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Long years ago, there ruled over Britain a King called Uther Pendragon. A mighty prince was he, and feared by all men; yet, when he sought the love of the fair Igraine of Cornwall, she would have naught to do with him, so that,from grief and disappointment, Uther fell sick, and at last seemed like to die.
Now in those days, there lived a famous magician named Merlin, so powerful that he could change his form at will, or even make himself invisible; nor was there any place so remote but that he could reach it at once, merely by wishing himself there. One day, suddenly he stood at Uther’s bedside, and said:
“Sir King, I know thy grief, and am ready to help thee. Only promise to give me, at his birth, the son that shall be born to thee, and thou shalt have thy heart’s desire.”
To this the King agreed joyfully, and Merlin kept his word; for he gave Uther the form of one whom Igraine had loved dearly, and so she took him willingly for her husband.
When the time had come that a child should be born to the King and Queen, Merlin appeared before Uther to remind him of his promise; and Uther swore it should be as he had said. Three days later, a prince was born and, with pomp and ceremony, was christened by the name of Arthur; but immediately thereafter the King commanded that the child should be carried to the postern-gate, there to be given to the old man who would be found waiting without.
Not long after, Uther fell sick, and he knew that his end was come; so, by Merlin’s advice, he called together his knights and barons and said to them:
“My death draws near. I charge you, therefore, that ye obey my son even as ye have obeyed me; and my curse upon him if he claim not the crown when he is a man grown.”
Then the King turned his face to the wall and died.
Scarcely was Uther laid in his grave before disputes arose. Few of the nobles had seen Arthur or even heard of him, and not one of them would have been willing to be ruled by a child; rather, each thought himself fitted to be king, and, strengthening his own castle, made war on his neighbors until confusion alone was supreme, and the poor groaned because there was none to help them.
Now when Merlin carried away Arthur — for Merlin was the old man who had stood at the postern-gate — he had known ail that would happen,and had taken the child to keep him safe from the fierce barons until he should be of age to rule wisely and well, and perform all the wonders prophesied of him. He gave the child to the care of the good knight Sir Ector to bring up with his son Kay, but revealed not to him that it was the son of Uther Pendragon that was given into his charge.
At last, when years had passed and Arthur was grown a tall youth well skilled in knightly exercises. Merlin went to the Archbishop of Canterbury and advised him that he should call together at Christmas-time all the chief men of the realm to the great cathedral in London.
“For,” said Merlin, “there shall be seen a great marvel by which it shall be made clear to all men who is the lawful King of this land.” The Archbishop did as Merlin counseled. Under pain of a fearful curse, he bade barons and knights come to London to keep the feast, and to pray heaven to send peace to the realm.
The people hastened to obey the Archbishop’s commands and, from all sides, barons and knights came riding in to keep the birth-feast of our Lord.And when they had prayed, and were coming forth from the cathedral, they saw a strange sight. There, in the open space before the church, stood, on a great stone; an anvil thrust through with a sword; and on the stone were written these words:
“Whoso can draw forth this sword is rightful King of Britain born.”
At once there were fierce quarrels, each man clamoring to be the first to try his fortune, none doubting his own success. Then the Archbishop decreed that each should make the venture in turn, from the greatest baron to the least knight; and each in turn, having put forth his utmost strength, failed to move the sword one inch, and drew back ashamed. So the Archbishop dismissed the company, and having appointed guards to watch over the stone, sent messengers through all the land to give word of great justs to be held in London at Easter, when each knight could give proof of his skill and courage, and try whether the adventure of the sword was for him.
Among those who rode to London at Easter was the good Sir Ector; and with him his son, Sir Kay, newly made a knight, and the young Arthur.When the morning came that the justs should begin. Sir Kay and Arthur mounted their horses and set out for the lists; but before they reached the field, Kay looked and saw that he had left his sword behind. Immediately Arthur turned back to fetch it for him, only to find the house fast shut, for all Were gone to view the tournament. Sore vexed was Arthur, fearing lest his brother Kay should lose his chance of gaining glory, till, of a sudden, he bethought him of the sword in the great anvil before the cathedral. Thither he rode with all speed, and the guards having deserted their posts to view the tournament, there was none to forbid him the adventure. He leaped from his horse, seized the hilt, and instantly drew forth the sword as easily as from a scabbard; then, mounting his horse and thinking no marvel of what he had done, he rode after his brother and handed him the weapon.
When Kay looked at it, he saw at once that it was the wondrous sword from the stone. In great joy he sought his father, and showing it to him, said:“Then must I be King of Britain.”
