Didot Perceval
Chapter Eleven: The Return to the Fisher King

JUST AS THE LORD and Perceval and the servant had started upon their way they saw before them a man coming, old and bearded, and he was well clad and bore a scythe on his neck and seemed to be a reaper. And he came toward them and took Perceval by the rein and said to him: "Idler, you are a fool and ought not to have gone to the tourney. " And when Perceval heard him he marveled much and asked him: "Old man, in what way does it concern you?" And the worthy man answered: "Indeed it concerns me and another, for know that it concerns both you and me, and I tell you truly it concerns me more than any other." And when Perceval heard this he marveled greatly and asked him: "Who are you?"

And the man responded: "I am the son of a man that you know poorly, and he knows you better than you know him. And know that from being acquainted with him good can come to no one - and doleful can he be whom he knows."

When Perceval heard what this man said he marveled much and said: "Will you tell me something of your business if I dismount?" And the worthy man answered: "I will tell you something that I will not tell before these people. "When Perceval heard this he was very happy and said to his host: "Good sir, go hence and await me at the hostel for I will speak to this worthy man and then follow you." And the host answered: "Sir, willingly."

Then the vavasor departed and Perceval remained, and he came to the worthy man and asked him who he was; and the other answered him: "I am a reaper, this you can see." And Perceval asked him: "Then who has told you so much of my affair?" And the worthy man answered: "Before you were born I knew your name. "And when Perceval heard him he marveled much and said: "I implore in the name of God that you tell me of myself and of your business. Thus I beseech you in the name of God to speak. "And the other answered him: "I will not lie to you. Know that I am called Merlin, and I have come from Northumberland to speak to you."

And when Perceval heard him he marveled much and said:

"God witness, Merlin, I have heard much spoken of you and that you are a very good prophet. Yet, in God's name, tell me how I will be able to find the house of the rich Fisher King." And Merlin answered him: "I will inform you well concerning this. Know that God has hindered you because of the vow that you have broken, for indeed you vowed that you would not lie in the same hostel but one night, and you have lain two nights in the house of the vavasor, there where you would go now to lie again. "And Perceval answered him: "I had not given thought to this before." And Merlin said: "Then you may be the more easily pardoned for it. Now I will set you upon the road to the house of your grandfather so that you will come there before a year has passed. " And when Perceval heard this he said: "In God's name, Merlin, inform me more nearly." And Merlin answered him: "There is much of chance in this, for yet tonight you could come there; but you will come there before a year has passed. Yet have a care when you do come that you be not at all foolish but ask about whatever you see." And Perceval answered him: "Sir, so I will do if God lets me come there."

Then Merlin said: "I shall go now. I shall not speak again to you, so you will be much improved in your faith; and upon that time when you will have in keeping the vessel of Jesus Christ I will bring you my master who has written your works, and part of mine, not all. And now I go hence. "With that he left there and Perceval watched and could see nothing of him. Then he lifted his hand and crossed himself and came to his horse and mounted and from there departed along the road that Merlin had shown him. And he journeyed so far by the will of Our Lord that on the same day that Merlin had pointed it out to him, he saw the house of his grandfather; and he rode until he came to the door and he dismounted before the hail.

Then two servants came to meet him, and they welcomed him much and helped him to disarm and stabled his horse comfortably, and they led him into the hail where the king his grandfather was. And as soon as he saw Perceval he raised himself as well as he could to meet him and was very happy for his coming. And Percevai seated himself beside him, and they spoke together of many things. And then the lord commanded that the table might be brought, and it was done as he commanded and they seated themselves to eat.

Just as one had brought the first course, from a chamber there issued the lance which bled from its point, and after this came the Grail and the damsel who bore the little platters of silver. And Perceval who was very desirous to ask concerning it said to the lord: "Sire, by the faith that you owe to me and in the same hostel but one night, and you have lain two nights in the house of the vavasor, there where you would go now to lie again." And Perceval answered him: "I had not given thought to this before." And Merlin said: "Then you may be the more easily pardoned for it. Now I will set you upon the road to the house of your grandfather so that you will come there before a year has passed." And when Perceval heard this he said: "In God's name, Merlin, inform me more nearly." And Merlin answered him: "There is much of chance in this, for yet tonight you could come there; but you will come there before a year has passed. Yet have a care when you do come that you be not at all foolish but ask about whatever you see." And Perceval answered him: "Sir, so I will do if God lets me come there."

Then Merlin said: "I shall go now. I shall not speak again to you, so you will be much improved in your faith; and upon that time when you will have in keeping the vessel of Jesus Christ I will bring you my master who has written your works, and part of mine, not all. And now I go hence. " With that he left there and Perceval watched and could see nothing of him. Then he lifted his hand and crossed himself and came to his horse and mounted and from there departed along the road that Merlin had shown him. And he journeyed so far by the will of Our Lord that on the same day that Merlin had pointed it out to him, he saw the house of his grandfather; and he rode until he came to the door and he dismounted before the hall.

Then two servants came to meet him, and they welcomed him much and helped him to disarm and stabled his horse comfortably, and they led him into the hall where the king his grandfather was. And as soon as he saw Perceval he raised himself as well as he could to meet him and was very happy for his coming. And Perceval seated himself beside him, and they spoke together of many things. And then the lord commanded that the table might be brought, and it was done as he commanded and they seated themselves to eat.

