Cunneware of Lalander

Sister of Orilus of Lalander and Lähelin in Wolfram’s Parzival.

A duchess, she served at Arthur’s court. It was said that she would never laugh until she beheld the best knight in the world. When Perceval came to court, she broke out into joyous laughter. Her laughter offended the arrogant Kay, who beat her and also abused a dwarf who came to her rescue. Perceval promised to punish Kay for this assault, and later broke his arm in a joust.

Clamide (Clamadeu), a knight defeated by Perceval, fell in love with Cunneware, married her, and made her the queen of Iserterre and Brandigan.

Her character appears unnamed in Chrétien de Troyes’s Perceval and as the Mute Maiden in the Post-Vulgate version. Heinrich von dem Türlin calls her Lede.