"Fair uncle," saith Perceval, "I went thither by a Turning Castle,
where were archers of copper that shot bolts, and bears and lions
chained at the entrance of the gateway. So soon as I drew nigh and
smote thereon with my sword the castle stopped still."
"Fair nephew," said King Hermit, "Nought had the Devil outwardly
besides this castle. It was the entrance to his fortress, nor would
they within ever have been converted save you had been there."
"Sir," saith he, "Right sorrowful am I of Messire Gawain and Lancelot,
for well I loved their fellowship, and great aid would they have been
in my need."
"Fair nephew, had they been chaste as are you, well might they have
entered on account of their good knighthood. For were they not wanton,
the two best knights in the world are they.
XIX.
"Fair nephew, in the time of your knighthood have you much advanced the
Law of the Saviour, for you have destroyed the falsest believe in the
world, and this was of them that believed on the bull of copper and the
devil that was therein. If this folk had remained, and had failed of
you, never would it have been destroyed until the end of the world.
Wherefore marvel not that you have travail in serving God, but endure
it willingly, for never had worshipful man honour without pains. But
now behoveth you achieve another matter. All they of the land of King
Fisherman your uncle have abandoned the New Law, and returned to that
which God hath forbidden. But the most part do so rather perforce and
for fear of the King that hath seized the land, who is my brother and
your uncle, than on account of aught else. Wherefore behoveth you set
counsel therein, for this thing may not be achieved by any earthly man
save by you only. For the castle and land should be yours of right,
and sore mischief is it when one that cometh of lineage so high and so
holy is traitor to God, and disloyal to the world.
XX.
"Fair nephew," saith the good man, "The castle hath been much
strengthened, for there are now nine bridges newly made, and at each
bridge are there three knights tall and strong and hardy, whereof hath
he much defence, and your uncle is there within that keepeth the
castle. But never sithence, none of the knights of King Fisherman nor
of his priests have there appeared, nor knoweth any what hath befallen
them. The chapel wherein the most Holy Graal appeared is all emptied
of its sacred hallows; the hermits that are by the forest are fain of
your coming, for never see they there a knight pass by that believeth
in God. And so you shall have achieved this enterprise, it is a thing
whereof shall God be well pleased."
XXI.
"Fair uncle," saith Perceval, "Thither will I go, sith that you commend
it to me, for no reason is it that he should have the castle that hath
entered thereinto. Of better right ought my mother to have it, that
was the next-born to King Fisherman, of whose death am I right
sorrowful."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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