has reached the goal, and abandons the quest in shame. Galahad comes to Mordrain's abbey, and heals the sick king; he finally joins Bohor, in whose company during five years, he achieves the Adventures of Britain, and the two at last arrive at Corbenic.
The conclusion is of the most curt brevity. Galahad is recognized with joy, as an absentee of many years. Concerning the healing of the maimed being, nothing seems to be said; the French text, by an interpolation, has remedied the omission. The questers are led into the palace, where the Grail is seen standing on a silver table, and left alone, accompanied only by a (symbolic) maiden. Nine mysterious knights (who seem to typify the communion of saints) appear and unite in the ceremony. Josephe, first Christian bishop ordained by Christ at Sarras, descends from heaven in order to perform the rite; after the bread has been consecrated, the Redeemer replaces the celebrant, and himself dispenses the host. Christ informs the questers concerning the nature of the Holy Vessel, as the dish of the Paschal Lamb, and directs them to follow the Grail to Sarras, whither it will presently retire. Accordingly, the three proceed to the shore, where they find the ship of Solomon, and whither proceed the Grail and table. In the port of Sarras they find the vessel containing the body of Perceval's sister; they suffer persecution from a heathen tyrant, but the latter dies, and by divine command Galahad is made king. A year after the coronation, Josephe again descends and celebrates mass; when the plate which covers the holy vessel is raised, Christ appears within the Grail, and Galahad, according to his desire, passes away in ecstatic vision. Perceval dies as a hermit, while Bohor finally returns to Arthur's court, where he tells the story.
The French text adds that the account had been written out by order of King Arthur, and deposited in the abbey of Salisbury, where it was found by Walter Map, who translated it for King Henry.
The central feature of this composition is the figure of Galahad. The name (as Heinzel has pointed out) is biblical, Galaad being, in the Vulgate, the name of that great-grandson of Joseph who in the English version (Numbers xxvi. 29, and elsewhere) is styled Gilead. In Judges x. 18, where the English translation has, "He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead," the Latin renders erit aux popult Galaad; the romancer may hence have derived the idea of making Galahad king of the people (biblical names are common among kings of the line as given in Grand St. Graal). The sonance with Gales, Wales, may also have had weight. That the proper names Galaad and Lancelot are repeated in the story, being