But Sir Ector bade him say how he came by the sword, and when Sir Kay told how Arthur had brought it to him. Sir Ector bent his knee to the boy and said:
“Sir, I perceive that ye are my King, and here I tender you my homage”;and Kay did as his father. Then the three sought the Archbishop, to whom they related all that had happened; and he, much marveling, called the people together to the great stone, and bade Arthur thrust back the sword and draw it forth again in the presence of all, which he did with ease. But an angrymurmur arose from the barons, who cried that what a boy could do, a man could do; so, at the Archbishop’s word, the sword was put back, and each man whether baron or knight, tried in his turn to draw it forth, and failed. Then,for the third time, Arthur drew forth the sword. And all the people shouted:
“Arthur is King! Arthur is King! We will have no King but Arthur”; and the great barons fell on their knees before him while the Archbishop placed the crown upon his head, and they swore to obey him faithfully as their lord and sovereign.
Thus Arthur was made King; and to all he did justice, righting wrongs and giving to all their dues. Nor was he forgetful of those that had been his friends; for Kay, whom he loved as a brother, he made chief of his household, and to Sir Ector, his foster father, he gave broad, lands.
Thus Arthur was made King, but he had to fight for his own; for eleven great kings drew together and refused to acknowledge him as their lord,and chief amongst the rebels was King Lot of Orkney, who had married Arthur’s sister, Bellicent.
By Merlin’s advice Arthur sent for help overseas, to Ban and Bors, the two great Kings who ruled in Gaul. With their aid, he overthrew his foes in a fierce battle near the river Trent; and then he passed with them into their own lands and helped them drive out their enemies. So there was ever great friendship between Arthur and the Kings Ban and Bors, and all their kindred;and afterwards some of the most famous Knights of the Round Table were of that kin.
Then King Arthur set himself to restore order throughout his kingdom.To all who would submit and amend their evil ways, he showed kindness;but those who persisted in oppression and wrong he removed, putting in their places others who would deal justly with the people. And because the land had become overrun with forest during the days of misrule, he cut roads through the thickets, that no longer wild beasts and men, fiercer than the beasts, should lurk in their gloom, to the harm of the weak and defenseless. Thus it came to pass that soon the peasant plowed his fields in safety, and where had been wastes, men dwelt again in peace and prosperity.
Amongst the lesser kings whom Arthur helped to rebuild their towns and restore order was King Leodogran, of Cameliard. Now Leodogran had one fair child, his daughter Guinevere; and from the time that first he saw her, Arthur gave her all his love. So he sought counsel of Merlin, his chief adviser. Merlin heard the King sorrowfully, and said:
“Sir King, when a man’s heart is set, he may not change. Yet had it been well if ye had loved another.”
So the King sent his knights to Leodogran to ask of him his daughter;and Leodogran consented, rejoicing to wed her to so good and knightly a King. With great pomp, the princess was conducted to Canterbury, and there the King met her, and they two were wed by the Archbishop in the great cathedral, amid the rejoicings of the people.
On that same day did Arthur found his Order of the Round Table, the fame of which was to spread throughout Christendom and endure through all time.Now the Round Table had been made for King Uther Pendragon by Merlin,who had meant thereby to set forth plainly to all men the roundness of the earth. After Uther died, King Leodogran had possessed it; but when Arthur was wed he sent it to him as a gift, and great was the King’s joy at receiving it. One hundred fifty knights might take their places about it, and for them Merlin made sieges, or seats. One hundred twenty-eight did Arthur knight at that great feast; thereafter, if any sieges were empty, at the high fes-tival of Pentecost new knights were ordained to fill them, and by magic was the name of each knight found inscribed, in letters of gold, on his proper siege. One seat only long remained unoccupied, and that was the Siege Perilous. No knight might occupy it until the coming of Sir Galahad; for, without danger to his life, none might sit there who was not free from all stain of sin.
With pomp and ceremony did each knight take upon him the vows of true knighthood: to obey the King; to show mercy to all who asked it; to defend the weak; and for no worldly gain to fight in a wrongful cause; and all the knights rejoiced together, doing honor to Arthur and to his Queen. And all men said it was merry to be under such a chieftain, that would seek adventure as other poor knights did. Then they rode forth to right wrong and help the oppressed, and by their aid, the King held his realm in peace, doing justice to all.
Now when Arthur was first made King, as young knights will, he courted peril for its own sake, and often would he ride unattended by lonely forest ways, seeking the adventure that chance might send him. All unmindful was he of the ruin to his realm if mischief befell him; and even his trusty counselors, though they grieved that he should thus imperil him, yet could not but love him the more for his hardihood.