Just as one had brought the first course, from a chamber there issued the lance which bled from its point, and after this came the Grail and the damsel who bore the little platters of silver. And Perceval who was very desirous to ask concerning it said to the lord: "Sire, by the faith that you owe to me and that you owe to all men, tell me what one serves with these things that I see borne there." And as soon as he had said this he looked and saw that the Fisher King was changed in his nature and was cured of his malady and was healthy as a fish. And when Perceval saw this he marveled much; and the lord leaped up and took Perceval by the foot and wished to kiss it, but Perceval would not allow this. Then the youths sped through the house and made great joy of Perceval.

And then Perceval came to the king and said: "Sire, know that Alain li Gros, who was your son, was my father." And when the Fisher King had heard him he began again to rejoice greatly and said: "Dear grandson, I am very glad for your coming. " Thereupon he knelt and rendered thanks to Our Lord, and then he took Perceval by the hand and led him before his vessel and said: "Dear grandson, know that this is the lance with which Longinus struck Jesus Christ on the cross, and this vessel that is called the Grail, know that this is the blood that Joseph caught from His wounds which flowed to the earth, and the reason that we call it the Grail is that it is agreeable to all worthy men and to all those who can stay in its fellowship; nor will it in its fellowship permit sin. And I will pray to Our Lord that He may guide me in whatever I can do for you."

Then Bron knelt before his vessel and said: "Dear Lord God, as truly as this is here Your blessed blood and as You permitted that it be given to me after the death of Joseph and as I have guarded it from then until now, so give me true sign of what I shall do with it henceforth."

Then the voice of the Holy Ghost descended and said: "Br on, now know you that the prophecy will be fulfilled that Our Lord pronounced to Joseph. Our Lord commands you that you teach to this man those sacred words which He taught to Joseph in the prison when He gave you the keeping of the Grail, and that you place it in his care for Our Lord. And on the third day from today you will leave this world and will come into the fellowship of the Apostles." Then the voice ended and Bron did just as it had told him and taught him the sacred words that Joseph had taught him, which I cannot nor ought not tell you. And he taught him all the faith of Our Lord, and how he had seen Him as a little child, and how he had seen Him in the temple, there where He had confuted the masters, and also how the high men of the land of Judea had received Him with hatred, and how He had had a false disciple who had sold Him to the Jews, and how he had seen Him lifted onto the cross, and how his brother-in-law who had the name of Joseph had asked for His body, and how Pilate had given it to him, and how he had removed Him from the cross, and also how when he had lain Him upon the earth he saw His blood run upon the earth, and how he felt pity of this, and how he caught it in a vessel, "in this same one that you see there, and in its fellowship can no sinner be seen." And he recounted all the life that his good ancestors had led, and Perceval listened to him most willingly and soon was filled with the grace of the Holy Ghost. And Bron the old placed the vessel in Perceval's keeping between his hands, and from the vessel there came a melody and a scent so precious that it seemed to them that they might be in Paradise with the angels.

And Bron who was very old was with Perceval all three days, and on the third day he came before His vessel and there lay down as on a cross and gave thanks to Our Lord. And there he died. And when he had died Perceval came there and watched and saw David with his harp and a host of angels with censers where they awaited the soul of Bron, and they bore him into the Heavenly Reward with his Father whom he had served a long time.

And Perceval who was a most worthy man stayed there; and the enchantments fell and disappeared throughout the world. And on this same day King Arthur was at the Round Table that Merlin had founded, and they heard a crash of such greatness that they were frightened most severely by it, and the stone was reunited which had split beneath Perceval when he had sat in the empty place. Then they marveled greatly for they could not understand what this meant. And then Merlin came to Blayse and told him these things and when Blayse heard this he said: "Merlin, you told me that when these works were completed you would put me in the company of the Grail." And Merlin answered him: "Blayse, know that you will be there by tomorrow." And then Merlin took Blayse and bore him to the dwelling of the rich Fisher King who was named Perceval, and he stayed in the company of the Grail.

When Merlin had completed this he came to the court of Arthur at Carduel. And when Arthur saw him he rejoiced greatly, and his men asked Arthur to inquire of Merlin what the meaning was of the stone which had reunited at the Round Table. And the king said: "I pray him earnestly that he tell me of it if it pleases him." And Merlin answered: "Arthur, know that in your time was fulfilled the greatest prophecy ever made; for the Fisher King is cured, and the enchantments have fallen from the land of Britain. And Perceval is lord of the Grail by the choice of Our Lord; and now you can see that he is a very worthy man since Our Lord has given him in keeping His exalted blood to guard; and this is the reason that the stone reunited which had split under him. And also, Gavain and Keu, know that it was Perceval himself who was victorious in the tourney of the White Castle and threw you down full length on the earth. Yet I may tell you also that he has taken leave of the doing of knightly deeds and will wish henceforth to hold himself in the grace of his Creator."

When the king and the nobles heard this they all wept together and prayed to Our Lord that He would bring him to a good end. Then Merlin took leave of the king and returned to Blayse and to Perceval and he had this all set down in writing.

Here ends the Prose Perceval of Robert de Boron, which is followed by a short Mort Artu.

I | II | III | IV | V
VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI

SOURCE: Didot Perceval, or, The Romance of Perceval in Prose. ed. and trans. Dell Skeels. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1966.