The Deeds Of The Three Chosen Knights


After Galahad left the ship and his father Lancelot, he rode far and had

many adventures, righting many wrongs and achieving many marvels. Among

these he came to the abbey where was the ancient King Evelake, who had

laid blind three hundred years, as we have elsewhere told.



The old king knew well that his deliverance had come, and begged to be

embraced by the pious youth. No sooner had he been clasped in his arms

than his sight returned, and his flesh grew whole and young.



"Now, sweet Saviour, my destiny is fulfilled; receive thou my soul," he

prayed.



As he said these words the soul left his body, and the miracle of his

fate was achieved.



Many days after this Galahad met Percivale, and soon the two came upon

Bors, as he rode out of a great forest, that extended many days' journey

through the land.



And so they rode in glad companionship, with many a tale of marvel to

tell, till in time they came to the castle of Carbonek, where they were

gladly received, for those in the castle knew that the quest of the

Sangreal was now wellnigh achieved.



When evening approached, and the table for supper was set, the

mysterious voice that so often had guided these knights spoke again.



"They that are not worthy to sit at the table of Jesus Christ arise," it

said; "for now shall the worthiest be fed."



Then all arose save Eliazar, the son of King Pellam, and a maid who was

his niece, and the three knights. But as they sat at supper nine other

knights, in full armor, entered at the hall door, and took off their

helmets and armor, and said to Galahad,--



"Sir, we have come far and in haste to be with you at this table, where

the holy meat shall be served."



"If you are worthy, you are welcome," said Galahad. "Whence come you?"



Three of them answered that they were from Gaul, three from Ireland, and

three from Denmark, and that they had come thither at the bidding of the

strange voice.



So they all sat at table. But ere they began to eat, four gentlewomen

bore into the hall a bed, whereon lay a man sick, with a crown of gold

on his head. Setting him down, they went away.



"Galahad, holy knight, you are welcome," said he who lay in the bed,

raising his head feebly. "Long have I waited your coming, in pain and

anguish, since Balin, the good knight, struck me the dolorous stroke. To

you I look for aid and release from my long suffering."



Then spoke the voice again: "There be those here who are not in the

quest of the Sangreal; let them depart." And the son and niece of the

king rose and left the room.



Then there came suddenly four angels, and a man who bore a cross and

wore the dress of a bishop, whom the angels placed in a chair before the

silver table of the Sangreal. In his forehead were letters which said,

"This is Joseph, the first bishop of Christendom."



Next opened the chamber door, and angels entered, two bearing wax

candles, the third a towel, and the fourth a spear that bled, the blood

drops falling into a silver vessel which he held in his other hand. The

candles were set on the table, the towel spread upon the vessel, and the

spear set upright on this.



The bishop then said mass, at which other strange signs were seen; for a

figure like a child, with a face that shone like flame, entered into the

bread of the sacrament. Then the bishop kissed Galahad, and bade him

kiss his fellows. This done, he said,--



"Servants of Jesus Christ, ye shall here be fed on such meats as never

knights tasted;" and with these words he vanished.



But as they knelt in prayer before the table, they saw come out of the

holy vessel a man who bore all the signs of the passion of Jesus Christ.

And he took up the vessel and bore it to Galahad and to the other

knights, who kneeled to receive the sacrament; and so sweet was it that

their hearts marvelled and were filled with joy.



"Now have you tasted of Christ's own food," he said, "and seen what you

highly and holily desired. But more openly shall you see it in the city

of Sarras, in the spiritual place. Therefore you must go hence, for this

night the holy vessel will leave this realm, and will never more be seen

here. To-morrow you three shall go to the sea, where a ship awaits you;

and you must take with you the sword with the strange girdle."



"Shall not these good knights go also?" asked Galahad.



"Not so. They have seen all that is fitting to them. As for you, two of

you shall die in my service, and the third shall return and tell what he

has seen."



Then he gave them his blessing, and vanished from out their midst.



When they had somewhat recovered from the weight of these marvels,

Galahad went to the spear that lay on the table, and touched the blood

with his fingers, and with it anointed the wounds of the maimed king.

And at this touch he started up whole and strong, thanking God fervently

for his healing.



But he went not into the world again, but to a monastery of white monks,

where he became a man of holy renown.



At midnight came a voice to the nine knights, which said,--



"My sons, and not my chieftains; my friends, and not my warriors; go ye

hence, and do well what comes to you, in my service."



"Lord," they replied, "wilt thou vouchsafe also to call us thy sinners?

Thy servants we shall be henceforth."



And they arose, armed, and departed, bidding a solemn adieu to the three

knights. When morning dawned these three rose also, and rode till they

came to the sea. Here awaited them the ship wherein they had found the

sword and the three magic spindles, and to their wonder and delight they

beheld in its midst the table of silver and the Sangreal, which was

covered with red samite.



It was a joyous company that sailed over the sea in that magical ship,

and at the wish of his comrades Galahad slept in the bed where the sword

had lain, and Bors and Percivale on the deck beside him.



