Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table 2
"Were any Knights present when you did
this?" asked Sir Ector. "No, none," said Arthur. "Then you are the
rightful King of this land," said Sir Ector. "But why am I the King?"
inquired Arthur. "Because," answered Sir Ector, "this is an enchanted
sword, and no man could draw it but he who was born a King. Therefore
put the sword back into the stone, and let me see you take it out."
"That is soon done," said Arthur, replacing the sword, and Sir Ector
himself tried to draw it, but he could not. "Now it is your turn," he
said to Sir Kay, but Sir Kay fared no better than his father, though he
tugged with all his might and main. "Now you, Arthur," and Arthur pulled
it out as easily as if it had been lying in its sheath, and as he did so
Sir Ector and Sir Kay sank on their knees before him. "Why do you, my
father and brother, kneel to me?" asked Arthur in surprise. "Nay, nay,
my lord," answered Sir Ector, "I am not your father, though till to-day
I could not tell you who your father really was. You are the son of
Uther Pendragon, and you were brought to me when you were born by Merlin
himself, who promised that when the time came you should know from whom
you sprang." When Arthur heard that Sir Ector was not his father, he
wept bitterly. "If I am King," he said at last, "ask what you will, and
I shall not fail you. For to you, and to my lady and mother, I owe more
than to any one in the world, for she loved me and treated me as her
son." "Sir," replied Sir Ector, "I only ask that you will make your
foster-brother, Sir Kay, Seneschal of all your lands." "That I will
readily," answered Arthur, "and while he and I live no other shall fill
that office."
[Illustration: HOW ARTHVR DREW THE SWORD]
Sir Ector then bade them seek out the Archbishop with him, and they told
him all that had happened concerning the sword, which Arthur had left
standing in the stone. And on Twelfth Day the Knights and Barons came
again, but none could draw it out but Arthur. When they saw this, many
of the Barons became angry and cried out that they would never own a boy
for King whose blood was no better than their own. So it was agreed to
wait till Candlemas, when more Knights might be there, and meanwhile the
same two men who had been chosen before watched the sword night and day;
but at Candlemas it was the same thing, and at Easter. And when
Pentecost came, the common people who were present, and saw Arthur pull
out the sword, cried with one voice that he was their King, and they
would kill any man who said differently.
Then rich and poor fell on their knees before him, and Arthur took the
sword and offered it upon the altar where the Archbishop stood, and the
best man who was there made him Knight. After that the crown was put on
his head, and he swore to his lords and commons that he would be a true
King, and would do them justice all the days of his life.
THE SWORD EXCALIBUR.
King Arthur, accompanied by Merlin the magician, had left the comfort of
the court to seek adventures. He had fought a hard battle with the
tallest Knight in all the land, and though he struck hard and well, he
would have been slain had not Merlin enchanted the Knight and cast him
into a deep sleep, and brought the King to a hermit who had studied the
art of healing, and cured all his wounds in three days. Then Arthur and
Merlin waited no longer, but gave the hermit thanks and departed.
As they rode together Arthur said, "I have no sword," but Merlin bade
him be patient and he would soon give him one. In a little while they
came to a large lake, and in the midst of the lake Arthur beheld an arm
rising out of the water, holding up a sword. "Look!" said Merlin, "that
is the sword I spoke of." And the King looked again, and a maiden stood
upon the water. "That is the Lady of the Lake," said Merlin, "and she is
coming to you, and if you ask her courteously she will give you the
sword." So when the maiden drew near, Arthur saluted her and said,
"Maiden, I pray you tell me whose sword is that which an arm is holding
out of the water? I wish it were mine, for I have lost my sword."
"That sword is mine, King Arthur," answered she, "and I will give it to
you, if you in return will give me a gift when I ask you."
"By my faith," said the King, "I will give you whatever gift you ask."
"Well," said the maiden, "get into the barge yonder, and row yourself to
the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you." For this was the
sword Excalibur. "As for _my_ gift, I will ask it in my own time." Then
King Arthur and Merlin dismounted from their horses and tied them up
safely, and went into the barge, and when they came to the place where
the arm was holding the sword Arthur took it by the handle, and the arm
disappeared. And they brought the sword back to land. As they rode the
King looked lovingly on his sword, which Merlin saw, and, smiling, said,
"Which do you like best, the sword or the scabbard?" "I like the sword,"
answered Arthur. "You are not wise to say that," replied Merlin, "for
the scabbard is worth ten of the sword, and as long as it is buckled on
you you will lose no blood, however sorely you may be wounded." So they
rode into the town of Carlion, and Arthur's Knights gave them a glad
welcome, and said it was a joy to serve under a King who risked his life
as much as any common man.
