[Sidenote:  How Percival dwelt in the mountains] So she kept Percival always with her and in ignorance of all that concerned the world of knighthood.  And though Percival waxed great of body and was beautiful and noble of countenance, yet he dwelt there among those mountains knowing no more of the world that lay beyond that place in which he dwelt than would a little innocent child.  Nor did he ever see anyone from the outside world, saving only an old man who was a deaf-mute.  And this old man came and went betwixt that tower where Percival and his mother dwelt and the outer world, and from the world he would come back with clothing and provisions loaded upon an old sumpter horse for Percival and his mother and their few attendants.  Yet Percival marvelled many times whence those things came, but no one told him and so he lived in entire ignorance of the world.

And Percival’s mother would not let him touch any weapon saving only a small Scot’s spear which same is a sort of javelin.  But with this Percival played every day of his life until he grew so cunning in handling it that he could pierce with it a bird upon the wing in the air.

Now it chanced upon a time when Percival was nineteen years of age that he stood upon a pinnacle of rock and looked down into a certain valley.  And it was very early in the spring-time, so that the valley appeared, as it were, to be carpeted all with clear, thin green.  There was a shining stream of water that ran down through the midst of the valley, and it was a very fair and peaceful place to behold.

[Sidenote:  Percival beholds a knight-rider] So Percival stood and gazed into that low-land, and lo! a knight rode up through that valley, and the sun shone out from behind a cloud of rain and smote upon his armor so that it appeared to be all ablaze as with pure light, and Percival beheld that knight and wist not what it was he saw.  So, after the knight had gone away from the valley, he ran straightway to his mother, all filled with a great wonder, and he said:  “Mother!  Mother!  I have beheld a very wonderful thing.”  She said, “What was it thou didst see?” Percival said:  “I beheld somewhat that was like a man, and he rode upon a horse, and he shone very brightly and with exceeding splendor.  Now, I prithee tell me what it was I saw?”

Then Percival’s mother knew very well what it was he had seen, and she was greatly troubled at heart, for she wist that if Percival’s knightly spirit should be awakened he would no longer be content to dwell in those peaceful solitudes.  Wherefore she said to herself:  “How is this?  Is it to be that this one lamb also shall be taken away from me and nothing left to me of all my flock?” Then she said to Percival:  “My son, that which thou didst behold was doubtless an angel.”  And Percival said, “I would that I too were an angel!” And at that speech the lady, his mother, sighed very deeply.