Perceval, as a youth, encountered him in the wilds of Soltane, where Perceval had been raised in seclusion by his mother. Perceval had never seen a knight before, and was fascinated by Count Karnahkarnanz.
Karnahkarnanz was on a mission to rescue the lady Imane from her abductor, Meleagant (Meleagaunce), but before he departed he told Perceval that King Arthur made knights and that Perceval was of hardy enough stock to become one himself. This inspired Perceval to leave Soltane, much to the distress of his mother.
See also
Knighthood and Knight-Errantry | The Legend of King Arthur
Source
Parzival | Wolfram von Eschenbach, 1200–1210