_THE DRAWING OF THE SWORD_
Long, long ago, after Uther Pendragon died, there was no King in
Britain, and every Knight hoped to seize the crown for himself. The
country was like to fare ill when laws were broken on every side, and
the corn which was to give the poor bread was trodden underfoot, and
there was none to bring the evildoer to justice. Then, when things
were at their worst, came forth Merlin the magician, and fast he rode
to the place where the Archbishop of Canterbury had his dwelling. And
they took counsel together, and agreed that all the lords and
gentlemen of Britain should ride to London and meet on Christmas Day,
now at hand, in the Great Church. So this was done. And on Christmas
morning, as they left the church, they saw in the churchyard a large
stone, and on it a bar of steel, and in the steel a naked sword was
held, and about it was written in letters of gold, 'Whoso pulleth out
this sword is by right of birth King of England.' They marvelled at
these words, and called for the Archbishop, and brought him into the
place where the stone stood. Then those Knights who fain would be King
could not hold themselves back, and they tugged at the sword with all
their might; but it never stirred. The Archbishop watched them in
silence, but when they were faint from pulling he spoke: 'The man is
not here who shall lift out that sword, nor do I know where to find
him. But this is my counsel--that two Knights be chosen, good and true
men, to keep guard over the sword.'
Thus it was done. But the lords and gentlemen-at-arms cried out that
every man had a right to try to win the sword, and they decided that
on New Year's Day a tournament should be held, and any Knight who
would, might enter the lists.
So on New Year's Day, the Knights, as their custom was, went to hear
service in the Great Church, and after it was over they met in the
field to make ready for the tourney. Among them was a brave Knight
called Sir Ector, who brought with him Sir Kay, his son, and Arthur,
Kay's foster-brother. Now Kay had unbuckled his sword the evening
before, and in his haste to be at the tourney had forgotten to put it
on again, and he begged Arthur to ride back and fetch it for him. But
when Arthur reached the house the door was locked, for the women had
gone out to see the tourney, and though Arthur tried his best to get
in he could not. Then he rode away in great anger, and said to
himself, 'Kay shall not be without a sword this day. I will take that
sword in the churchyard, and give it to him'; and he galloped fast
till he reached the gate of the churchyard. Here he jumped down and
tied his horse tightly to a tree, then, running up to the stone, he
seized the handle of the sword, and drew it easily out; afterwards he
mounted his horse again, and delivered the sword to Sir Kay. The
moment Sir Kay saw the sword he knew it was not his own, but the sword
of the stone, and he sought out his father Sir Ector, and said to him,
'Sir, this is the sword of the stone, therefore I am the rightful
King.' Sir Ector made no answer, but signed to Kay and Arthur to
follow him, and they all three went back to the church. Leaving their
horses outside, they entered the choir, and here Sir Ector took a holy
book and bade Sir Kay swear how he came by that sword. 'My brother
Arthur gave it to me,' replied Sir Kay. 'How did you come by it?'
asked Sir Ector, turning to Arthur. 'Sir,' said Arthur, 'when I rode
home for my brother's sword I found no one to deliver it to me, and as
I resolved he should not be swordless I thought of the sword in
this stone, and I pulled it out.' 'Were any Knights present when you
did this?' asked Sir Ector. 'No, none,' said Arthur. 'Then it is you,'
said Sir Ector, 'who are the rightful King of this land.' '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 was
never your father, though till to-day I did not know 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 I should know from whom you sprang. And now it has been
revealed to me.' But 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 anyone 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[2] of all your
lands.' 'That I will readily,' answered Arthur, 'and while he and I
live no other shall fill that office.'
[Footnote 2: 'Seneschal' means steward.]
