"[9]
"Li Roi Pecheors de qui est grant dolors, quar il est cheuz en une
douleureuse langour--ceste langour li est venue par celui qui se
heberga an son ostel, a qui li seintimes Graaus s'aparut, por ce que
cil ne vost demander de qu'il an servoit, toutes les terres an furent
commeues en gerre."[10]
"Je suis cheuz an langour des cele oure que li chevaliers se herberga
coianz dont vous avez oi parler; par un soule parole que il deloia a
dire me vint ceste langour."[11]
From this cause the Fisher King dies before the hero has achieved the
task, and can take his place. "Li bons Rois Peschieres est morz."[12]
There is here no cure of the King or restoration of the land, the
specific task of the Grail hero is never accomplished, he comes into
his kingdom as the result of a number of knightly adventures, neither
more nor less significant than those found in non-Grail romances.
The Perlesvaus, in its present form, appears to be a later, and more
fully developed, treatment of the motif noted in Chretien, i.e.,
that the misfortunes of King and country are directly due to the
Quester himself, and had no antecedent existence; this, I would
submit, alters the whole character of the story, and we are at a loss
to know what, had the hero put the question on the occasion of his
first visit, could possibly have been the result achieved.
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