The Complete Story of the Grail: Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval and its continuations (Arthurian Studies)

The mysterious and haunting Grail makes its first appearance in literature in Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval at the end of the twelfth century. But Chrétien never finished his poem, leaving an unresolved story and an incomplete picture of the Grail. It was, however, far too attractive an idea to leave. Not only did it inspire quite separate works; his own unfinished poem was continued and finally completed by no fewer than four other writers. The Complete Story of the Grail is the first ever translation of the whole of the rich and compelling body of tales contained in Chrétien's poem and its four Continuations, which are finally attracting the scholarly attention they deserve. Besides Chrétien's original text, there are the anonymous First Continuation (translated here in its fullest version), the Second Continuation attributed to Wauchier de Denain, and the intriguing Third and Fourth Continuations - probably written simultaneously, with no knowledge of each other's work - by Manessier and Gerbert de Montreuil. Two other poets were drawn to create preludes explaining the background to Chrétien's story, and translated here also are their works: The Elucidation Prologue and Bliocadran. Only in this, The Story of the Grail's complete form, can the reader appreciate the narrative skill and invention of the medieval poets and their surprising responses to Chrétien's theme - not least their crucial focus on the knight as a crusader. Equally, Chrétien's original poem was almost always copied in conjunction with one or more of the Continuations, so this translation represents how most medieval readers would have encountered it. Frontcover Contents Introduction Chrétien’s Intention The First Continuation: the Unimportance of the Holy Grail The Second Continuation: Wandering Astray Gerbert’s Continuation: the Crusading Knight The Third Continuation: Revenge The Elucidation Prologue and Bliocadran Reading Aloud Dates Manuscripts Modern editions Further Reading Chrétien de Troyes: Perceval Chrétien’s Prologue Chrétien dedicates his work to Count Philip of Flanders (1–68) The Welsh Boy The boy’s first encounter with knights; he leaves his mother (69–634) A Pie, a Ring and a Kiss The boy meets a girl at a pavilion and takes her ring (635–833) The Red Knight The boy arrives at Arthur’s court; he kills the Red Knight and takes his arms (834–1304) Training in Arms The boy is knighted by Gorneman (1305–1698) The Siege of Beaurepaire The new knight defends Blancheflor against her enemies (1699–2975) A Grail and a Lance The new knight comes to a castle where he sees a mysterious procession (2976–3421) No Questions Asked The new knight realises his mistake; he guesses his name; he is warned about his sword (3422–3690) The Proud Knight of the Glade Perceval breaks his sword (3691–4143) Blood in the Snow Perceval breaks Kay’s arm; Gawain leads him back to Arthur (4144–4602) The Price of Perceval’s Failure Perceval vows to search for the grail and the lance; Gawain is accused of murder (4603–4815) The Tournament at Tintagel Gawain sets out to defend himself against the charge; on the way he takes part in a tournament (4816–5655) Sir Gawain is Besieged A mob besieges Gawain in a tower; he must go in search of the bleeding lance (5656–6216) Perceval and his Hermit Uncle Perceval meets his hermit uncle on Good Friday (6217–6518) Gawain and the Haughty Girl Gawain’s horse is stolen; he has to fight to win it back (6519–7370) The Castle of the White-haired Queen Gawain lies on the Bed of Marvels and is offered lordship of the castle (7371–8371) The Perilous Ford Gawain crosses the Perilous Ford; Guiromelant challenges him to combat (8372–9234) The First Continuation Arthur and his court set out to see the combat (1–503) King Arthur’s Mother Arthur goes in secret to the castle of the white-haired queen (504–944) Preparing for Battle Guiromelant arrives for his combat with Gawain (945–1440) Gawain’s Battle with Guiromelant Gawain and Guiromelant engage in a furious duel (1441–1739) Gawain’s Anger Clarissant intervenes; she marries Guiromelant without Gawain’s knowledge (1740–1955) The Maiden of the Ivory Horn Gawain recovers a stolen horn; he rescues twenty maidens from captivity (1956–3630) The Broken Sword Gawain sees the grail and the lance; he tries to mend a broken