Perceval, the Story of the Grail

Perceval, the Story of the Grail (French: Perceval ou le Conte du Graal) is an unfinished verse romance written by Chrétien de Troyes in Old French in the late 12th century. Later authors added 54,000 more lines to the original 9,000 in what is known collectively as the Four Continuations or Perceval Continuations, as well as other related texts. Perceval is the earliest recorded account of what was to become the Quest for the Holy Grail but describes only a golden grail (a serving dish) in the central scene, does not call it "holy" and treats a lance, appearing at the same time, as equally significant.

Besides the eponymous tale of the grail and the young knight Perceval, the poem and its continuations also tell of the adventures of Gawain and some other knights of King Arthur. Chrétien's own story relates the adventures and growing pains of Perceval, but the story then breaks off and follows an adventure of Gawain of similar length, that also remains incomplete.