n them with the wild eyes of an animal
at bay, until Gurnemanz comes to her rescue, and chides the
youths. He tells them that although she may once have been,
as they declare, under a curse, she has repented of her sins,
and serves the Holy Grail with a humility and singleness of
purpose which they would do well to imitate rather than deride.

In answer to their questions, he then goes on to describe
how Amfortas received the grievous wound which causes him such
intolerable pain, and lost the sacred spear, which only enhances
Klingsor's power for evil, and which none but a stainless
knight can ever recover. Their quiet conversation is brusquely
interrupted by the heavy fall of a swan, which lies dead at their
feet. This arouses their keenest indignation, for the rules of
the order forbid any deed of violence within sight or hearing of
the sacred edifice containing the Holy Grail. Gazing around in
search of the culprit, they soon behold the youth Parsifal, clad
in the rough and motley garments of a fool, and when Gurnemanz
angrily reproves him, and questions him concerning his name
and origin, he is amazed by the ignorance the lad displays.

By the help of Kundry, however, who, having travelled everywhere,
knows everything, Gurnemanz finally ascertains that the youth
is a descendant of the royal family, his father, Gamuret,
having died when he was born. His mother, Herzeloide (Heart's
Affliction), has brought him up in utter solitude and ignorance,
to prevent his becoming a knight and leave her perchance to
fall in battle:--

'Bereft of father his mother bore him.
For in battle perished Gamuret:
From like untimely hero's death
To save her offspring, strange to arms
She reared him a witless fool in deserts.'

The youth, however, pays no heed to Kundry's explanations,
but goes on to tell Gurnemanz that he saw some men riding
through the forest in glittering array, and followed them
through the world with no other weapon than the bow he had
manufactured. But when Kundry again interrupts him, declaring
that his sudden disappearance has caused his mother's death,
he shows the greatest sensibility, and even faints with grief.

While the squires gently bathe his face and hands to bring
him back to life, Kundry, feeling the sudden and overpowering
desire for sleep which often mysteriously overpowers her,
creeps reluctantly into a neighbouring thicket, where she
immediately sinks into a comatose state