BOOK IV

TRADITIONAL EVENTS

Arrival at besieged city; maiden Chrêtien and his continuator of the castle beseeches the hero's Gerbert; Peredur; Sir Percyvelle. aid; overthrowal of her enemies and final marriage with maiden.

Name of the maiden; Chrêtien, Blanche-fleur; Sir Percyvelle Lufamour; Peredur unnamed.

Page 103, line 17--'_Who rideth astray, etc_.' According to Simrock this passage in the original contains a play upon words which cannot be reproduced in translation: Slegel--schlegel, the word employed for _axe_ here, signifying, in some parts of Germany, 'a fallen tree.'

Page 104, line 26--'_The city of Pelrapär_.' In Chrêtien the name of the city is 'Beau-repaire,' of which this is evidently the German rendering. The substitution of _p_ for _b_ is still a distinguishing mark of German pronunciation of French. In _Sir Percyvelle_ it is 'the maiden land.'

Page 104, line 38--'_The King Klamidé_.' This character is named by Wolfram and Chrêtien only; in _Peredur_ he is the Earl; in Sir Percyvelle, 'Sowdane.' Chrêtien calls him 'Clamadex,' and it is worthy of note that in _Perceval li Gallois_ the son of the Red Knight slain by Perceval is called 'Clamadas,' evidently a variant of the same name.

Page 105, line 78--'_My lord the Count of Wertheim_.' Wertheim is in Lower Franconia. Bartsch thinks either Poppo I. or his son Poppo II. is referred to here. From the expression used, 'my lord,' it seems as if Wolfram had at one time been in his service.

Page 106, line 89--'_Trühending_.' There are three places of this name in the neighbourhood of Eschenbach: Hohen, Alten, and Wasser-Trühending. The latter is still famous for its _krapfen_, a kind of pancake.

Page 107, line 119--'_Kiot of Katelangen_ (_i.e._ Catalonia) _and Manfilot_.' Kiot is the father of Siguné, and appears again in Book XVI. The account of his marriage with Schoisianè, her death, and his subsequent adoption of the life of a hermit will be found in Book IX. p. 274. From Wolfram's unfinished poem of _Titurel_ we learn that Manfilot was his companion.

Page 107, line 133--'_The twain Isoldé_.' An allusion to Isoldé la Belle, the wife of King Mark of Cornwall, and mistress of Sir Tristan; and Isoldé of the white hand, Tristan's wife.

Page 109, line 208, _seq._--'_Till the cry of heart-sorrow woke him_.' This nocturnal visit of the Lady of the castle to the hero's chamber seems to be part of the original tradition, and it is evident by the apologetic manner in which Wolfram tells the story that he is somewhat puzzled by Kondwiramur's conduct. From the Introduction to Book VII., and also from the blame he bestows on Chrêtien for having done a wrong to the story, _Diese Märe unrecht gethan_, we gather that Wolfram set a high value on fidelity to his source, and these and similar apologetic passages must be explained by the unwillingness of the poet to depart from the traditional form of the legend, while, at the same time, the story, representing as it did the manners and customs of an earlier and ruder period, was somewhat distasteful to him.

Page 110, line 243--'_Kingron the Seneschal_.' This character is Aguigrenons in Chrêtien, elsewhere he is unnamed. Mr. York Powell points out that Wolfram's form presupposes an Aguigrenons, which would either indicate that the existing MSS. of Chrêtien, or Chrêtien himself, misread _u_ for _n_, or that Wolfram did _not_ get his version by ear as he maintains (or that Wolfram was following a source other than Chrêtien).

Page 114, line 365, seq.--'_The marriage night_.' A similar account is given by Gerbert, one of the continuators of Chrêtien. (Chrêtien himself does not record the marriage, which takes place on a later visit of the hero to Beau-repaire.) In Gerbert's version we have an indication of later influence, as the motive-power is the recognition by both Perceval and his bride of the superiority of virginity to the married state. Wolfram's version seems far more in accordance with the character of the hero, and is probably closer to the original form of the story.

Page 116, line 420--'_Galogandres, Duke of Gippones_.' This character and Count Narant only appear here. Uckerland is probably a corruption of Oultreland, as noted in Book III.

Page 118, line 505--'_Gringorz_.' The French _Gringoire_--Gregory. All this account of Klamidé's arms, charger, etc., is peculiar to Wolfram; whose fondness for minute and descriptive detail is a noticeable characteristic.

Page 121, line 598--'_Dianasdron_.' Dinaderon en Gales in Chrêtien, who does not mention Karminöl. In the roll of King Arthur's knights we find such names as Sir Dinas, Sir Dinant, Sir Dinadan; all of which seem to come from the same root. The name is probably Keltic, and belongs to the original version of the story.

Page 123, line 660--'_Mabonagrein_.' Cf. Book III. p. 108 and note.