And so they went by day and by night, and at length came to the city of

Sarras. Here, as they would have landed, they saw beside them, just come

to shore, the ship that bore the corpse of Percivale's sister, and this

as fair and as fresh as when first placed within it.



Then they took up the silver table and bore it to the city, at whose

gate sat an old and crooked cripple.



"Come hither, and help us carry this heavy thing," said Galahad.



"How shall I do that? I have not gone for ten years without crutches."



"No matter for that. Show your good will by trying."



Then the cripple rose and took hold, and in that instant he was whole

and strong, and helped them bear the table to the palace. This done,

they returned, and bore to the palace the corpse of Percivale's sister,

which they placed in a rich tomb, suited to a king's daughter.



Meanwhile the report had spread through the city that a cripple had been

made whole by three strange knights, and people flocked to see them.



When the king of the city saw and heard all this, he came to the knights

and asked them who they were, and what it was they had brought into his

realm.



Galahad answered him, telling of the marvel of the Sangreal, and of

God's power and grace therein.



But the king, Estorause, a tyrant in will and a pagan in faith, heard

this with wrath and unbelief, and ordered the knights to be put in

prison as spies and felons.



For a whole year they lay thus in prison, yet were always kept whole and

in good spirits; for the holy Sangreal came to them in their dungeons,

and filled their souls with joy. When the year ended, Estorause grew

sick unto death, and in remorse sent for the imprisoned knights, whose

pardon and forgiveness he fervently begged. This they gave him, and he

straightway died.



His death threw the city into dismay, for he had left no successor to

the throne. But as the lords sat in council there came a voice that

bade them choose the youngest of the three knights for their king. This

mysterious behest was told to the citizens, and with one acclaim they

hailed it as God's will, and demanded Galahad as their king.



Thereupon he became king of Sarras, though it was not his wish; but he

felt it to be God's command. And when he came to the throne he had

constructed a chest of gold and precious stones, in which was placed the

table of silver with the holy vessel, and before this the three knights

kneeled and prayed daily with fervent zeal.



And so time rolled on till came the day that was the anniversary of that

in which Galahad had taken the crown. On this morning he rose betimes,

and before the holy vessel he saw a man dressed like a bishop, while

round about him was a great fellowship of angels.



"Come forth, thou servant of Jesus Christ, and thou shalt see what thou

hast so much desired," said the bishop.



Then Galahad began to tremble, his flesh quaking in the presence of

things spiritual. And he held his hands up towards heaven, saying,--



"Lord, I thank thee, for now my desire is fulfilled. And if it be thy

will that I should come to thee, I wish no longer to live."



"I am Joseph of Arimathea," said the strange presence, "and am sent by

the Lord to bear thee fellowship. Thou resemblest me in two things; for

thou hast seen the highest marvel of the Sangreal, and are pure of heart

and of body. Now say farewell to thy comrades, for thy time is come to

depart."



Galahad thereupon went to Percivale and Bors, and kissed them, and

commended them to God, saying to Bors,--



"Fair friend, who art destined to return to our native realm, salute for

me my lord and father Lancelot, and bid him remember the evils of this

unstable world, and bear in mind the duty he has been taught."



Then he kneeled before the table and prayed fervently, and suddenly his

soul departed from his body, a multitude of angels bearing it visibly

upward toward heaven, in full view of his late comrades. Also they saw

come from heaven a hand, with no body visible, and take up the holy

vessel and the spear, and bear them to heaven. And from that moment no

man ever saw on earth again the blessed Sangreal.



Afterwards Galahad's body was buried with great honor, and with many

tears from his two fellows and from the people whom he had governed.

Then Percivale betook him to a hermitage, and entered upon a religious

life; while Bors stayed with him, but in secular clothing, for it was

his purpose to return to England.



For a year and two months Percivale lived thus the holy life of a

hermit, and then he passed out of this world, and was buried by

Bors--who mourned him as deeply as ever man was mourned--beside his

sister and Galahad. This pious office performed, Sir Bors, the last of

the three chosen knights, felt that his duty in that land was at an end,

and thereupon took ship at the city of Sarras and sailed for the realm

of England, where he in good season arrived. Here he took horse and

rode in all haste to Camelot, where King Arthur and the court then were,

and where he was received with the greatest joy and wonder, for so long

had it been since any man there had set eyes on him, that all believed

him to be dead.



But greater than their wonder was their admiration when the returned

knight told the story of miracle and adventure which had befallen him

and his two comrades, and the pious maid, Percivale's sister, and of the

holy life and death of Galahad and Percivale. This marvellous narrative

the king had told again to skilled clerks, that they might put upon

record the wonderful deeds of these good knights. And it was all written

down in great books, which were put in safe keeping at Salisbury.



Bors then gave to Lancelot the message which his son had sent him, and

Lancelot took him in his arms, saying, "Gentle cousin, gladly do I

welcome you again. Never while we live shall we part, but shall ever be

true friends and brothers while life may last to us."



And thus came to an end the marvellous and unparalleled adventure of the

Holy Grail.



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