Perceval, the Story of the Grail

Perceval, the Story of the Grail (French: Perceval ou le Conte du Graal) is an unfinished Arthurian verse romance written by Chrétien de Troyes in Old French during the late 12th century. Starting as the eponymous tale of the young Perceval, the story breaks off and follows an adventure of Gawain of similar length, that also remains incomplete. Later authors added 54,000 more lines to the original 9,000 in the series of continuations of Perceval, known collectively as the Four Continuations or the Perceval Continuations, as well as further related texts.

Perceval is the earliest recorded account of what was to become the Quest for the Holy Grail. However, it describes it 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.