(2.5) “Galahad and the Grail” – The Adventures of Sir Bors de Gannnis
(2.5) “Galahad and the Grail” – The Adventures of Sir Bors de Gannis.
Book Two: “Adventures of the Quest“ (by “book” is meant a large section in this installment of Guite’s Arthuriad).
Stave Five: “The Adventures of Sir Bors de Gannis” (a “stave” is an old-fashioned term for the stanza of a poem, a verse in a song, or a chapter in a long story).
Why is Malcolm Guite retelling the King Arthur saga, no less in the form of English ballads? He has gone on record as saying… The KA mythical tales echo something real about sin, redemption, and the hope that was broken in us and in the world that can be made whole again… Every generation that asks good questions of King Arthur legends gets good answers… The modern world could use a resurrection of the ideal of chivalry and honor… Ancient myths and stories aren’t just relics of a pre-modern imagination, they are carriers of truth we’ve forgotten how to see with modern eyes… Legends like these don’t distract us from the real world, they reveal it… These stories restore the spiritual elements that have been shorn away, and they renew their deepest meaning. The English ballads were composed in a poetic form that were made to be sung or chanted out loud. They are rhythmic and musical, and one gets the sense that with ballads, “the poem on the page is lying asleep. And the job of the reader is to wake it up and breathe into its being by reciting it out loud, because that physicality of sound and breath and speech is what it’s made for… Above all, enjoy it. Poetry is meant to give pleasure.” It’s clear that composing this first installment of the King Arthur saga was a labor of love for Malcolm Guite, and that, as he put it, “This is the tale that makes my heart rejoice.”
New Characters and Elements Introduced in this Chapter of Dr. Guite’s Retelling of the King Arthur Saga:
(1.) Sir Bors de Gannis. Sir Bors is one of the more famous knights of the Round Table because he was destined to be one of the three knights worthy of becoming a Knight of the Holy Grail, along with Galahad and Percivale. Legend has it that Bors was from a mythical territory in Brittany named Gannes, hence the “de Gannis” in his formal name. He was a cousin of Sir Lancelot and raised and trained in Avalon by the Lady of the Lake, Viviane. He was renowned for his strict moral behavior and his deep religious faith, much like the other two grail Knights. Bors was the only knight to survive the Holy Grail Quest and return to King Arthur for a full first-person report. In his customary humility, he trotted into the Quest on an old grey mare, not an impressive warhorse. He was known to share his bread with all the hungry poor he met along his way, saying, “We’re all wayfarers here and all upon one road.” In the Arthur saga, all the knights had a spiritual mentor, and Bors found his soon into the Quest. Bors met an old hermit on the road and asked him for words of wisdom that would help along the way to the Grail, and the hermit invited Bors back to his hermitage, where he would be happy to offer Bors counsel for his journey. This ancient hermit, who soon was revealed to be a common prophet for the knights, Nacien, advised Bors that human strength will not be sufficient on this Quest, nor will wealth and fame. “Those who seek the Holy Grail must come by grace alone.” [For a teaching on grace, refer to the earlier article in 2.4]. So Nacien counseled Bors to fast on nothing but bread and water and to avoid any luxury offered to hm on the road. The strict Lenten-like disciplines of humility will result in great joy, said Nacien, as he sails to see the Grail. Among the wisdoms of Nacien was also the prophecy that Bors will soon sit at the table with the Grail, where “the Lord Himself will lift the veil and share the feast” with him. In response, Bors promised he would remain pure during the Quest, and Nacien told Bors that only purity of heart will bring him to “the world’s bright edge.” Nacien’s prophecy included the fact that only he would be able to return to tell the tale of the Holy Grail. The wise old hermit then promised to guide all three knights through the darkness and the light, revealing that “the darkness seeks for mastery, but cannot grasp the mystery or comprehend the light,” yet the darkness will keep trying to defeat the light. Nacien closed his vital counsel with Bors by blessing him as he departed… ‘Now go with blessings on your head, and light upon your path, and listen not to every voice, but seek the light in every choice.”
** The closing thoughts of Nacien to Bors reminds us of verses like these… “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. The true light which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:5,9); “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me shouldn’t abide in darkness.” (John 12:46); “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12); “Arise, shine, for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1-2).