So, on a day, he rode through the Forest Perilous where dwelt the Lady Annoure, a sorceress of great might. And as she looked from a turret window, she beheld King Arthur come riding down a forest glade, and the sunbeams falling upon him made one glory of his armor and of his yellow hair. Then, as Annoure gazed upon the King, she resolved that, come what might, she would have him for her own, to dwell with her always. And so she bade her men to lower the drawbridge and raise the portcullis, and sallying forth accompanied by her maidens, she gave King Arthur courteous salutation, and prayed him that he would rest within her castle that day, for that she had a petition to make to him; and Arthur, doubting nothing of her good faith, suffered himself to be led within.
Then was a great feast spread, and Annoure caused the King to be seated in a chair of state at her right hand, while squires and pages served him on bended knee. So when they had feasted, the King turned to the Lady Annoure and said courteously:
“Lady, something ye said of a request that ye would make. If there be aught in which I may give pleasure to you, I pray you let me know it forthwith, and I will serve you as knightly as I may.”
“In truth,” said the lady, “there is that which I would fain so entreat of you, most noble knight; yet suffer, I beseech you, that first I may show you somewhat of my castle and my estate, and then will I crave a boon of your chivalry.”
Then the sorceress led King Arthur from room to room of her castle, and ever each displayed greater store of beauty than the last. In some the walls were hung with rich tapestries, in others they gleamed with precious stones;and the King marveled what might be the petition of one that was mistress of such wealth. Lastly, Annoure brought the King out upon the battlements,and as he gazed around him, he saw that since he had entered the castle there had sprung up about it triple walls of defense that shut out wholly the forest from view. Then turned he to Annoure, and gravely said:
“Lady, greatly I marvel in what a simple knight may give pleasure to one that is mistress of so wondrous a castle as ye have shown me here; yet if there be aught in which I may render you knightly service, right gladly would I hear it now, for I must go forth upon my way to render service to those whose knight I am sworn.”
“Nay, now. King Arthur,” answered the sorceress mockingly, “ye may not deceive me, for well I know you, and that all Britain bows to your behest.”
“The more reason then that I should ride forth to right wrong and succor them that, of their loyalty, render true obedience to their lord.”
“Ye speak as a fool,” said the sorceress; “why should one that may command be at the beck and call of every slave within his realm? Nay, rest thee here with me, and I will make thee ruler of a richer land than Britain,and satisfy thy every desire.”
“Lady,” said the King sternly, “I will hear and judge of your petition here and now, and then will I go forth upon my way.”
“Nay,” said Annoure, “there needs not this harshness. I did but speak for thine advantage. Only vow thee to my service, and there is naught that thou canst desire that thou shalt not possess. Thou shalt be lord of this fair castle and of the mighty powers that obey me. Why waste thy youth in hardship and in the service of such as shall render thee little enough again?”
Thereupon, without ever a word, the King turned him about and made for the turret stair by which he had ascended, but nowhere could he find it.Then said the sorceress, mocking him:
“Fair sir, how think ye to escape without my goodwill? See ye not the walls that guard my stronghold? And think ye that I have not servants enough to do my bidding?”
She clapped her hands, and forthwith there appeared a company of squires who, at her command, seized the King and bore him away to a strong chamber, where they locked him in.
And so the King abode that night, the prisoner of that evil sorceress, with little hope that day, when it dawned, should bring him better cheer. Yet lost he not courage, but kept watch and vigil the night through, lest the powers of evil should assail him unawares. And with the early morning light,Annoure came to visit him. More stately she seemed than the night before,more tall and more terrible; and her dress was one blaze of flashing gems so that scarce could the eye look upon her. As a queen might address a vassal,so greeted she the King, and as condescending to one of low estate, asked how he had fared that night. And the King made answer:
“I have kept vigil as behooves a knight who, knowing himself to be in the midst of danger, would bear himself meetly in any peril that should offer.”
And the Lady Annoure, admiring his knightly courage, desired more earnestly even than before to win him to her will, and she said:
“Sir Arthur, I know well your courage and knightly fame, and greatly do I desire to keep you with me. Stay with me and I promise that ye shall bear sway over a wider realm than any that ye ever heard of, and I, even I, its mistress, will be at your command. And what lose ye if ye accept my offer?Little enough; for never think that ye shall win the world from evil, and men to loyalty and truth.”
Then answered the King in anger: “Full well I see that thou art in league with evil and that thou but seekest to turn me from my purpose. I defy thee,foul sorceress. Do thy worst; though thou slay me, thou shalt never sway me to thy will”; and therewith, the King raised his cross-hilted sword before her.Then the lady quailed at that sight. Her heart was filled with hate, but she said:
“Go your way, proud King of a petty realm. Rule well your race of miserable mortals, since it pleases you more than to bear sway over the powers of the air. I keep you not against your will.”
