behalf. So shalt thou be my lady always to the end
of my life and I will have none other than thee. Wherefore I herewith give
thee thy ring again and take mine own in its stead." Therewith, so
speaking, he lifted that hand (all so cold like the snow) and took his ring
from off her finger and put her ring back upon it again.

Then King Pecheur said, "Percival, hast thou no tears?"

And Percival said, "Nay, I have none." Therewith he turned and left that
place, and King Pecheur went with him.

After that Sir Percival abided in that place for three days, and King
Pecheur and his lady Queen and their two young sons who dwelt at that place
made great pity over him, and wept a great deal. But Sir Percival said but
little in reply and wept not at all.

* * * * *

And now I shall tell you of that wonderful vision that came unto Sir
Percival at this place upon Christmas day.

[Sidenote: Sir Percival beholds the grail] For on the third day (which was
Christmas day) it chanced that Sir Percival sat alone in the hall of the
castle, and he meditated upon the great sorrow that lay upon him. And as he
sat thus this very wonderful thing befell him: He suddenly beheld two
youths enter that hall. And the faces of the two youths shone with
exceeding brightness, and their hair shone like gold, and their raiment was
very bright and glistering like to gold. One of these youths bare in his
hand a spear of mighty size, and blood dropped from the point of the spear;
and the other youth bare in his hand a chalice of pure gold, very wonderful
to behold, and he held the chalice in a napkin of fine cambric linen.

Then, at first, Sir Percival thought that that which he beheld was a vision
conjured up by the deep sorrow that filled his heart, and he was afeard.
But the youth who bare the chalice spake in a voice extraordinarily high
and clear. And he said: "Percival! Percival! be not afraid! This which thou
here beholdest is the Sangreal, and that is the Spear of Sorrow. What then
may thy sorrow be in the presence of these holy things that brought with
them such great sorrow and affliction of soul that they have become
entirely sanctified thereby! Thus, Percival, should thy sorrow so sanctify
thy life and not make it bitter to thy taste. For so did this bitter cup
become sanctified by the great sorrow that tasted of it."

Percival said: "Are these things real or are they a vision that I behold?"

He who bare th