This is my attempt at writing a way which Chrétien De Troyes’ Perceval may have ended, had he did not die before completing it. If you have never read Chrétien De Troyes’ Perceval, I recommend reading this summary, so that you have the propper context, and my continuation makes sense. If you are intrested in reading the whole book I recommend this edition, translated by Ruth Harwood Cline.

My tale picks up where Perceval left off. The squire which Gawain secretly informed of his situation and sent to Arthur arrives at Camelot where he explains Gawain’s present need. Upon hearing the squire’s story Arthur agrees to witness the fight between Guiromelant and Gawain and prepares to ride out immediately to the castle, though he does not know it is occupied by Arnive and Igeren. Arthur, Sir. Kay, and a handful of knights ride out the next day, arriving three days later. Their arrival marks the seventh day of Gawain’s arrival at the castle and the end of the week in which Igerne would allow him to leave the castle and not ask his name.

At the end of the seventh day, when Arthur arrives, only Gawain and Guiromelant are standing in front of the castle. King Arthur beckons to Sir. Gawain, asking him privately to further explain his situation. Meanwhile, Sir. Kay, with the help of Arthur’s Knights, set up a makeshift arena for jousting. After being informed about Arnive, Arthur’s mother; Igerne, Gawain’s mother; and Clarissant, Gawain’s sister’s presence at the castle Arthur is shaken, understanding it to be some test from God. Arthur declares this test is not for him, but for Gawain alone, and says he will not step one foot into the castle.

Guiromelant and Gawain joust. On the first run, both knights miss their target. During the second Guiromelant hits Gawain, but Gawain barely manages to stay on his horse. Before the third run, Gawain prays to the Virgin Mary and hits Guiromelant off his horse. Guiromelant survives his fall and Gawain dismounts his horse. Guiromelant says he will not submit and will only fight to the death. In hand-to-hand combat Gawain, wielding Excalibur, once again commends himself to Mary and defeats Guiromelant.  Despite the surrender, Gawain refuses to kill Guiromelant. Instead, Gawain tells Guiromelant to follow him into the castle seeing as his life is already forfeit. Reluctantly, Guiromelant agrees to follow. All of this Arthur allows, but will not follow, instead, trusting judgment to Gawain, he turns back home.

Inside the castle, Gawain reveals himself to Igerne, and Clarissant, both of whom are shocked. After sorting through the identities and explaining the connections, Gawain declares the castle the “Ever-Lasting Castle of Death.” Clarissant returns the ring to Guiromelant and says that if he agrees she will make him king. She takes him to the bed of wonders and tells him to spend the night there, explaining that in the morning, if he survives, he will be made King and they will be married. 

With this, Gawain departs the castle having found a replacement for himself. He departs the castle in search of the lance of the Fisher King, which he needs to fight Guinganbresil. Outside, the Haughty Maid of Logres insists on following him. Due to Gawain’s curtsey and despite his better judgment, he allows her to follow him on his quest.

The poem then returns to Perceval, who has completed his penance with his uncle, the hermit. Riding off from the hermitage Perceval thanks his uncle and God, vowing to stay holy by continuing his limited diet, praying to Christ, and receiving communion. Shortly, Perceval arrives at the banks of a river and is disappointed when he does not see the Fisher King. Instead, there is only an empty boat. Surrendering himself to God’s providence, Perceval gets in and pushes off without a second thought for food or water. The boat quickly reaches the mouth of the river and is sent out to sea. Lost in the ocean Perceval survives, not afflicted by hunger or thirst, for countless days. Instead, he spent his days in the boat praying to God and giving thanks to Christ. However, every Sunday he is dismayed when he cannot take communion.

One morning, Perceval wakes up and the boat is lying on a strange shore. Before him, on the cliff above, are both a splendid castle and a broken-down abbey. Surrounding his boat are a half-dozen beautiful maidens. They all ask him, in unison, who he is and what his quest is in this land. Perceval, stating his name, explains to them his quest to find the Fisher King so that he may heal him, so that he may understand the mystery of the Grail. The maidens, delighted to hear this, invite Perceval back to the castle telling him that the Holy Grail and the Fisher King are just inside. Perceval, hearing this, eagerly jumps out of the boat and begins to follow them up the cliff. The group, all the while lightly chatting as they walk towards the castle, pass the broken-down Abbey. Upon seeing the churchyard, Perceval inquires as to what day it is. Hearing that it is Sunday, he stops, inviting them first to go to the Abbey to receive communion with him before continuing on their way to the castle. The maidens are furious to hear this decision, exclaiming they will not take communion. They beg Perceval to continue to the castle, telling him he can go tomorrow after he has seen and cured the Fisher King. But Perceval refuses. He enters the abbey telling the maidens he will come to the castle tonight, after his confession and communion.

