after what had befallen him: I'm sure I've never heard of joy to compare. The king called to him, saying:

‘Eat, good sir, and may God who endured His suffering and death grant you honour and forgive your sins.’

Perceval sat down and ate beside the king, and with great pleasure: I shan't describe the meal in detail, but no duke or king or count was ever so well served. But although he'd deserved to be fêted so, he stayed with his head bowed. What should I say? At perfect leisure they had all the food and wine they wished – and no prophet or divine ever drank the like.

Just as they were about to rise from their meal, there passed before the royal table the lance and the grail, and a beautiful silver trencher, most handsome and fine, carried by a girl most gracefully. once they'd passed the table with its sumptuous spread, they processed back to the chamber from which they'd come. Perceval, who'd watched them fixedly, gave a sigh and turned to the king and said at once:

‘my good, dear lord, tell me truly now what you promised before we ate.’

‘Come close, my friend, and listen,’ the king replied. ‘I'll tell you exactly, omitting nothing, whatever you wish to ask: I'm at your command.’

‘Good sire,’ said perceval, ‘I want to know the absolute truth about the lance and the holy grail and the trencher that I've seen: tell me first, if you will, where are they from, and who is served with them? As for the girls who carry them and passed this way just now, they're clearly not poor women of low birth: I'd say they were of high lineage.’

‘Dear friend,’ said the king, ‘I'm not troubled or offended by your questions at all’. I'll tell you first about the lance, indeed I will; I'll keep back nothing – and I know it to be true.