Reply to Professor Foerster--Arthurian tradition of greater extent and of wider diffusion than supposed--Evidence for early diffusion of _romantic_ tradition 56 Necessity of distinguishing between _mythic_ and _romantic_ tradition--Former of strongly marked Celtic-Irish character, and mainly preserved in _insular_ tradition 56-61 Condition of Arthurian tradition when Chrétien wrote--No longer purely oral--Necessity for understanding what is involved in oral transmission--Mr. Hartland's evidence on this point--The Breton _lais_ folk-lore in character-- Gradual process of Arthurisation--Evidence of _Yvain_-- The process well advanced at the time Chrétien wrote 61-68 Necessity for determining original character of story before criticising, _i.e._ tales of folk-lore origin demand a different method of criticism from that applicable to tales of purely literary invention--Professor Foerster's theory of origin of _Yvain_ examined and rejected as not consonant with archaic character of tale 68-77 Proposed origin of _Perceval_ also unsatisfactory, not in harmony with statements made elsewhere by Chrétien--Strong probability that the tale, in its completed form, is older than has hitherto been supposed 78-80 Folk-lore character of _Erec_, _Yvain_, and _Perceval_ probably an important element in their popularity 81 The varying geography of Chrétien's poems evidence of varying source 82-83 Probable relation between Chrétien's poems and the Welsh versions--Resemblance does not necessarily postulate dependence 85 General summary of principles resulting from present investigation, and their bearing upon position ultimately to be assigned to Chrétien 86-88 CHAPTER VI THE PROSE LANCELOT--THE 'ENFANCES' OF THE HERO Necessity of examining _all_ the existing MSS. before a critical study of the legend can be attempted--Present studies concerned only with leading points of story, and certain variants in printed texts 89-90 Arthurian cycle in present form redacted under influence of completed _Lancelot_ story 91-93 _Enfances_ of hero in prose _Lancelot_ a modified form of story related by Ulrich von Zatzikhoven--Points of contact between prose _Lancelot_ and _Parzival_ of Wolfram von Eschenbach 93-96 MS. evidence of contact with _Perceval_ story 96-97