And hunting after adventure,
Fully armed, exactly
As a knight ought to be, and I came
To a road on my right-hand side, 180
In the middle of a deserted forest.
It was a treacherous path, full
Of brambles, choked with thorns.
For all its obstacles, despite
The effort, I followed that road. 185
And for almost the rest of the day
I drove my horse along
That path, until at last
I came out of Brocelande forest.
And then I rode over open 190
Fields and saw a tower,
Half a Welsh mile distant,
Or even less, but not more.
Pacing my horse, I came
To the outer wall and the moat, 195
Deep and wide all around,
And saw, standing on the bridge,
He whose castle it was,
A hunting hawk on his hand.
I'd barely greeted him when he stepped 200
Forward and grasped my stirrups
And suggested I dismount. And I did.
There was no point pretending, for plainly
I needed shelter. And he told me
A hundred times over, and more, 205
That whatever road led me
To his home was a blessed path.
And thus we crossed the bridge
And came through the gate and into
The courtyard. And there in the middle 210
Of his courtyard the lord of the castle
—To whom may God on high
Repay the honor and the happiness
He gave me that night—had hung
A gong, not hammered of iron, 215
Nor carved of wood, but cast
In copper, and he struck it three times
With a mallet tied to a post.
And all his household, who had been
Inside, hearing that sound, 220
And hearing his voice, came down
And came out of his house, and hurried
Into the courtyard. And some
Took my horse from that courteous lord,
Who was still holding it, and led it 225
Away. And I saw coming toward me
A young and beautiful girl.
I watched with great interest: she was tall
And slim and held herself well.
And quickly, deftly she helped me 230
Out of my armor, and draped
Around me a short cloak,
Peacock blue, fur-trimmed,
And the rest of them left and left us
Alone together, not a soul 235
In sight, which pleased me: there was nothing
Else I'd rather have seen.
Then she led me to the loveliest lawn
In the world, fenced all around
With a wall, and sat me down. 240
I found her wonderfully well-bred,
Her words so well-chosen, and well-taught,
And she so charming, so delightful,
That I felt myself filled with pleasure
And hoped I might never again 245
Need to move. But darkness
Betrayed me, night came, and the lord
Of the castle came to find me,
For the time to dine had come.
I could hardly object, or delay, 250
And I went as he wished, at once.
But that supper too went
As I wanted, for she sat across from me,
Which made everything well. And after
That meal the lord of the castle 255
Told me he could not remember
How long it had been since he'd sheltered
A wandering knight, a true
Knight errant, truly in search
Of adventure, though over the years 260
He'd sheltered many a knight.
And then he asked, in return
For hospitality, if I
Would return to his house, if I could.
And I said, “Of course, dear sir!” 265
In honor, what else could I possibly
Say? Deny so small
A favor to so gracious a host?
I was very well lodged, that night,
And as soon as one could see 270
The morning light, my horse
Was ready, exactly as I'd asked
The night before. I blessed
My host and his lovely daughter
In the name of the Holy Spirit, 275
And took my leave of them all
As soon as I could. I hadn't
Gotten far from that castle
When I came to a clearing full
Of wild bulls, savage beasts 280
Fighting among themselves
And making so loud a noise,
And beasts so fierce and so reckless
That even the sight of them would make you
Afraid. And I was, and retreated, 285
For no animal alive is as fierce
And as dangerous as a bull. And I saw,
Sitting on a tree stump, a lowborn
Creature, black as a Moor,
Huge, and hideously ugly 290
—Indeed, so incredibly awful
That there are no words to describe him—
And holding a great club in his hand.
And riding toward this fellow
I saw that his head was bigger 295
Than a packhorse’s, or any other beast,
His hair was tufted, and his forehead
Bald and wide as two outspread
Hands, his ears all mossy,
And immense, exactly like an elephant’s, 300
His eyebrows huge, his face
As if flattened. He had eyes like an owl,
A nose like a cat, and jaws
Split like a wolf’s, with a boar’s
Wild teeth, all yellowed, and his beard 305
Was black, his moustache crooked.
His chin met his chest, his backbone
Was long and twisted. He was leaning
On his club, his clothes as wild
As the rest of him, neither cotton nor wool 310
But the hides of two fresh-skinned bulls,
Or two oxen, that he wore hanging
From his neck, one in front, one in back.
