, And it be o'er His wrath the victor, this folk, they shall surely know!' Then three times on his knee he bowed him in the Name of the Trinity, And three times he prayed that the sorrow of Anfortas should ended be, Then he stood upright, and he turned him to the monarch, and thus he spake: 145 '_What aileth thee here, mine uncle?_' He who Lazarus from death did wake, And by the mouth of His saint, Sylvester, a dead beast to life did bring, Wrought healing and strength on Anfortas--and all men beheld the king, And what French folk shall know as '_Florie_' it shone on his face so fair, And Parzival's manly beauty was but as the empty air! 150 Yea, Vergulacht, Askalon's monarch, and Absalom, David's son, And all who the dower of beauty as their birthright shall e'er have won-- E'en Gamuret, as men saw him draw near unto Kanvoleis, So wondrous fair to look on--they were naught unto all men's eyes When matched with the radiant beauty that forth from his bitter woe 155 He bare, the King Anfortas--such skill God doth surely know!