Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-02-25
Miseellanspus Beading.
LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL.
Precious Treasure Sought by Knights
of the Round Table.

/ W IIC NSuUo
| What was the Grail? Where did II
come from, and what became of It?
Many people who have seen references
/ to this one Of the most famous legends
| In all history, have wondered how the
old story originated, and how 1t came
| down to us in it's present form.
/ Briefly, these are the facts concerning
1t and the legend, as nearly as we can
know them, for the dust Of ages which
has so long obscured them.
Many different writer's have used
this ancient story, which in its primi-
tive form, was of Celtic origin, and
which was one of the most popular
romances Of the middle ages. The
first trace we find of it is as an unfin-
ished poem-by Christien de Troyes,
a French trouvere, who died about
l195-called "Parceval," or lie
| Conte del Graal," which was completed
by a person or persons unknown. On
this poem, Wolfram Won Eschenbach,
of South Germany, founded, about
121O, his "Parzival." which was con-
sidered the finest poem on the le-
gend.
| There are two versions of the ro-
nance. In the oldest form, the hero
Is Parzival or Percival. In the other,
of which the best and most complete
version, and the one most familiar to
us, is by Sir Thomas Mallory in his
"Morte d'Arthur," the hero Is Sir
Galahad, the son Of Lancelot du Lac.
Tennyson uses this second form In his
"Idylls of the King" On the other,
older version, Wagner founded the
music c-drama "Parsifal."
The Holy Grail, called the Sangreal
by the ancient writer's, was the cup
from which Christ drank while at the
Last Supper. Joseph Of Arimathea,
wishing to preserve something OF our
Lords, took the cup with him from
the table. During the crucifxion'
when one Of the Roman soldiers
thrust his spear through the dying
Savior's side, some Of the blood which
flowed from the wound was caught
by Joseph in this cup, which thence
forth became doubly sacred.
Joseph took the cup to England
and placed it in the abbey Of Glas-
tonbury, which he founded. Here 1t
| remained for many generations, an
object Of veneration. Many mystic
qualities were attributed to it, and by
its beneficent presence peace and plen-
ty were shed over all the land.
So long as the guardians of the cup
were pure in thought, in word, and
deed, all was we'll. But at length
young monk, to whose care 1t was
committed, forgot his vows. The Grail
vanished, and with it went the pros
perity of the land. Violence and dis
tress became the peoples portion, un-
til the reign Of King Arthur. He did
his best to restore what he could OF
happiness and prosperity, but without
much success.
One day, when the Knights Of the
Round Table were feasting with the
king in the great hall at Camelot, a
soft radiance suddenly illumined the
place, and the air was filled with
sweet odors. The Holy Grail appear
ed, yelled in a scarf of white samite,
so that it would be seen only indis-
tlnctly. It hovered in the air above
the table for a moment, and slowly
vanished again.
Then rose in his seat Sir Gawaine,
the Courteous Knight, and vowed a
solemn VOW to go upon the pilgrim
age of the Grail, so that, If by chance,
IL might be recovered and brought
back, the torn land would be at rest
once more.
Then appeared an old man, leading
by the hand a youthful knight Of fair
countenance, and the old man said:
Peace be with you, fair sirs! l
bring you here young knight OF the
line Of Joseph of Arimathea"-and the
lame of the knight was Sir Galahad.
Now at the Round Table there were
twelve seats for the twelve disciples
Of Christ, and one for the traitor Ju-
das. None of the knights had ever
ventured to sit in that seat, since a
Saracen, who once placed himself
therein, was swallowed up; and 1t
was called the Siege Perilous from that
day. But Sir Galahad sat there un-
harmed, so that the king and his
knights each looked at him in Won
der; and on the table before him there
appeared these words:
This is the seat of Sir Galahad, the
good night" So they marveled more
than ever, and said:
Perhaps this is he who may
achieve the adventure Of the San
greal."
The knights then celebrated a
solemn mass, and set forth each on
his own way to seek the Holy Grail.
But only three ever saw it; and to
but one of these did it appear un-
yelled.
First of them all started out Sir
| Lancelot du Lac, the bravest and most
accomplished knight Of all the Table
Round. For many a day he rode
through painless forests, until he
came at last to a stone cross, near
which was an old chapel; and look
ing through a chink in the wall, he
spied an altar richly decked with silk,
and on it a tall branched candlestick
of silver, bearing lighted tapers.
| Here he would fain have entered,
but there was no door. So he laid
himself down upon his shield beneath
tree at the foot Of the cross. for 1t
was night. And as he lay between
sleeping and waking, there came a
sick knight, borne in a litter, who la
mented and complained, crying:
"Oh, sweet Lord, how long shall 1
suffer thus before the blessed cup shall
give my pain relief?"
| Then Sir Lancelot, as though In
dream from which he could not wax
en-, saw the candlestick come out be-
fore the cross; and after it came the