[Illustration: HOW ARTHUR 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 the 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 that 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 QUESTING BEAST_
But Arthur had many battles to fight and many Kings to conquer before
he was acknowledged lord of them all, and often he would have failed
had he not listened to the wisdom of Merlin, and been helped by his
sword Excalibur, which in obedience to Merlin's orders he never drew
till things were going ill with him. Later it shall be told how the
King got the sword Excalibur, which shone so bright in his enemies'
eyes that they fell back, dazzled by the brightness. Many Knights came
to his standard, and among them Sir Ban, King of Gaul beyond the sea,
who was ever his faithful friend. And it was in one of these wars,
when King Arthur and King Ban and King Bors went to the rescue of the
King of Cameliard, that Arthur saw Guenevere, the King's daughter,
whom he afterwards wedded. By and by King Ban and King Bors returned
to their own country across the sea, and the King went to Carlion, a
town on the river Usk, where a strange dream came to him.
He thought that the land was over-run with gryphons and serpents which
burnt and slew his people, and he made war on the monsters, and was
sorely wounded, though at last he killed them all. When he awoke the
remembrance of his dream was heavy upon him, and to shake it off he
summoned his Knights to hunt with him, and they rode fast till they
reached a forest. Soon they spied a hart before them, which the King
claimed as his game, and he spurred his horse and rode after him. But
the hart ran fast and the King could not get near it, and the chase
lasted so long that the King himself grew heavy and his horse fell
dead under him. Then he sat under a tree and rested, till he heard the
baying of hounds, and fancied he counted as many as thirty of them. He
raised his head to look, and, coming towards him, saw a beast so
strange that its like was not to be found throughout his kingdom. It
went straight to the well and drank, making as it did so the noise of
many hounds baying, and when it had drunk its fill the beast went its
way.
While the King was wondering what sort of a beast this could be, a
Knight rode by, who, seeing a man lying under a tree, stopped and said
to him: 'Knight full of thought and sleepy, tell me if a strange beast
has passed this way?'
'Yes, truly,' answered Arthur, 'and by now it must be two miles
distant. What do you want with it?'
'Oh sir, I have followed that beast from far,' replied he, 'and have
ridden my horse to death. If only I could find another I would still
go after it.' As he spoke a squire came up leading a fresh horse for
the King, and when the Knight saw it he prayed that it might be given
to him, 'for,' said he, 'I have followed this quest this twelvemonth,
and either I shall slay him or he will slay me.'
'Sir Knight,' answered the King, 'you have done your part; leave now
your quest, and let me follow the beast for the same time that you
have done.' 'Ah, fool!' replied the Knight, whose name was Pellinore,
'it would be all in vain, for none may slay that beast but I or my
next of kin'; and without more words he sprang into the saddle. 'You
may take my horse by force,' said the King, 'but I should like to
prove first which of us two is the better horseman.'
[Illustration: ARTHUR AND THE QUESTING BEAST]
'Well,' answered the Knight, 'when you want me, come to this spring.
Here you will always find me,' and, spurring his horse, he galloped
away. The King watched him till he was out of sight, then turned to
his squire and bade him bring another horse as quickly as he could.
While he was waiting for it the wizard Merlin came along in the
likeness of a boy, and asked the King why he was so thoughtful.
'I may well be thoughtful,' replied the King, 'for I have seen the
most wonderful sight in all the world.'
'That I know well,' said Merlin, 'for I know all your thoughts. But it
is folly to let your mind dwell on it, for thinking will mend nothing.
I know, too, that Uther Pendragon was your father, and your mother was
the Lady Igraine.'
'How can a boy like you know that?' cried Arthur, growing angry; but
Merlin only answered, 'I know it better than any man living,' and
passed, returning soon after in the likeness of an old man of
fourscore, and sitting down by the well to rest.
'What makes you so sad?' asked he.
'I may well be sad,' replied Arthur, 'there is plenty to make me so.
And besides, there was a boy here who told me things that he had no
business to know, and among them the names of my father and mother.'
'He told you the truth,' said the old man, 'and if you would have
listened he could have told you still more; how that your sister shall
have a child who shall destroy you and all your Knights.'
'Who are you?' asked Arthur, wondering.