And this creature jumped to his feet
When he saw me approaching. I had no 315
Idea if he meant to attack me,
Or what he meant to do.
I was ready to fight if I had to,
And then I saw, as he stood
All calm and still, mounted 320
On a fallen tree, that he reached up
Seventeen feet, at least.
He watched me, still as a stone,
Speaking no more than an animal,
And I thought perhaps he had 325
No brain to speak with, nor a tongue.
So I got up my courage and I said:
“You, tell me, what are you,
Good, or evil, or what?”
And he answered: “I am a man.” 330
“What kind of man?” “The kind
You see. I'm nothing but myself.”
“And what are you doing?” “I'm here,
Guarding this herd near this wood.”
“Guarding them? By Saint Peter in Rome! 335
No one commands these beasts.
And how could you guard such savage
Creatures in an open field
Or a wood or anywhere else
If they're neither tied nor shut in?” 340
“I guard them so carefully, and so well,
That they'd never leave this place.”
“Ridiculous! Tell me the truth!”
“Not one of them would move an inch
If he saw me coming. Whenever 345
I get my hands on one
I twist t
heir horns so hard,
For my hands are so strong, that the others
Tremble in fear and immediately
Gather themselves around me 350
As if to cry for mercy.
But no one else could do this,
Just me. Anyone approaching
That herd would be killed at once.
And so I'm the lord of my animals. 355
And it’s your turn, now, to tell me
Who you are and what you want.”
“I am, as you see, a knight,
Seeking what I cannot find:
I've hunted and I've found—nothing.” 360
“And what are you trying to find?”
“Adventures, to test my bravery,
To prove my courage. And now
I ask you and beg you, if you can,
To counsel me, tell me—if you know one— 365
Of some adventure, some marvel.”
“As for that,” he said, “too bad.
I know nothing of any ‘adventures.’
No one’s ever told me
Any. But just try going 370
To a certain spring, near here,
And you won't come back so easily
If you do it the way you should.
There’s a path, down over there,
That will take you where you want to go. 375
Go straight ahead, if you want
To get there right away.
It’s easy to get lost if you follow
All those other paths.
You'll see that spring, it surges 380
And seethes, though it’s colder than marble.
It’s shaded by the most beautiful tree
Nature has ever made,
With leaves forever green,
Never falling in winter. 385
And an iron bowl hangs there,
From a chain just long enough
To reach the water. And next
To the spring you'll find a stone,
You'll see for yourself—I can't 390
Describe that stone, what it’s like,
For I've seen no other like it.
And then there’s a chapel, a tiny
Chapel, but very beautiful.
If you'd like to sprinkle water 395
From the bowl across that stone
You'll see such a storm that no animal
Will stay in this wood—every buck,
Every doe, every stag, every boar,
And even the birds would run off, 400
Because you'd see such lightning,
Such wind, and trees splintering,
And such rain, and smashing thunder,
That if you yourself can escape
Without harm, without desperate struggling, 405
You'll have better luck than any
Knight who ever lived.”
And then I left him there,
After he'd shown me the path.
I expect it was late in the morning, 410
And getting close to noon,
When I saw the tree and the chapel.
And I can swear, and I know
It’s true, that the tree was the finest
Pine anywhere in the world. 415
No rain could ever fall hard
Enough for a drop to pierce it,
But would always roll off outside.
And I saw the basin hung
From that tree, hammered of the finest 420
Gold anyone could buy.
And believe me, the spring brbbled
And boiled like steaming-hot water.
And the stone was an emerald, with holes
Bored through, just like a wineskin, 425
And under it stood four rubies,
Gleaming brighter and redder
Than the morning sun, rising
Low in the east. And this
Is what I saw, what I know: 430
Not a word I speak is untrue.
I wanted to see the miracle
Of storm and wind and rain.
It was hardly wise, I admit it,
And as soon as I'd done it I would 435
Have taken it back, if I could,
But I took water from the bowl
And sprinkled the stone, and more
Than likely I poured too much,
For I saw the sky ripped open, 440
And lightning flashes from fourteen
Directions blinded my eyes,
And the clouds let loose sheets
Of snow and rain and hail.
The storm was so foul, so strong, 445
That a hundred times I thought
I'd be killed by bolts falling
At my feet, and by falling trees.
