--- title: Opening, part 10 — Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English… · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 10, «Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch» by Jessie L. Weston: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: When they beheld each other they gave fair and courteous greeting, the one to the other, and S --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/10/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered in…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/) / Opening, part 10 # Opening, part 10 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/10/) **2** The dream vexed him sorely whenever he thought thereon; he was angry and wroth, and wist not what the portent of the vision might be.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") But his heart forbode him that pain and mischief, and sore labour withal, drew nigh to him.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") Then it fell out that he met with a learned clerk, to whom he told the vision even as it had appeared to him; and when he had hearkened to his tale, and understood it well, he interpreted it in this wise: "Concerning our lands, great and small, that we thereof should be in great stress and fear ere we might win to them again; for strong were the castles and mighty the armies, therefore did the vision foretell ill to my brother and myself each and singly.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") And further he spake concerning my brother Perceval, and the Spear, and the Grail; for that golden stairway betokened the Holy Grail, and that Perceval should aid in the winning thereof, and in that service should he die.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus did he foretell me.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") And the door that stood above and the stairway itself both alike betokened the heavenly kingdom, as might well be known by the light that shone within; and the steps that lay before it they betokened the days of Perceval's life. '[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") This I tell ye of a truth, each betokeneth a day, or a week, or it may be a month; but of this be ye sure, and doubt not, so long shall he live, and then shall he yield up his life.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") And that the steps brake beneath ye, 'twas for your sins; ye had well-nigh climbed them had not sin laid hold on ye.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") The bears, and the dragons, and the serpents that there lay in wait, know ye well that they gave sure and certain sign that the fiends deemed they had ye for their own in that hour, and would carry ye to Hell.'"[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus did the wise master make known to him his dream, and bade him thereof take warning and order his ways with wisdom, and that speedily, and delay not, for here should he abide no long time, but drew nigh to his end.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") "Dear son," quoth Sir Agloval, "then did my brother cease his quest for the Spear and the Grail, and the adventure on which he was bound, and came hither as swiftly as he might to mine uncle the hermit, and clothed himself in this habit, through that which the clerk foretold me.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus are we here together, and my brother would fain amend his life.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") Nor am I yet whole; for I was wounded wellnigh to death, and bruised and mishandled, so that I had no power left, and am yet scarce healed.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus would I abide here awhile with my brother and mine uncle, that my wounds might be tended, and that with them I might save my soul.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") Now ye will that I journey with ye to your mother in the Moorish land, and I were fain to ride thither were I but healed.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") Yet is there another matter.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") I would gladly go with ye, that may ye know of a truth, for your honour, and to do away your shame, were it not that I thus brought about my death; nevertheless, I have trust in mine uncle, who is so wise, that he shall make my peace with God, and bring me to eternal bliss.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, son, bethink ye of our profit, yours and mine, according to that which has befallen me, and that ye have now heard even as I tell ye.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") Counsel me as it seemeth ye best; since that I be your father, according as matters went afore 'twixt me and your mother, it behoves ye well so to do."[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") Then quoth Morien: "Were ye better healed I would ride gladly, but it becometh me well to shun aught that might do ye harm or mischief.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") I can give ye none other counsel than that ye abide here till ye be once more whole.[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") King Arthur is captive and his land is beset and in sore stress.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") Here is his nephew Sir Gariët, who hath come hither with me, and now that I have learnt the truth I shall ride with him to court, to do him honour, and there abide till that ye be whole and healed; and I will return hither in the hour that I know ye be cured of your wounds and may keep the oath that ye sware to my mother, that ye be praised of men and in favour with God.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") So shall my mother once more be possessed of the lands of which she hath been disinherited, and which she hath this long time lacked.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall depart and ye shall abide here, where may all good befall ye\![82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") I will aid the queen, and God grant that I may win such fame as shall be for the bettering of her cause and mine own honour and profit.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall return, be ye sure of it, when the time is ripe, and shall ever think of ye as my father."[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") Then all thanked Morien, deeming that as at that time no better counsel might be found; and Sir Gariët and Morien alike besought of Sir Perceval that he would ride with them, to aid the queen and release King Arthur, and bring comfort to his land.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") This he sware to do would his uncle grant him leave thereto.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") Then did they all, and Sir Agloval with them, so straitly pray the uncle that he granted their request, and never might ye see at any time folk so blithe as were these knights in that Sir Perceval would ride with them.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus did they take their leave and wend on their way.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") But now will I leave speaking of them and tell how it fared with Sir Lancelot, who would slay the evil beast.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") Now doth the adventure tell us that when Sir Lancelot departed from Sir Gawain at the cross-roads he delayed not, but rode that same hour till he came to the waste land wherein the beast had wrought havoc.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") Now in that land there dwelt a maiden who had caused it to be made known far and wide that whosoever might slay that beast him would she take for her husband.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") Never might man behold a fairer maiden, and the land was all in her own power.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") Now there dwelt also therein a traitor, a knight who loved the maiden, but had little mind to risk his life for her; he kept close watch upon that beast if so be that any man should slay it that he might play the traitor, so should the slayer pay with his life for the deed, and he should spread abroad that he himself had, of a verity, slain the monster.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/10/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/10/) - next →: [Opening, part 11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/11/) - ↑ back to [Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8447/)