HOW THE ROUND TABLE BEGAN.
After King Arthur had fought and conquered many enemies, he said one day
to Merlin, whose counsel he took all the days of his life, "My Barons
will let me have no rest, but bid me take a wife, and I have answered
them that I shall take none, except you advise me."
"It is well," replied Merlin, "that you should take a wife, but is there
any woman that you love better than another?" "Yes," said Arthur, "I
love Guenevere, daughter of Leodegrance, King of Cameliard, in whose
house is the Round Table that my father gave him. This maiden is the
fairest that I have ever seen, or ever shall see." "Sir," answered
Merlin, "what you say as to her beauty is true, but, if your heart was
not set on her, I could find you another as fair, and of more goodness,
than she. But if a man's heart is once set it is idle to try to turn
him." Then Merlin asked the King to give him a company of knights and
esquires, that he might go to the Court of King Leodegrance and tell him
that King Arthur desired to wed his daughter, which Arthur did gladly.
Therefore Merlin rode forth and made all the haste he could till he came
to the Castle of Cameliard, and told King Leodegrance who had sent him
and why.
"That is the best news I have ever had," replied Leodegrance, "for
little did I think that so great and noble a King should seek to marry
my daughter. As for lands to endow her with, I would give whatever he
chose; but he has lands enough of his own, so I will give him instead
something that will please him much more, the Round Table which Uther
Pendragon gave me, where a hundred and fifty Knights can sit at one
time. I myself can call to my side a hundred good Knights, but I lack
fifty, for the wars have slain many, and some are absent." And without
more words King Leodegrance gave his consent that his daughter should
wed King Arthur. And Merlin returned with his Knights and esquires,
journeying partly by water and partly by land, till they drew near to
London.
When King Arthur heard of the coming of Merlin and of the Knights with
the Round Table he was filled with joy, and said to those that stood
about him, "This news that Merlin has brought me is welcome indeed, for
I have long loved this fair lady, and the Round Table is dearer to me
than great riches." Then he ordered that Sir Lancelot should ride to
fetch the Queen, and that preparations for the marriage and her
coronation should be made, which was done. "Now, Merlin," said the King,
"go and look about my kingdom and bring fifty of the bravest and most
famous Knights that can be found throughout the land." But no more than
eight and twenty Knights could Merlin find. With these Arthur had to be
content, and the Bishop of Canterbury was fetched, and he blessed the
seats that were placed by the Round Table, and the Knights sat in them.
"Fair Sirs," said Merlin, when the Bishop had ended his blessing, "arise
all of you, and pay your homage to the King." So the Knights arose to do
his bidding, and in every seat was the name of the Knight who had sat on
it, written in letters of gold, but two seats were empty. After that
young Gawaine came to the King, and prayed him to make him a Knight on
the day that he should wed Guenevere. "That I will gladly," replied the
King, "for you are my sister's son."
As the King was speaking, a poor man entered the Court, bringing with
him a youth about eighteen years old, riding on a lean mare, though it
was not the custom for gentlemen to ride on mares. "Where is King
Arthur?" asked the man. "Yonder," answered the Knights. "Have you
business with him?" "Yes," said the man, and he went and bowed low
before the King: "I have heard, O King Arthur, flower of Knights and
Kings, that at the time of your marriage you would give any man the gift
he should ask for."
"That is truth," answered the King, "as long as I do no wrong to other
men or to my kingdom."
"I thank you for your gracious words," said the poor man; "the boon I
would ask is that you would make my son a Knight." "It is a great boon
to ask," answered the King. "What is your name?"
"Sir, my name is Aries the cowherd."
"Is it you or your son that has thought of this honour?"
"It is my son who desires it, and not I," replied the man. "I have
thirteen sons who tend cattle, and work in the fields if I bid them; but
this boy will do nothing but shoot and cast darts, or go to watch
battles and look on Knights, and all day long he beseeches me to bring
him to you, that he may be knighted also."
"What is your name?" said Arthur, turning to the young man.
"Sir, my name is Tor."
"Where is your sword that I may knight you?" said the King.
"It is here, my lord."
"Take it out of its sheath," said the King, "and require me to make you
a Knight." Then Tor jumped off his mare and pulled out his sword, and
knelt before the King, praying that he might be made a Knight and a
Knight of the Round Table.
"As for a Knight, that I will make you," said Arthur, smiting him in the
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