I was frightened half out of my wits
Till the tempest grew calm, and was gone. 450
But God gave me hope
That the storm could not last long
And soon the winds were at rest:
They dared not blow against
His will. And seeing the air 455
Clear and pure I was thrilled—
For joy, as everyone knows,
Lets sorrow soon be forgotten.
When the storm had completely vanished
I saw so many birds 460
In that pine tree (could anyone believe me?)
That it looked as if every branch,
Every twig, was hidden by birds.
And the tree was even lovelier,
For the birds all sang at once, 465
In marvellous harmony, though each
Was singing its proper song
And not a note that belonged
To one was sung by another.
And I gloried in their happiness, 470
Listening as they sang their service
Through, unhurried: I'd never
Heard joy so complete,
And no one else will hear it,
I think, unless he goes there 475
And can hear what filled me with joy
And rapture so deep that I was carried
Away—until I heard
The sound of knights approaching,
And it seemed to me there were ten: 480
But the clatter and racket were made
By a single knight, riding up.
And when I saw him, coming
Alone, I belted my saddle
Tight, and mounted. And he came 485
Angrily, riding swifter
Than an eagle, looking as fierce
As a hungry lion. And from
As far as his voice could carry
He began to hurl a challenge, 490
Crying: “You! You've done me
Harm, for no reason. You ought to
Have challenged me, were there cause for a quarrel,
Or at least demanded justice 495
Before you began to make war.
But sir! If it’s in my power
This destruction you see all about you
Will fall on you. Here lies
On every hand the proof 500
Of my broken-up woods. And he
Who is injured has a right to complain.
And I do, and I'm right, for you've forced me
Out of my home with lightning
And thunder and rain. You've made 505
My life miserable and cursed be he
Who thinks that good. Here
In my wood, here in my castle,
You've launched such an attack
That no troops of soldiers, no weapons, 510
No walls could have resisted.
No one could have been safe,
Even in a fortress: not even
Hard stone walls could have helped.
Understand me! From this moment on 515
There’s no truce and no peace between us!”
At those words we rushed at each other,
Holding our shields in place,
Each covering himself. The knight
R
ode a good horse, and his lance 520
Was a stout one, and I have no doubt
He sat a whole head taller
Than I did. Which was my bad luck,
For I was smaller than he was,
And his horse was stronger than mine. 525
These are things I need to say,
For they help explain my shame.
I gave him as good a blow
As I could, striking him hard,
Hitting the top of his shield, 530
And I struck so hard, with all
My strength, that my lance was shattered.
But his held together,
It was hardly light, by my faith,
But as heavy, I think, as any 535
Lance I ever saw,
Heavier and bigger than any.
And that knight struck me so stinging
A blow that it swept me backwards
And off my horse and laid me 540
Flat on the ground. And he left
Me there, shamed and exhausted,
Not bothering even to look at me.
He took my horse and left me there,
And headed back the way 545
He'd come. And I, dazed,
Just lay there, anguished, confused.
And then for a while I sat
Near the spring, and rested. How
Could I dare to follow the knight? 550
What a fool I would be! And even
Were I sure of my courage, where
Had he gone to? I had no idea.
And finally my promise came back to me:
I'd told my host I'd return 555
To his castle. I liked the idea,
And that’s what I did. But walking
Was easier without my weapons
And my armor, and I left them behind,
And retraced my shameful steps. 560
When I reached his home, that night,
He treated me just as he'd done
Before, good-natured, courteous,
Exactly as I'd found him at first.
I saw nothing, neither in him 565
Nor in his daughter, that made me
Feel less welcome, nor was anything
Done to show me less honor
Than they'd shown me the previous night.
They did me great honor indeed, 570
In that house, and I thank them. And they said
No one had ever escaped,
So far as they knew, from that place
I'd gone to, without being killed
Or taken prisoner. They'd never 575
Heard a story like mine.
And so I went, and so
I returned, feeling like a fool.
And I've foolishly told you a story
I'll never tell again.” 580
“By God!” said lord Yvain,
“You're my own first cousin, and we ought
To love each other, but this thing
You've hid from me, and hid for so long,
Is folly, nothing less. 585
And when I say ‘folly’ to you,
Please, I mean nothing offensive.
Because if I can, and if fate
Yvain Page 2