The lone priest inside the abbey offers him communion, which Perceval receives. After which, Perceval turns to leave, but the castle, which was previously visible from the door, is gone. The priest explains to Perceval that the maiden’s castle was a test from God and not real. Luckily Perceval has passed the test. Perceval happily continues on his quest, once again placing himself in God’s hands and embarking out in no particular direction.

Alone, through the wilderness Perceval rides, doing good deeds—though of minor consequence—wherever he goes. Until one day, when sleeping under a tree at a hermitage, he is awoken by Gawain. They are joyous to see each other and exclaim their good luck, confident that their reunion is a token of the quest’s ending. Indeed, riding out from the hermitage, the very next day they come to a river, where, in an unadorned boat, fishing, are the Fisher King and another man. Perceval, recognizing the Fisher King, almost cries for joy, but Gawain, recognizing the other man as the boatman who took him to Arnive and Igerne’s castle exclaims first. As Perceval and Gawain move to get near the boat to talk to its occupants. But, suddenly the Haughty Maid of Logres—who the boatman had warned was worse than Satan—appears stepping between them on the boat. Gawain then begged her to step aside, because he would not force her to move. After stoutly refusing to move, Gawain put his hand on her shoulder, to gently move her aside. But the moment he laid his fingertips upon the Haughty Maid’s shoulder, her being burst into red hot flames and she turned into a demon. Gawain is immediately thrown a dozen feet and is knocked out. Perceval jumps to attack her, striking the demon through the chest, but the moment his sword touches her skin, it shatters. Perceval prays to God as he jumps out of the way of her attacks. Answering his prayer, Gawain awakens, grabs his sword, and plunges it into the demon’s heart. With a terrible scream, the Haughty Maid of Logres shrivels up, dissolving into a stinking smoke that forever burned the land under her feet. Gawain, collecting the pieces of Perceval’s shattered sword vows never to touch a woman again.

Again, they turn towards the river and talk to the two men in the boat. The Fisher King invites them to his castle telling them that it is just over the rocky hill. As the walk towards the hill Gawain is worried as he does not see a castle, but Perceval is unfazed. Around them the land is desolate and gray. Trees lay empty, the fields are barren, and the river, which should flow thunderously, lies still. At the top of the hill they look down, and the Fisher King’s castle magically appears—the one beautiful thing in all of the land.

That night, inside the empty castle, Perceval, Gawain, and the Fisher King share a splendid dinner. As they are eating, a boy walks past holding a white lance that is bleeding from its tip, onto his hands. Gawain, recognizing it as the lance which it was foretold he would destroy the kingdom of Logres with, asked the Fisher King its meaning. With this question, one of the Fisher King’s calves is healed and as thanks the spear is bestowed onto Gawain. Secondly, a procession of maidens walks past holding a beautiful grail. Perceval asks the Fisher King what is meant by this token. With this question, the room shines with an enormous golden light, the Fisher King’s other calf is healed. Now healed, the Fisher King’s many years seem to fall heavier on him than before and he quickly begins to wither away. In his final minute, he thanks Perceval for saving him and his Kingdom. And, as a token of his thanks, he will have Perceval’s shattered sword reforged by his smith, Trabuchet. With this the Fisher King dies. The Holy Grail then ascends to heaven. Perceval hears God tell him that the quest is done for now, but not yet complete. Gawain hears nothing. The two go to bed, thanking God.

When they wake up in the morning Perceval’s sword lies remade beside him and the two companions leave the empty castle. Outside, what was once a rocky, barren wasteland is now rolling hills, meadows just coming into bloom, and a river that flows cold, but strong. Stepping across the drawbridge, and two turn around and watch the castle disappear forever before their eyes. Gawain carrying the lance, and Perceval his remade sword, the two return to Camelot. 

There they tell Arthur of the adventures and Arthur thanks God for their deliverance but informs Gawain that his promised battle against Guinganbresil, the brother of the Haughty Maid of Logres, and lord of that Kingdom, is happening tomorrow, having been arranged and promised a year ago.

The next morning, equipped with the Fisher King’s Lance and commending himself to the Virgin Mary, Gawain fells Guinganbresil on their first run at each other. The Fisher King’s lance strikes Guinganbresil through the armor and through the heart. Splintering so it may never be used again. Arthur is declared the new King of Logres. Then Arthur, Perceval, and Gawain return to the castle. Inside, Arthur re-dubs Perceval as a true Knight of the Round Table, awarding him the 12th seat, the one next to the siege perilous. Gawain is awarded the Kingdom of Logres, to govern it for Arthur if he so wishes, having felled their Lord and his demon sister. However, Gawain declines this offer wishing to remain a knight, serving God and Arthur at Camelot.

Works Cited

De Troyes, Chrétien. Perceval; Or the Story of the Grail. Translated by Ruth Harwood Cline, University of Georgia Press, 1985.