Were apple-trees, and apples by the brook And thirsting, in a land of sand and thorns. "And then behold a woman at a door Spinning, and fair the house whereby she sat ; And all her bearing gracious; and she rose Opening her arms to meet me, as who should say, 'Rest here,' but when I touched her, lo! she too Fell into dust and nothing, and the house And in it a dead babe; and also this Fell into dust, and I was left alone. "And on I rode, and greater was my thirst. Then flash'd a yellow gleam across the world, And where it smote the ploughshare in the field, The milkmaid left her milking, and fell down And on the splendor came, flashing me blind; And wearied in a land of sand and thorns. "And on I rode and found a mighty hill, And on the top a city wall'd: the spires Prick'd with incredible pinnacles into heaven. And by the gateway stirr❜d a crowd; and these Thou mightiest and thou purest among men !' And glad was I and clomb, but found at top No man, nor any voice; and thence I past Far thro' a ruinous city, and I saw That man had once dwelt there; but there I found Only one man of an exceeding age. Where is that goodly company,' said I, 'That so cried upon me?' and he had Scarce any voice to answer, and yet gasp'd 'Whence and what art thou?' and even as he spoke Fell into dust, and disappear'd, and I Was left alone once more, and cried, in grief, Lo, if I find the Holy Grail itself, And touch it, it will crumble into dust.' "And thence I dropt into a lowly vale, Low as the hill was high, and where the vale Was lowest found a chapel, and thereby A holy hermit in a hermitage, To whom I told my phantoms, and he said: "O son, thou hast not true humility, The highest virtue, mother of them all; For when the Lord of all things made Himself Naked of glory for His mortal change, “Take thou my robe," she said, "for all is thine,” And all her form shone forth with sudden light So that the angels were amazed, and she Thou hast not lost thyself to save thyself As Galahad.' When the hermit made an end, In silver armor suddenly Galahad shone Before us, and against the chapel door Laid lance, and entered, and we knelt in prayer. And there the hermit slaked my burning thirst; The holy elements alone; but he 'Saw ye no more? I, Galahad, saw the Grail, The Holy Grail, descend upon the shrine: I saw the fiery face as of a child That smote itself into the bread, and went, Blood-red, and sliding down the blacken'd marsh Blood-red, and on the naked mountain top Blood-red, and in the sleeping mere below Blood-red: and in the strength of this I rode Shattering all evil customs everywhere, And past thro' Pagan realms, and made them mine, |