With these words she passed from the chamber, and the King heard her give command to her squires to set him without her gates, give him his horse, and suffer him to go on his way.
And so it came to pass that the King found himself once more at large,and marveled to have won so lightly his liberty. Yet knew he not the depths of treachery in the heart of Annoure; for when she found she might not prevail with the King, she bethought her how, by mortal means, she might bring him to dishonor and death. And so, by her magic art, she caused the King to follow a path that brought him to a fountain whereby a knight had his tent, and, for the love of adventure, held the way against all comers.Now this knight was Sir Pellinore, and at that time he had not his equal for strength and knightly skill, nor had any been found that might stand against him. So, as the King drew nigh, Pellinore cried:
“Stay, knight, for no one passes this way except he just with me.’’
“That is not a good custom,” said the King; “and it were well that ye followed it no more.”
“It is my custom, and I will follow it still,” answered Pellinore; “if ye like it not, amend it, if ye can.”
“I will do my endeavor,” said Arthur, “but, as ye see, I have no spear.”
“Nay, I seek not to have you at disadvantage,” replied Pellinore, and bade his squire give Arthur a spear. Then they dressed their shields, laid their lances in rest, and rushed upon each other. Now the King was wearied by his night’s vigil, and the strength of Pellinore was as the strength of three men; so, at the first encounter, Arthur was unhorsed. Then said he:
“I have lost the honor on horseback, but now will I encounter thee with my sword and on foot.”
“I, too, will alight,” said Pellinore; “small honor to me were it if I slew thee on foot, I being horsed the while.” So they encountered each other on foot,and so fiercely they fought that they hewed off great pieces of each other’s armor, and the ground was dyed with their blood. But at the last, Arthur’s sword broke off short at the hilt, and so he stood all defenseless before his foe.
“I have thee now,” cried Pellinore; “yield thee as recreant or I will slay thee.”
“That will I never,” said the King; “slay me if thou canst.”
Then he sprang on Pellinore, caught him by the middle, and flung him to the ground, himself falling with him. And Sir Pellinore marveled, for never before had he encountered so bold and resolute a foe; but exerting his great strength,he rolled himself over, and so brought Arthur beneath him. Then Arthur would have perished, but at that moment Merlin stood beside him, and when Sir Pellinore would have struck off the King’s head, stayed his blow, crying:
“Pellinore, if thou slayest this knight, thou puttest the whole realm in peril; for this is none other than King Arthur himself.”
Then was Pellinore filled with dread, and cried:
“Better make an end of him at once; for if I suffer him to live, what hope of his pardon have I that have dealt with him so sorely?”
But before Pellinore could strike. Merlin caused a deep sleep to come upon him; and raising King Arthur from the ground, he stanched his wounds and recovered him of his swoon.
But when the King came to himself, he saw his foe lie, still as in death, on the ground beside him; and he was grieved, and said:
“Merlin, what have ye done to this brave knight? Nay, if ye have slain him, I shall grieve my life long; for a good knight he is, bold and a fair fighter, though something wanting in knightly courtesy.”
“He is in better case than ye are. Sir King, who so lightly imperil your person, and thereby your kingdom’s welfare; and, as ye say, Pellinore is a stout knight, and hereafter shall he serve you well. Have no fear. He shall wake again in three hours and have suffered naught by the encounter. But for you, it were well that ye came where ye might be tended for your wounds.”
“Nay,” replied the King, smiling, “I may not return to my court thus weaponless; first will I find means to possess me of a sword.”
“That is easily done,” answered Merlin; “follow me, and I will bring you where ye shall get you a sword, the wonder of as the world.”
So, though his wounds pained him sore, the King followed Merlin by many a forest path and glade until they came upon a mere, bosomed deep in the forest; and as he looked thereon, the King beheld an arm, clothed in white samite, above the surface of the lake, and in the hand was a fair sword that gleamed in the level rays of the setting sun.
“This is a great marvel,” said the King; “what may it mean?”
And Merlin made answer: “Deep is this mere, so deep indeed that no man may fathom it; but in its depths, and built upon the roots of the mountains, is the palace of the Lady of the Lake. Powerful is she with a power that works ever for good, and she shall help thee in thine hour of need.”
Anon the damsel herself came unto Arthur and said: “Sir Arthur, King,yonder sword is mine and if ye will give me a gift when I ask it of you, ye shall have it.”
