The original version of one of the greatest and most potent of medieval
legends.
Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval is the most important single Arthurian
romance. It contains the very first mention of the mysterious grail,
later to become the Holy Grail and the focal point of the spiritual
quest of the knights of Arthur's court.
Chrétien left the poem unfinished, but the extraordinary and intriguing
theme of the Grail was too good to leave, and other poets continued and
eventually completed it. This is the only English translation to include
selections from the three continuations and from the work of Gerbert de
Montreuil, making the romance a coherent whole, and following through
Chrétien's essential theme of the making of a knight, in both worldlyand
spiritual terms. It is thus the most complete account available in
English of the essential Arthurian romance, the origin of the Grail
legend.