'I am Merlin, and it was I who came to you in the likeness of a boy. I
know all things; how that you shall die a noble death, being slain in
battle, while my end will be shameful, for I shall be put alive into
the earth.'
There was no time to say more, for the man brought up the King's
horse, and he mounted, and rode fast till he came to Carlion.
_THE SWORD EXCALIBUR_
King Arthur 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.'
[Illustration: ARTHUR MEETS THE LADY OF THE LAKE AND GETS THE SWORD
EXCALIBUR]
'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.
_THE STORY OF SIR BALIN_
In those days many Kings reigned in the Islands of the Sea, and they
constantly waged war upon each other, and on their liege lord, and
news came to Arthur that Ryons, King of North Wales, had collected a
large host and had ravaged his lands and slain some of his people.
When he heard this, Arthur rose in anger, and commanded that all
lords, Knights, and gentlemen of arms should meet him at Camelot,
where he would call a council, and hold a tourney.
From every part the Knights flocked to Camelot, and the town was full
to overflowing of armed men and their horses. And when they were all
assembled, there rode in a damsel, who said she had come with a
message from the great Lady Lile of Avelion, and begged that they
would bring her before King Arthur. When she was led into his presence
she let her mantle of fur slip off her shoulders, and they saw that by
her side a richly wrought sword was buckled. The King was silent with
wonder at the strange sight, but at last he said, 'Damsel, why do you
wear this sword? for swords are not the ornaments of women.' 'Oh, my
lord,' answered she, 'I would I could find some Knight to rid me of
this sword, which weighs me down and causes me much sorrow. But the
man who will deliver me of it must be one who is mighty of his hands,
and pure in his deeds, without villainy, or treason. If I find a
Knight such as this, he will draw this sword out of its sheath, and
he only. For I have been at the Court of King Ryons, and he and his
Knights tried with all their strength to draw the sword and they could
not.'
'Let me see if I can draw it,' said Arthur, 'not because I think
myself the best Knight, for well I know how far I am outdone by
others, but to set them an example that they may follow me.' With that
the King took the sword by the sheath and by the girdle, and pulled at
it with all his force, but the sword stuck fast. 'Sir,' said the
damsel, 'you need not pull half so hard, for he that shall pull it out
shall do it with little strength.' 'It is not for me,' answered
Arthur, 'and now, my Barons, let each man try his fortune.' So most of
the Knights of the Round Table there present pulled, one after
another, at the sword, but none could stir it from its sheath. 'Alas!
alas!' cried the damsel in great grief, 'I thought to find in this
Court Knights that were blameless and true of heart, and now I know
not where to look for them.' 'By my faith,' said Arthur, 'there are no
better Knights in the world than these of mine, but I am sore
displeased that they cannot help me in this matter.'
Now at that time there was a poor Knight at Arthur's Court who had
been kept prisoner for a year and a half because he had slain the
King's cousin. He was of high birth and his name was Balin, and after
he had suffered eighteen months the punishment of his misdeed the
Barons prayed the King to set him free, which Arthur did willingly.
When Balin, standing apart beheld the Knights one by one try the
sword, and fail to draw it, his heart beat fast, yet he shrank from
taking his turn, for he was meanly dressed, and could not compare with
the other Barons. But after the damsel had bid farewell to Arthur and
his Court, and was setting out on her journey homewards, he called to
her and said, 'Damsel, I pray you to suffer me to try your sword, as
well as these lords, for though I am so poorly clothed, my heart is as
high as theirs.' The damsel stopped and looked at him, and answered,
'Sir, it is not needful to put you to such trouble, for where so many
have failed it is hardly likely that you will succeed.' 'Ah! fair
damsel,' said Balin, 'it is not fine clothes that make good deeds.'
'You speak truly,' replied the damsel, 'therefore do what you can.'
Then Balin took the sword by the girdle and sheath, and pulled it out
easily, and when he looked at the sword he was greatly pleased with
it. The King and the Knights were dumb with surprise that it was Balin
who had triumphed over them, and many of them envied him and felt
anger towards him. 'In truth,' said the damsel, 'this is the best
Knight that I ever found, but, Sir, I pray you give me the sword
again.'
