(3.8) “Galahad and the Grail” – The Achievement of the Grail, Section 1
(3.8) “Galahad and the Grail” – The Achievement of the Grail, Section 1.
Book Three: “The Achievement of the Grail“ (by “book” is meant a large section in this installment of Guite’s Arthuriad).
Stave Eight: “The Achievement of the Grail” (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; this chapter has three sections: The Great Castle, The Sacred Mysteries, and Ends and Beginnings).
“We need to re-enchant a disenchanted world. We need to rebaptize our imagination. I’m trying to lift the veil; not so much to re-enchant, but to un-disenchant the world, to help us see what is already there.” (Dr. Malcolm Guite).
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.”
- “This is the tale that makes my heart rejoice.”
Section 1 – The Great Castle:
Hopeful Thoughts. The three Knights of the Grail rode out of the Wasteland as they continued their Quest, sensing that its fulfillment would be coming soon. Each of the three had secret hopes about how this would happen. They all felt there was enchantment in the air, since there were so many supernatural forces at work to guard the mystery of the Grail. Galahad, in a hushed voice, spoke of his thoughts… “There is a good and holy fear that all men feel as they draw near toward the Holy Presence here. For we all find, if we see clear, wisdom in all God sends.” He observed too that there is still one part of the Castle that lay in ruins and await the healing that will purge the land of its pride and guilt within these tragedies.
Merlin to the Rescue. Galahad then told the story of the curse’s beginnings. The knight Balyn had seized the Holy Spear during his fight with Pelles in the castle, and had maimed Pelles with it, resulting in the Dolorous Wound that would not heal. This act with the Spear of Christ was such a sacrilege that the castle fell to ruins, King Pelles lay wounded and became the Fisher-King, and the surrounding lands were cursed with Death. King Pelles and his family lay buried in the castle’s rubble for three days and nights, until Merlin arrived to rescue them, removing the stones that nearly killed them all. Merling brought them all back to fresh air and pure sunlight, and began to nurse Pelles as best he could. Merlin also upbraided Balyn for his treacherous and unholy use of the sacred Spear, and subjected Balyn to wandering through the cursed wasteland until he fatefully met his doom.
The Time Has Come. The King’s people worked hard to rebuild some of this holy Castle that guarded the holy relics… the Grail, the Spear, and the Dish. But the bleeding wound of the King could not be healed, and all he could do was it mournfully sit in his boat and fruitlessly fish for his food. Merlin cast a spell on the broken stones that lay about in the ruins, that no one except the chosen ones, the Knights of the Grail, would even discover the Grail Castle until all was healed and the curse lifted. Percivale’s earlier attempts at recovering the Grail were frustrated, because the time had not yet come for the Grail to be recovered and revealed. Galahad then encouraged Percivale and told him that the time had now come to heal the land and the Fisher-King, reviving all the hopes of all those who have endured all this tragedy.
The Sacred Stop at the Side of the Road. As the knights were riding along and talking of these things, approaching the Castle, they came upon a roadside cross of stone, a sacred cross covered in divine writings. Near the stone cross was a well with a deep wellspring of water, a well that contained these words, “Who would be clean in word and deed let him dismount from off his steed, give thanks and blessings to his Lord, and drink my water here.” After reading these words, they noticed a silver horn hanging near the well that had these words engraved on it, “Who winds this horn must stand and bide the venture that God sends. Whatever our beginnings be, ’tis God who shapes our ends.”
The Fountain of Life-Giving Waters. So the three Knights of the Grail, Galahad, Percivale and Sir Bors, dismounted at this sacred spot, knelt before the stone cross, and felt an indescribable joy as they drank from that divine well, “as though the waters of that well gave promise that all might yet be well, that Love might work its own good spell and undo every loss.”
The Three Signs. Galahad then sounded the silver horn in three full blasts. It was powerful music cast into the air, and it summoned a messenger on horseback from the Castle gates. This herald beckoned the three knights to come to the Castle. But first they were required to reveal “the three signs” to show their worthiness to enter the Grail Castle. Galahad responded that he was well aware of all three signs, since he is the Chosen One of the Grail. The three signs of Galahad were “the Sign of the Sword, the Sign of the Shield, and the Sign of Friendship Sworn.” Galahad first displayed his silver shield with the red cross on its cover, what Galahad described as the shield from Joseph of Arimathea, prophesied along ago for Galahad alone, “bearing the Cross that set us free, whereon our Savior bled.” He then revealed his Sword of Adventure, once the broken sword of Balyn, but placed by Merlin into a floating marble stone in Camelot. This was that very sword pulled out of the marble by Galahad and intended for him in the Quest. He then points to his two loyal friends beside him as proof of his Friendship Sworn. These two Knights of the Round Table have been his steadfast companions on this Quest and have vowed to remain at Galahad’s side until the Quest of the Grail was completed.
Rest At Last. The Castle’s messenger confirmed Galahad’s worthiness to make his way with the other two knights to the side of the wounded King Pelles. The three Knights of the Grail were led into the Castle, where they were warmly welcomed by all the Castle’s residents amidst trumpets and shouts of celebration. Each of the three knights were then given a private room to recuperate after their long, wearisome quest through all the trials and temptations, all the griefs and challenges. As they rested in blessed peace, they were mindful that a joyous feast awaited them when they woke up.