NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

Malcreatiure

Malcraour, Malcréature

In Wolfram, a dwarf with animal features from the land of Tribalibot (India). He was the brother of Cundrie la Surziere. Queen Secundille of Tribalibot sent Malcreatiure and Cundrie to King Anfortas (Wolfram’s Fisher King) as a gift, and Anfortas gave him to Duchess Orgeluse of Logres (Orguelleuse) as a squire. Gawain was forced to ride Malcreatiure’s nag for a while after his own horse was stolen.

Malcreatiure is a minor character in Arthurian legend. He is often depicted as a giant or a monstrous creature, and is typically portrayed as an enemy of King Arthur and his knights. The earliest known reference to Malcreatiure appears in the French Arthurian romance “Le Chevalier de la Charrette” or “The Knight of the Cart”, written by Chrétien de Troyes in the 12th century. In this work Malcreatiure is a fierce and terrifying giant who challenges the knights of the Round Table to combat. Lancelot defeats Malcreatiure and gains his freedom from captivity as a result.

Malcreatiure appears in several other Arthurian works, such as the Vulgate Cycle and the Post-Vulgate Cycle, where he is often depicted as a monstrous creature who threatens the safety and well-being of King Arthur and his court. In some versions of the legend, Malcreatiure is also associated with the Questing Beast, a supernatural creature that appears in Arthurian mythology.

Overall, Malcreatiure serves as an example of the many strange and wondrous creatures that populate the Arthurian world and challenge the bravery and skill of Arthur and his knights.


Source
Parzival | Wolfram von Eschenbach, 1200–1210