'No,' answered Balin, 'I will keep it till it is taken from me by
force.' 'It is for your sake, not mine, that I ask for it,' said the
damsel, 'for with that sword you shall slay the man you love best, and
it shall bring about your own ruin.' 'I will take what befalls me,'
replied Balin, 'but the sword I will not give up, by the faith of my
body.' So the damsel departed in great sorrow. The next day Sir Balin
left the Court, and, armed with his sword, set forth in search of
adventures, which he found in many places where he had not thought to
meet with them. In all the fights that he fought, Sir Balin was the
victor, and Arthur, and Merlin his friend, knew that there was no
Knight living of greater deeds, or more worthy of worship. And he was
known to all as Sir Balin le Savage, the Knight of the two swords.
One day he was riding forth when at the turning of a road he saw a
cross, and on it was written in letters of gold, 'Let no Knight ride
towards this castle.' Sir Balin was still reading the writing when
there came towards him an old man with white hair, who said, 'Sir
Balin le Savage, this is not the way for you, so turn again and choose
some other path.' And so he vanished, and a horn blew loudly, as a
horn is blown at the death of a beast. 'That blast,' said Balin, 'is
for me, but I am still alive,' and he rode to the castle, where a
great company of knights and ladies met him and welcomed him, and made
him a feast. Then the lady of the castle said to him, 'Knight with the
two swords, you must now fight a Knight that guards an island, for it
is our law that no man may leave us without he first fight a tourney.'
[Illustration: The Damsel Warns Sir Balin.]
'That is a bad custom,' said Balin, 'but if I must I am ready; for
though my horse is weary my heart is strong.'
'Sir,' said a Knight to him, 'your shield does not look whole to me; I
will lend you another'; so Balin listened to him and took the shield
that was offered, and left his own with his own coat of arms behind
him. He rode down to the shore, and led his horse into a boat, which
took them across. When he reached the other side, a damsel came to him
crying, 'O Knight Balin, why have you left your own shield behind you?
Alas! you have put yourself in great danger, for by your shield you
should have been known. I grieve over your doom, for there is no man
living that can rival you for courage and bold deeds.'
'I repent,' answered Balin, 'ever having come into this country, but
for very shame I must go on. Whatever befalls me, either for life or
death, I am ready to take it.' Then he examined his armour, and saw
that it was whole, and mounted his horse.
As he went along the path he beheld a Knight come out of a castle in
front, clothed in red, riding a horse with red trappings. When this
red Knight looked on the two swords, he thought for a moment it was
Balin, but the shield did not bear Balin's device. So they rode at
each other with their spears, and smote each other's shields so hard
that both horses and men fell to the ground with the shock, and the
Knights lay unconscious on the ground for some minutes. But soon they
rose up again and began the fight afresh, and they fought till the
place was red with their blood, and they had each seven great wounds.
'What Knight are you?' asked Balin le Savage, pausing for breath, 'for
never before have I found any Knight to match me.' 'My name,' said he,
'is Balan, brother to the good Knight Balin.'
[Illustration: The Death of Balin and Balan]
'Alas!' cried Balin, 'that I should ever live to see this day,' and he
fell back fainting to the ground. At this sight Balan crept on his
feet and hands, and pulled off Balin's helmet, so that he might see
his face. The fresh air revived Balin, and he awoke and said: 'O
Balan, my brother, you have slain me, and I you, and the whole world
shall speak ill of us both.'
'Alas,' sighed Balan, 'if I had only known you! I saw your two swords,
but from your shield I thought you had been another knight.'
'Woe is me!' said Balin, 'all this was wrought by an unhappy knight in
the castle, who caused me to change my shield for his. If I lived, I
would destroy that castle that he should not deceive other men.'