sword (3631–3969) Gawain’s Adventure at Montesclaire Gawain frees the damsel of Montesclaire; he takes the Sword of the Strange Belt (3970–4828) Gawain is Accused Again Dinadaret accuses Gawain of having killed his father (4829–4951) A Double Duel Gawain is forced to fight two enemies at once (4952–5508) The Siege of Branlant King Arthur lays siege to Brun’s city of Branlant; Gawain is wounded in a raid (5509–6151) The Portrait of Gawain A maiden identifies Gawain by his portrait; it leads to seduction and killing (6152–6670) Eliavret the Enchanter An enchanter lies with Arthur’s niece and fathers a son (6671–6784) Carados is Knighted The son, Carados, comes to Arthur’s court and is trained in arms and knighted (6785–7136) The Beheading Game An unknown knight offers to exchange beheading blows; Carados accepts the challenge (7137–7425) Carados Exposes his Mother Carados reveals the truth about his conception; his mother Ysave is imprisoned (7426–7551) Carados Rescues Guinier Carados rescues a maiden from a rejected suitor (7552–8078) The Great Tournament Carados excels in a mighty tournament (8079–9612) The Enchanted Serpent The enchanter Eliavret fixes a serpent to Carados’s arm; Guinier has to save him (9613–11948) The Healing of Guinier’s Breast Guinier’s breast, wounded in saving Carados, is healed with a golden shield-boss (11949–12270) The Drinking Horn An ivory horn arrives at court; it turns water into wine, but exposes infidelity (12271–12506) The Mission to Rescue Girflet Arthur declares that Girflet must be rescued from imprisonment in the Proud Castle (12507–12920) Kay, the Dwarf and the Peacock Kay is humiliated with a roasted bird (12921–13283) Bran de Lis and Gawain’s Child Gawain does battle with Bran de Lis; his own son intervenes (13284–15181) The Jousts at the Proud Castle Lucan, Bran and Kay challenge the castle’s champions (15182–15778) The Rich Soldier Gawain defeats the castle’s lord, but pretends to have been beaten; Girflet is rescued (15779–16614) The Search for Gawain’s Son Gawain’s son is kidnapped (16615–16836) The Death of the Unknown Knight A knight is mysteriously killed at the queen’s pavilion; Gawain takes up his mission (16837–17114) The Black Hand Gawain takes refuge in a chapel and sees a terrifying black hand (17115–17226) The Grail and the Lance Again The grail and bleeding lance appear again to Gawain; he learns it is the lance of Longinus (17227–17880) The Challenge at the Ford Gawain is challenged to combat at a ford; he discovers that the youth is his son (17881–18374) The Swan-Boat Arthur sees a boat arrive, pulled by a swan; on board is a slain knight, awaiting vengeance (18375–18688) Guerrehés and the Little Knight Gawain’s brother Guerrehés is humbled by a little knight (18689–19154) Guerrehés Takes Revenge Guerrehés avenges the knight on the swan-boat (19155–19606) The Second Continuation The author returns us to Perceval as he leaves his hermit uncle (19607–19653) The Lord of the Horn Perceval fights the Lord of the Horn (19654–20006) The Castle of the Magic Chessboard A damsel tries to drown Perceval; a magic chessboard defeats him; a maiden lends him her dog to hunt a white stag (20007–20303) The Knight of the Tomb Perceval kills the white stag, but the dog and the white stag are stolen; he fights with a knight from a tomb (20304–20772) The Murdered Boy Perceval avenges a murdered boy; his killer refuses to ask for mercy (20773–20908) The Search for the Stolen Dog Perceval learns why the stag’s head and the dog were stolen; he does battle with a lion and defeats Abrioris (20909–21578) The Dead Knight Odinial Perceval finds a slain knight, and has to tell the knight’s sweetheart of his death (21579–21658) Perceval and the Giant Perceval rescues a maiden from a murderous giant (21659–21955) The Amorous Ford Perceval defeats the defender of the Amorous Ford (21956–22224) The Fair Unknown Perceval meets Sir Gawain’s son, ‘the Fair Unknown’ (22225–22551) Perceval Returns to Blancheflor Perceval finds himself back at Beaurepaire; he spends the night with Blancheflor (22552–23120) The Handsome Knight and the Ugly Damsel Perceval meets ‘the Fair Bad Knight’; he sends him to Arthur’s court to tell of his love for an ugly damsel (23121–23532) Perceval Returns to his Sister Perceval finds himself at his mother’s house; he reveals his identity to his sister; they go together to visit his hermit uncle (23533–24221) The Castle of the Maidens Striking a