The Adventures of Bors Continues. As Bors continued on his Quest, he came upon two evil knights assaulting a person to the point of death, torturing this poor, helpless soul stretched out on a horse. Bors recognized the voice crying out for help as his very own brother Lionel. As Bors turned to rescue his brother, he heard another dramatic plea for assistance on the other side of the path. This was a woman’s tortured voice, a young maiden who was being attacked by an evil knight who wanted his way with her before he took her to who knows where. Bors cried out to God to help him decide which crisis to tend to and the best way to proceed… should he rescue his brother from imminent death or the young virgin from being raped and kidnapped? After praying for guidance from above, Bors decided to pray for his brother while delivering the maiden from her terrible plight. Bors slew the evil knight and rescued the fair maiden, who gratefully brought Bors to her home where she could offer in gratitude some food and a comfortable place to rest. Both of these luxuries would have broken his vows of abstinence, so he denied the feast and slept on the floor. During the night, the maiden visited Bors and invited him into her bed. Bors promptly refused, and the stubborn lady beckoned Bors to the top of the castle tower to enjoy the lovely moonlight. Once there, all her maids cried out to him that if he didn’t lay with their mistress, they would all commit suicide by jumping off the tower rooftop. Bors was once again tempted, but he crossed himself in the Name of the Trinity, and suddenly the tower disappeared, and a rushing wind blew the maidens and the lady away as they turned into hideous demons who wailed into the night to their deaths. Bors then realized this whole adventure had been an evil spell, and he quickly directed his humble horse to rescue his tortured brother nearby. [Note: for an extensive history of the signing of the cross, please refer to 2.4 in an earlier article].
** Why was Bors so intent on rescuing the damsel in distress? Why did he think that he was obligated to deliver her “or else the night will bring shame and disgrace.” One important virtue in the life of a knight of the Round Table was sexual purity, and one can see this priority as we read the actual vow that knights took during their knighting process after the Mass… “to remain loyal to his king and to the code of knighthood, to defend the honor of God, promote the order of the kingdom, pursue virtue and valor, provide a refuge for the weak and the orphan, and protect at all times the ladies of the realm, honoring and cherishing all women because they are the bearers of life.” Sexual purity was a solemn promise of knighthood, and they would, despite their weak moments, do their best to keep that promise.
A Further Adventure of Sir Bors. As Bors was searching for his beleaguered brother Lionel, he found a path in the forest that led to an abbey that was surrounded by majestic cedar trees. And there appeared Lionel. Bors was overjoyed to see his brother, but Lionel was not at all happy to see Bors. Lionel was very bitter against Bors because his brother decided to rescue the fair maiden instead of him. Perchance did Lionel consider that God answered Bors’ prayer for deliverance? Ant any rate, Lionel felt personally rejected by Bors, and he is now cursing Bors and vowing to kill Bors if he ever sees him again. Bors immediately bowed down and knelt in front of Lionel, begging forgiveness if that’s the way he truly felt about that impossible situation. But Bors’ apology seemed to enrage Lionel even more, and he charged at Bors, knocked him to the ground, and began to trample Bors with his horse. Lionel then took out his sword and prepared to behead his helpless brother Bors, but a monk rushed out of the abbey and begged Lionel to let go of his anger against his innocent brother. Lionel responded to the monk to step aside or he would slay the monk instead of his brother. The monk replied that he is not stepping aside, and that Lionel might as well kill him right where they stand. So the out-of-control Lionel beheaded the monk and prepared to do the same to his wounded brother, when a bright fiery cloud surrounded them both. From this divine pillar came a voice from heaven, saying, “I cut the charm and break the spell. Begone, foul fiend, go back to hell! Lionel, all may yet be well. Breathe deep, you have a choice!” Lionel immediately came to his senses, knelt before Bors and begged his forgiveness, saying, “Somehow, good Bors, my heart was hid. Some darkness drove through all I did whilst my good conscience slept.” Nacien makes another appearance here as the brothers embraced and wept in reconciliation. Nacien invited them both into the abbey where they could confess their sins and receive a divine blessing, telling them, “To make an end is to begin; to die is to be born.”
