s tall and strong and hardy, whereof hath
he much defence, and your uncle is there within that keepeth the
castle. But never sithence, none of the knights of King Fisherman nor
of his priests have there appeared, nor knoweth any what hath befallen
them. The chapel wherein the most Holy Graal appeared is all emptied
of its sacred hallows; the hermits that are by the forest are fain of
your coming, for never see they there a knight pass by that believeth
in God. And so you shall have achieved this enterprise, it is a thing
whereof shall God be well pleased."

XXI.

"Fair uncle," saith Perceval, "Thither will I go, sith that you commend
it to me, for no reason is it that he should have the castle that hath
entered thereinto. Of better right ought my mother to have it, that
was the next-born to King Fisherman, of whose death am I right
sorrowful."

"Fair nephew, you are right! for on your account fell he into
languishment, and, had you then gone again, so say many, then would he
have been whole, but how this might have been I know not of a
certainty. But methinketh our Lord God willed his languishment and
death, for had it been His will, you would have made the demand, but He
willed otherwise, wherefore ought we to give thanks and praise Him
whatsoever He doth, for He hath foreseen of every man that which shall
come to him. I have within here a white mule that is very old. Fair
nephew, you will take her with you. She will follow you right
willingly, and a banner shall you bear, for the power of God and His
virtue shall avail more than your own. Seven-and-twenty knights guard
the nine bridges, all chosen and of approved great valour, and none
ought now to believe that a single knight may vanquish so many, save
the miracle of Our Lord and His virtue shall open a way for him. So I
pray and beseech you that you have God always in remembrance and His
sweet Mother, and, so at any time you be put to the worse of your
knighthood, mount upon the mule and take the banner, and your enemies
shall forthwith lose their force, for nought confoundeth any enemy so
swiftly as doth the virtue and puissance of God. It is a thing well
known that you are the Best Knight of the World, but set not affiance
in your strength nor in your knighthood as against so many knights, for
against them may you not endure."

XXII.

Perceval hearkeneth unto his uncle's discourse and his chastening, and
layeth fast hold on all that he saith