brass table earns Perceval lodging at a castle inhabited only by maidens (24222–24731) Recovering the Dog and the Stag’s Head Perceval wins back the stag’s head and the maiden’s dog; the knight of the tomb is explained (24732–25432) Crossing the Bridge of Glass Perceval sees a strange light in the forest; a maiden tells him that it comes from the grail; she lends him a mule and a ring; he has to cross a bridge of glass (25433–26193) The Unfinished Bridge Briol urges Perceval to prove himself at a tournament at the Proud Castle; to reach it Perceval must cross an unfinished bridge (26194–26824) The Tournament at the Proud Castle Perceval twice fights in the tournament against King Arthur’s knights; both times he goes unrecognised (26825–27373) Trapped in the Tomb Perceval is tricked into being trapped in a tomb; he returns the maiden’s mule and ring (27374–27600) The Magic Chessboard Perceval delivers the dog and the stag’s head; the maiden tells him the story of Morgan the Fay and the magic chessboard (27601–28238) The Madness of Mount Dolorous Perceval rescues a knight hung up in a tree by Sir Kay; he hears about the pillar on Mount Dolorous (28239–28408) Revenge upon Sir Kay The rescued knight, Bagomedés, goes to Arthur’s court seeking revenge upon Sir Kay; the knights of the court set out in search of Perceval (28409–29208) The Little Knight’s Shield Sir Gawain meets a tiny knight, the guardian of a shield that tests the prowess of a knight and the true love of his sweetheart (29209–29953) The Tournament in the Blanche Lande At the tournament only Gawain can carry the shield (29954–30507) Sir Gawain and the Pensive Knight Gawain recovers a maiden abducted from her beloved, the Pensive Knight (30508–31040) The War against King Carras Gawain tells his son, ‘the Fair Unknown’, of his search for the Fisher King; his son tells him of King Carras’s aggression against Arthur; Gawain returns to resolve the conflict (31041–31420) The Pillar on Mount Dolorous A child in a tree directs Perceval to Mount Dolorous; he tethers his horse to Merlin’s pillar (31421–32027) Perceval Nears the Grail Castle Perceval comes to the tree of candles and the chapel of the Black Hand; he is directed to the Fisher King’s castle (32028–32264) Perceval and the Fisher King Perceval returns to the Grail Castle, and asks the Fisher King the meaning of his adventures and the truth about the grail and the lance; but he repairs the broken sword imperfectly (32265–32594) Gerbert’s Continuation Perceval is not yet worthy to know all the secrets of the grail; a voice tells him to seek his mother’s house (1–102) Perceval Breaks his Sword Perceval hears rejoicing inside a ring of wall; he breaks his sword on the gate; he is given a healing letter (103–286) The Forge on the Lake Perceval finds he has restored the land; he battles past serpents to the smith Trebuchet, who repairs his broken sword (287–898) The Healing Letter Perceval uses the healing letter to save Agravain and Sagremor, driven mad on Mount Dolorous (899–1158) The Perilous Seat Perceval returns to Arthur’s court and sits in the Perilous Seat (1159–1612) The Faithless Lover Perceval’s cousin is about to be jilted by the faithless knight Faradien, who plans to marry another damsel; Perceval forces him to keep his promise (1613–2482) A Demon in the Shape of a Girl Perceval wards off a demon by making the sign of the cross (2483–2586) The Meaning of the Broken Sword Perceval and his sister visit his hermit uncle, who explains the significance of a sword’s two edges (2587–2861) Perceval Learns his Mother’s Name Perceval repels Mordred’s attack on his sister; he returns to the Castle of the Maidens, where he learns his mother’s name and her connection with the grail (2862–3247) A Stranger Challenges Arthur’s Knights Faradien and Mordred arrive at court to submit to Arthur; the king’s knights are challenged to combat by a stranger; he is recognised as Tristran (3248–3692) Tristran’s Disguise Tristran goes to King Marc’s court to see Yseut, disguised as a minstrel; she recognises him by the tune he plays (3693–4110) Beaten by Minstrels Tristran and his companions shame their opponents by turning the tide of the tournament while disguised as minstrels; Perceval arrives and defeats them in turn (4111–4726) Tristran Forgiven Gawain makes peace between Tristran and King Marc (4727–4868) Gorneman and the Demon Knights Perceval defends Gorneman, who had knighted him, against forty