“By my faith,” said Arthur, “I will give you what ye will ask.”
Then was Arthur aware of a little skiff, half hidden among the bulrushes that fringed the lake; and leaping into the boat, without aid of oar he was wafted out into the middle of the lake, to the place where, out of the water,rose the arm and sword. And leaning from the skiff, he took the sword from the hand, which forthwith vanished, and immediately thereafter the skiff bore him back to land.
Arthur drew from its scabbard the mighty sword, wondering at the marvel of its workmanship, for the hilt shone with the elfin light of twinkling gems — diamond and topaz and emerald, and many another whose name none knows. And as he looked on the blade, Arthur was aware of mystic writings on the one side and the other; these he bade Merlin interpret for him.
“Sir,” said Merlin, “on the one side is written ‘Keep me,’ and on the other‘Throw me away.’”
“Then,” said the King, “which does it behoove me to do?”
“Keep it,” answered Merlin; “the time to cast it away is not yet come.This is the good brand Excalibur, or Cut Steel, and well shall it serve you.But what think ye of the scabbard?”
“A fair cover for so good a sword,” answered Arthur.
“Nay, it is more than that,” said Merlin, “for so long as ye keep it, though ye be sore wounded, yet ye shall not bleed to death.” When he heard that,the King marveled the more.
Then they journeyed back to Caerleon, where the knights made great joy of the return of their lord. And presently, thither came Sir Pellinore,craving pardon of the King, who made but jest of his own misadventure.And afterwards Sir Pellinore became a knight of the Round Table, vowed not only to deeds of hardihood, but also to gentleness and courtesy; and faithfully he served the King, fighting ever to maintain justice and put down wrong, and to defend the weak from the oppressor.
The ancient Britons looked out from their little island home with its protecting seas, and pictured the great unknown world beyond as a fairyland filled with enchanted cities and wonderful forests, and peopled by friendly fairies and magicians. About the beginning of the Christian era the Romans came among them for a time, teaching them obedience to law. Later, barbarian hordes came over the North Sea, to conquer them. But the Britons resisted the invaders, and among the strong British chieftains the name of Arthur stands preeminent. Historians generally agree that a ruler of this name actually lived about the close of the fifth century or the beginning of the sixth. Arthur became not only the great national hero, but also the champion of Christianity against heathen invaders. He is said to have united the scattered British clans and to have defeated the invaders in twelve great battles.
In their days of distress many of the Britons fled across the Channel and settled among their kindred, the Bretons of northern France. From here British bards with their harps wandered throughout all Christendom, singing of Arthur’s heroic deeds.As time went on, these tales of Arthur became blended with the fairy stories of the old happy dream-life of early Britain. When chivalry was at its height, from the twelfth to the fifteenth century, the strolling minstrels took up the numerous legends that had grown up around the name of Arthur, adapting them to the ideals of the times and to the tastes of their audiences in court and castle and market place.
In these songs and legends, Arthur appeared as a great king surrounded at his“Table Round” by valiant knights who, under vows of purity and holiness, went forth in daily quest of noble deeds. Early in the twelfth century the legends were carried back to England. A Welsh priest, Geoffrey of Monmouth, gave a form to these tales which became widely popular; later, from this version and others.Sir Thomas Malory wrote his story, “Le Morte d’Arthur’’ (The Death of Arthur).In 1485, William Caxton, the first English printer, published Malory’s story,which became the chief source of modem poets who have written on this theme.Among these, the English poet, Tennyson, in his beautiful “Idylls of the King,”has best told the story of Arthur and his knights.
postern gate : rear gate
realm : kingdom
decree : order
scabbard : cover for a sword
lurk : hide
peasant : poor person
sorceress : women magician
portcullis : grating over gate
squire : title just below that of a knight
page : boy in training for knighthood
fain : gladly
battlement : high tower
succour : help
vassal : slave
behoove : be proper for, fi
samite : a kind of heavy silk
A) Answer the following questions.
1) Is there a historical basis for the stories of King Arthur?
2) How did they become interwoven with myths and legends?
3) When Arthur became king, what was the condition of the people of Britain?
4) Why did the barons oppose Arthur?
5) How did Arthur treat all people?
6) What was the round table?
7) What were the vows made by the knights?
8) What was the first promise of the knights
9) How dod we know Arthur was generous toward his foes?
10) What ideals of conduct are upheld in these stories?
B) Vocabulary practice — Choose 5 vocabulary words from the list. Use each in sentences of your own.
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3) _________________________________________________________________
4) _________________________________________________________________
5) _________________________________________________________________
C) Summary — Write a short summary of this story.