The Story of the Grail and the Passing of ArthurPyle, Howard
General
The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur
Pyle, Howard
Arthur, King -- Legends; Arthurian romances -- Adaptations; Folklore -- England; Grail -- Legends; Knights and knighthood -- Folklore
After this was over and done, it being then the fourth day after they
had come thither, Sir Bors said to Sir Percival, “Sir, whither now shall
we go?” And Sir Percival said to him, “I shall not go anywhere; for here
shall I remain, and here I shall take upon myself holy orders and shall
live and die as a monk in those orders. But return you, Sir Bors, to the
Court of King Arthur, and tell them of the court concerning all those
things that have befallen; to wit, tell them how the Grail was achieved
by us three, and how that it was taken up into heaven before our eyes,
and how we beheld it enter the gates of heaven. So go you to Camelot,
and tell them concerning all these things.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Bors returneth to the Court of the King._]
Thus said Sir Percival, and Sir Bors said, “I will do as you bid me.” So
the next day Sir Bors kissed Sir Percival upon the cheeks and either
wept salt tears over the other. Then they parted company and Sir
Percival remained at that place and became a monk, and Sir Bors departed
thence, returning back again to Camelot.
There he arrived at the ending of a year and a day, and all they who
were there made great joy over his return. For all those knights who had
gone forth in search of the Grail and had not died in that quest had now
returned, saving only Sir Launcelot of the Lake. For it had become known
throughout the world that the Grail had been found, and that it had been
elevated into heaven, so that all those who were seeking for it were
returned back home again.
Then Sir Bors told them all the circumstances of the finding of the
Grail, and how it had been elevated in the minster at Sarras, and of how
Sir Galahad had died, and of how he had beheld the soul of Sir Galahad
exalted to heaven.
And King Arthur had that history written down in three great books, and
one of those books was established at Salisbury, and another at Camelot
(which same is Winchester), and the third at Carleon upon the Usk; and
from these three volumes the story of the Grail has descended to us of
the present day, and so I have written a part of that for your
delectation.
It remaineth now only to be said that Sir Bors, after all these events,
returned to that lady whom he had quitted to search for the Grail. But
the happiness of earth was not to be his, for he found that she had
wearied of waiting for his return, and had married elsewhere. So Sir
Bors returned to Camelot, and there he abided until the time of that
quarrel that preceded the ending of the reign of King Arthur.
For wit ye that he who aims high will often miss the small joys of this
life, and so it was with Sir Bors de Ganis. For though he was one of
those who achieved the Grail, yet he missed the lesser joys of wedded
life, and of that kingdom which belonged to them.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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