demon knights (4869–5496) The Healing Balm A hag restores the knights to life with a potion; Perceval wins it from her and heals Gorneman and his sons (5497–6154) Perceval Marries Blancheflor Perceval returns to Beaurepaire and keeps his promise to marry Blancheflor (6155–7020) Dragonel the Cruel Perceval prevents a knight forcing a girl to marry him against her will (7021–7526) The Knight of the Cart Perceval saves a knight who has been robbed, stripped and abused (7527–8291) The Shield with the Red Cross Perceval sees two hermits beating and worshipping a cross, and a beast devoured by her offspring; he is given a white shield with a red cross (8292–8905) The Knight of the Dragon With the aid of the red cross shield Perceval defeats the Knight of the Dragon and rescues the Maiden of the Circle of Gold (8906–10192) Mordrain At an abbey Perceval sees King Mordrain, his wounds still fresh after three hundred years; he hears the story of Mordrain, Crudel and Joseph of Arimathea (10193–10613) The Ivory Chest Perceval opens a chest to reveal himself the killer of the Red Knight long before; he defends himself against the Red Knight’s sons; a minstrel saves his life; he releases the captive Gawain (10614–12380) The Hidden Knife A damsel is about to murder Gawain, but then falls in love with him; she saves him from death at her father’s hands, and then saves her father from Gawain (12381–14078) The Worm in the Stone A hermit gives Perceval instruction; Perceval frees a demon worm from a block of marble (14079–14571) Lugarel the Jealous Perceval defeats a murderous knight unable to forgive his sweetheart’s killer (14572–14998) The Maiden in the Spring Perceval rescues a girl who has been forced to stand naked in a pool; but she then tries to betray him (14999–15268) The Brigands’ Girl A second girl betrays Perceval, luring him into an ambush; he destroys a band of brigands (15269–15738) The Hermit’s Injunction A hermit tells Perceval that a knight’s purpose is to defend Holy Church; he engages in violent combat with the Knight of the Ill-cut Coat, who is honoured to be defeated by him (15739–16049) The Black Giant Using his lance like a javelin, Perceval defeats a black giant seeking vengeance for his brother’s death; he is given fine new arms (16050–16556) The Search for Perceval Arthur’s knights set out to find Perceval; Kay’s discourtesy costs him dear again (16557–16839) The Repair of the Broken Sword Perceval returns to the Fisher King and perfectly repairs the broken sword (16840–17086) The Third Continuation Perceval, as repairer of the broken sword, must take revenge upon Partinal, the murderer of King Goondesert, and so heal the Fisher King (32595–33183) Perceval and Sagremor Perceval meets Sagremor, whose horse has been stolen; together they battle the knights who stole it, and rescue an abducted maiden (33184–33757) Sagremor and the Robber Knight Sagremor pursues the thief and wins back his horse (33758–34080) Sagremor at the Castle of the Maidens Sagremor raises the siege of the Castle of the Maidens (34081–34725) Sagremor Rescues a Damsel Sagremor saves a damsel from rape, but is wounded (34726–35050) Gawain’s Unfinished Mission The sister of Silimac, the knight killed at the queen’s pavilion, reminds Gawain of his promise to complete her brother’s mission (35051–35299) Gawain Rescues Dodinel Gawain saves a maiden from a pyre, and frees Dodinel from prison, refusing to believe him guilty of murder (35300–35745) King Margon Gawain defends Silimac’s sister against King Margon’s siege; she charges Gawain to take revenge upon Kay for her brother’s death; Margon, known as the King of One Hundred Knights, saves his sister (35746–36363) Gawain’s Battle with Kay Gawain is attacked as the killer of Silimac; Silimac’s sister explains that Kay, not Gawain, was to blame; at Arthur’s court Gawain, disguised, does battle with Kay (36364–36916) Gawain and Agravain Gawain aids his brother Agravain against five knights (36917–37140) The Chapel of the Black Hand Perceval battles with the black hand; he is shown Queen Brangemore’s graveyard (37141–37862) The Devil Horse and the Demon Maiden A black horse tries to drown Perceval; a demon appears to him as Blancheflor (37863–38409) A Toll is Demanded A knight demands that Perceval pay a toll or accept imprisonment; Perceval defeats him and sends him to Arthur (38410–38545) Perceval and Dodinel Perceval saves Dodinel’s sweetheart from her abductor; he hears that