Stories concerning the quest for the holy grail whuch have been passed down through the ages.
Many differing versions exist, but all possess similar
Typically involves a knight (Gawain, Percevel, or Galahad) entering a
kingdom which has recently been laid to waste due to the maining of the king, upon whose health the land depends. The Hero sets out on a task usually involving acquiring a grail or sword, eventually reaches the chapel perilous, and eventually suceeds or fails, depending on the version. The origin of these romances has been shown to lie in ancient pagen rituals by Jessie L. Weston in her book
From Ritual To Romance. They also serve as the basis of T.S. Eliot's poem The Waste Land.