** Lionel’s anger led him to come too close to killing his innocent brother. Jesus once said that the hateful attitude of anger can lead to murder (Matthew 5:21). By addressing a root of murder, Jesus is saying that internal attitudes matter. Attitudes so often determine actions, and the emotion of anger is a particularly dangerous emotion. Jesus is telling us that He will hold us accountable for our attitudes if they lead to sin. The Hebrew root word for anger is ‘burn,” which makes sense, since we are very familiar with all the burning words that are associated with anger… hot-tempered; fiery personality; flaring up; being steamed; heated comments; an enflamed conversation; being hot under the collar; boiling with anger. The fact is that when we brood over our anger, nursing it for all it’s worth, we are actually adding fuel to the fires of anger. When we do that it’s easy for the fire to rage out control and lead to the ultimate sin one person can do to another. There is usually a progression in the journey from anger to murder, and the Lord wants to stop that progression in its tracks. Unforgiveness… then resentment… then stubbornness… then pride… then harsh judgment… then loss of self-control… then hostility… then contempt… then hatred… and finally actual violence. By the time we have reached hatred, murder in the heart easily leads to actual murder in a weak moment. Scripture is clear about the warning about hatred, that it’s a death sentence: “Anyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that the murderer has no eternal life abiding within him.” (1 John 3:15). So how do we characterize our working relationship with God regarding our self-control? Are we simply cooperating with God? Are we participating with Jesus in His self-control? Are we somehow sharing duties with God despite our spiritual frailty and human weaknesses? On the one hand, God is producing self-control in us. On the other hand, God is strengthening each of us to exert our own efforts towards self-control. On the one hand, God’s power. On the other hand, our will power. Teamwork.
The Final Adventure Before the Journey to the Grail. After Nacien insisted that Lionel spend a full year in the abbey for penance and healing from his sin, Bors set out to fulfill Nacien’s prophecy about discovering the Enchanted Ship in three days’ time. Sure enough, Bors saw the Ship of Solomon in the bay as if it was “a jewel bright set on a sea of glass.” A pure maiden invited Bors to climb aboard and “sail into the light and on to their Quest to set wrong to the right.” Bors joined the lovely lady and his two fellow Knights of the Holy Grail, Galahad and Percivale, and they sailed to “the land beyond the veil.”
Reminders of Earlier Characters and Elements:
Nacien – This mysterious hermit that wanders into the story at opportune moments is universally accepted in the Arthurian legends as someone with spiritual authority, was identified as a prophet in the Holy Spirit and the Priest of the Grail. Whenever he appears, Nacien was someone who commanded attention and was accepted as a messenger from God.
The Enchanted Ship. This is the Ship of Solomon, the mystical ship envisioned in a prophetic dream of Solomon in which he was to build an eternal boat for the travels of a distant ancestor who would be the purest and greatest warrior in the world. He constructed it with wood that would never rot and silken sails that would never be corrupted. He was instructed to place within it a sacred bed made with wood from the Garden of Eden’s Tree of Life, the sword of King David, and Solomon’s own royal crown. Solomon was warned not to enter this ship because it wasn’t meant for him, so he pushed it out to sea unmanned to await the fulfillment of its mission. The legend seems to be that this ship was self-propelled, despite the need for it to have sails.
Dindrane. She is the maiden of purity who called from the Enchanted Ship, and was in fact the long-lost sister of Percivale. Dindrane was the daughter of the good King Pellinor and was raised by the Prophet of the Grail named Nacien, the wise monk who initiated the Quest long ago in King Arthur’s Camelot. When she called Percivale from the Ship, she presented herself as a gentle and tender follower of God, wearing a nun’s veil of innocence and faithfulness. She congratulated Percivale in overcoming his many temptations and difficult trials, and she told him that now was the time he was to reach his destiny at last. Now is the time to continue the Quest, and that this moment was the beginning of the end of his search for the Holy Grail. She told him that they would soon be joined by Galahad and Sir Bors, the other two Knights of the Grail, and will be guided by God’s Spirit. She promised that “the Holy Spirit will fill our sails and see us speed with gentle breath of air.” And they indeed “set out on their hidden way to search for God’s mysteries.”