Blancheflor is under attack (38546–38922) Perceval Returns to Beaurepaire Perceval has his horse re-shod and his sword repaired by the smith Trebuchet’s son; he defeats Blancheflor’s attacker Aridés; Blancheflor pleads with him to stay (38923–39359) Perceval’s Prisoners Submit to Arthur The knights defeated in Perceval’s latest adventures surrender at Arthur’s court (39360–39576) The Coward Knight Perceval meets a handsome knight who is terrified of combat; but as Perceval rides to the rescue of two maidens, the cowardly knight is transformed (39577–39969) The Vow to Search for Perceval Arthur is downcast when Perceval fails to arrive at Pentecost; the knights vow to go in search of him (39970–40182) Boort Abandons his Brother Boort sees his brother Lionel in dire straits, but abandons him to go to the rescue of a maiden; it is Gawain instead who saves Lionel (40183–40513) Boort’s Combat with Lionel A demon disguised as a hermit tries to make Boort despair; Lionel attacks Boort in a rage and kills Calogrenant when he intervenes; a cloud descends to stop the battle (40514–40974) The Fair Bold Knight Joining Perceval in a tournament, the Coward Knight displays such courage that he earns a new name (40975–41317) The Healing Grail Perceval finds Ector in a wretched state; they fight and almost kill each other, but are healed by the holy grail (41318–41606) Revenge for the Fisher King Perceval takes revenge upon Partinal as he had promised the Fisher King (41607–41860) The Healing of the Fisher King The Fisher King is healed at the sight of Partinal’s head; the grail serves food in abundance; the Fisher King bequeaths his kingdom to Perceval (41861–42101) Perceval Returns to Arthur Perceval jousts against six knights with arms of every colour; he returns to Arthur’s court and recounts his adventures; news arrives of the Fisher King’s death (42102–42468) The Grail and the Lance Depart Perceval is crowned; he reigns and retires from the world and dies, and the grail goes with him; Manessier dedicates his work to Jeanne, countess of Flanders (42469–42668) Appendix 1: The Elucidation Prologue Appendix 2: Bliocadran Appendix 3: Independent conclusion to the Second Continuation in the Bern manuscript (Burgerbibliothek 113) Glossary Index The mysterious and haunting Grail makes its first appearance in literature in ChreÌ#x81;tien de Troyes' Perceval at the end of the twelfth century. But ChreÌ#x81;tien never finished his poem, leaving an unresolved story and an incomplete picture of the Grail. It was, however, far too attractive an idea to leave. Not only did it inspire quite separate works; his own unfinished poem was continued and finally completed by no fewer than four other writers. The Complete Story of the Grail is the first ever translation of the whole of the rich and compelling body of tales contained in ChreÌ#x81;tien's poem and its four Continuations, which are finally attracting the scholarly attention they deserve. Besides ChreÌ#x81;tien's original text, there are the anonymous First Continuation (translated here in its fullest version), the Second Continuation attributed to Wauchier de Denain, and the intriguing Third and Fourth Continuations - probably written simultaneously, with no knowledge of each other's work - by Manessier and Gerbert de Montreuil. Two other poets were drawn to create preludes explaining the background to ChreÌ#x81;tien's story, and translated here also are their works: The Elucidation Prologue and Bliocadran. Only in this, The Story of the Grail's complete form, can the reader appreciate the narrative skill and invention of the medieval poets and their surprising responses to ChreÌ#x81;tien's theme - not least their crucial focus on the knight as a crusader. Equally, ChreÌ#x81;tien's original poem was almost always copied in conjunction with one or more of the Continuations, so this translation represents how most medieval readers would have encountered it. Nigel Bryant's previous translations from Medieval French include Perlesvaus - the High Book of the Grail, Robert de Boron's trilogy Merlin and the Grail, the Medieval Romance of Alexander, The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel and Perceforest The mysterious and haunting Grail makes its first appearance in literature in Chrétien de Troyes'Perceval at the end of the twelfth century. But Chrétien never finished his poem, leaving an unresolved story and an incomplete picture of the Grail. It