Frau Minne, wouldst have men praise thee? Then this will I say to thee, 35 This strife shall be not to thine honour, since sore wounded Gawain shall be. And ever throughout his life-days has he lived as thou didst command, And he followed in this his father, and the men of his mother's land. For they yielded thee loyal service since the days Mazadan was king, Who Terre-de-la-Schoie from Fay-Morgan in thy service did gallant bring. 40 And this do men tell of his children, no man from his fealty fell. And Ither of Gaheviess bare it, thy badge, and he served thee well; And never in woman's presence did one speak of the hero's name But their hearts yearned in love towards him, and they spake it, nor thought it shame, How then when they looked upon him? Then the tale first was told aright! 45 Frau Minne, a faithful servant didst thou lose in that gallant knight!
Slay Gawain if thou wilt, as his cousin Ilinot by thine hand was slain, Since thy power with the bitter torment of desire did the knight constrain, Till he strove for the love of his lady all the days of his fair young life, Florie of Kanedig was she, and he served her in many a strife. 50 And he fled from the land of his fathers in the days of his youth's unrest, And was reared by this queen, and Britain ne'er saw him but as a guest. And the burden of Love weighed on him, and from Florie's land he fled, Till the day that in true love's service, as I told ye, men found him dead. And often the kin of Gawain thro' love have known sorrow sore, 55 And of those by Frau Minne wounded could I name to ye many more. And why did the snow and the blood-drops move Parzival's faithful heart? 'Twas his _wife_ wrought the spell, I think me! Yea, others have known thine art, Galoes and Gamuret hast thou vanquished, and in sooth hast thou laid them low, And the twain for their true love's guerdon must the death of a hero know. 60 And Itonjé, Gawain's fair sister, must love Gramoflanz the king, And grieve for her love; and sorrow, Frau Minne, thou once didst bring On fair Surdamur and her lover: since thou sufferest not Gawain's kin To seek them another service, so on him wouldst thou honour win!
Be mighty towards the mighty but here let Gawain go free, 65 His wounds they so sorely pain him, and the hale should thy foemen be! But many have sung of love's working who never so knew love's power, For myself, I would hold me silent--But true lovers shall mourn this hour What chanced unto him of Norway, for the venture he faced right well, And now, without help or warning, love's tempest upon him fell! 70