was, however, far too attractive an idea to leave. Not only did it inspire quite separate works; his own unfinished poem was continued and finally completed by no fewer than four other writers. The Complete Story of the Grail is the first ever translation of the whole of the rich and compelling body of tales contained in Chrétien's poem and its four Continuations, which are finally attracting the scholarly attention they deserve. Besides Chrétien's original text, there are the anonymous First Continuation (translated here in its fullest version), the Second Continuation attributed to Wauchier de Denain, and the intriguing Third and Fourth Continuations - probably written simultaneously, with no knowledge of each other's work - by Manessier and Gerbert de Montreuil. Two other poets were drawn to create preludes explaining the background to Chrétien's story, and translated here also are their works: The Elucidation Prologue and Bliocadran. Only in this, The Story of the Grail's complete form, can the reader appreciate the narrative skill and invention of the medieval poets and their surprising responses to Chrétien's theme - not least their crucial focus on the knight as a crusader. Equally, Chrétien's original poem was almost always copied in conjunction withone or more of the Continuations, so this translation represents how most medieval readers would have encountered it. Nigel Bryant's previous translations from Medieval French include Perlesvaus - the High Bookof the Grail, Robert de Boron's trilogy Merlin and the Grail, the Medieval Romance of Alexander, The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel and Perceforest. The mysterious and haunting Grail makes its first appearance in literature in Chřtien de Troyes' Perceval at the end of the twelfth century. But Chřtien never finished his poem, leaving an unresolved story and an incomplete picture of the Grail. It was, however, far too attractive an idea to leave. Not only did it inspire quite separate works; his own unfinished poem was continued and finally completed by no fewer than four other writers. The Complete Story of the Grail is the first ever translation of the whole of the rich and compelling body of tales contained in Chřtien's poem and its four Continuations, which are finally attracting the scholarly attention they deserve. Besides Chřtien's original text, there are the anonymous First Continuation (translated here in its fullest version), the Second Continuation attributed to Wauchier de Denain, and the intriguing Third and Fourth Continuations - probably written simultaneously, with no knowledge of each other's work - by Manessier and Gerbert de Montreuil. Two other poets were drawn to create preludes explaining the background to Chřtien's story, and translated here also are their works: The Elucidation Prologue and Bliocadran. Only in this, The Story of the Grail's complete form, can the reader appreciate the narrative skill and invention of the medieval poets and their surprising responses to Chřtien's theme - not least their crucial focus on the knight as a crusader. Equally, Chřtien's original poem was almost always copied in conjunction with one or more of the Continuations, so this translation represents how most medieval readers would have encountered it. -- Amazon.com The mysterious and haunting Grail makes its first appearance in literature in Chretien de Troyes' 'Perceval' at the end of the twelfth century. But Chretien never finished his poem, leaving an unresolved story and an incomplete picture of the Grail. It was, however, far too attractive an idea to leave. Not only did it inspire quite separate works; his own unfinished poem was continued and finally completed by no fewer than four other writers. 'The Complete Story of the Grail' is the first ever translation of the whole of the rich and compelling body of tales contained in Chretien's poem and its four Continuations, which are finally attracting the scholarly attention they deserve. Besides Chretien's original text, there are the anonymous First Continuation (translated here in its fullest version), the Second Continuation attributed to Wauchier de Denain, and the intriguing Third and Fourth Continuations - probably written simultaneously, with no knowledge of each other's work - by Manessier and Gerbert de Montreuil. 0Two other poets were drawn to create preludes explaining the background to Chretien's story, and translated here also are their works