'You would have done well,' answered Balan, 'for they have kept me
prisoner ever since I slew a Knight that guarded this island, and they
would have kept you captive too.' Then came the lady of the castle and
her companions, and listened as they made their moan. And Balan prayed
that she would grant them the grace to lie together, there where they
died, and their wish was given them, and she and those that were with
her wept for pity.
So they died; and the lady made a tomb for them, and put Balan's name
alone on it, for Balin's name she knew not. But Merlin knew, and next
morning he came and wrote it in letters of gold, and he ungirded
Balin's sword, and unscrewed the pommel, and put another pommel on it,
and bade a Knight that stood by handle it, but the Knight could not.
At that Merlin laughed. 'Why do you laugh?' asked the Knight.
'Because,' said Merlin, 'no man shall handle this sword but the best
Knight in the world, and that is either Sir Lancelot or his son Sir
Galahad. With this sword Sir Lancelot shall slay the man he loves
best, and Sir Gawaine is his name.' And this was later done, in a
fight across the seas.
All this Merlin wrote on the pommel of the sword. Next he made a
bridge of steel to the island, six inches broad, and no man could pass
over it that was guilty of any evil deeds. The scabbard of the sword
he left on this side of the island, so that Galahad should find it.
The sword itself he put in a magic stone, which floated down the
stream to Camelot, that is now called Winchester. And the same day
Galahad came to the river, having in his hand the scabbard, and he saw
the sword and pulled it out of the stone, as is told in another
place.
_HOW THE ROUND TABLE BEGAN_
It was told in the story of the Questing Beast that King Arthur
married the daughter of Leodegrance, King of Cameliard, but there was
not space there to say how it came about. And as the tales of the
Round Table are full of this lady, Queen Guenevere, it is well that
anybody who reads this book should learn how she became Queen.
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 neck with the sword, 'and if you are worthy of it you shall be a
Knight of the Round Table.' And the next day he made Gawaine Knight
also.
[Illustration: MERLIN AND VIVIEN]
_THE PASSING OF MERLIN._
Sir Tor proved before long by his gallant deeds that he was worthy to
sit in one of the two empty seats of the Round Table. Many of the
other Knights went out also in search of adventures, and one of them,
Sir Pellinore, brought a damsel of the lake to Arthur's Court, and
when Merlin saw her he fell in love with her, so that he desired to be
always in her company. The damsel laughed in secret at Merlin, but
made use of him to tell her all she would know, and the wizard had no
strength to say her nay, though he knew what would come of it. For he
told King Arthur that before long he should be put into the earth
alive, for all his cunning. He likewise told the King many things that
should befall him, and warned him always to keep the scabbard as well
as the sword Excalibur, and foretold that both sword and scabbard
should be stolen from him by a woman whom he most trusted. 'You will
miss my counsel sorely,' added Merlin, 'and would give all your lands
to have me back again.' 'But since you know what will happen,' said
the King, 'you may surely guard against it.' 'No,' answered Merlin,
'that will not be.' So he departed from the King, and the maiden
followed him whom some call Nimue and others Vivien, and wherever she
went Merlin went also.
They journeyed together to many places, both at home and across the
seas, and the damsel was wearied of him, and sought by every means to
be rid of him, but he would not be shaken off. At last these two
wandered back to Cornwall, and one day Merlin showed Vivien a rock
under which he said great marvels were hidden. Then Vivien put forth
all her powers, and told Merlin how she longed to see the wonders
beneath the stone, and, in spite of all his wisdom, Merlin listened to
her and crept under the rock to bring forth the strange things that
lay there. And when he was under the stone she used the magic he had
taught her, and the rock rolled over him, and buried him alive, as he
had told King Arthur. But the damsel departed with joy, and thought no
more of him: now that she knew all the magic he could teach her.
_HOW MORGAN LE FAY TRIED TO KILL_
_KING ARTHUR_
King Arthur had a sister called Morgan le Fay, who was skilled in
magic of all sorts, and hated her brother because he had slain in
battle a Knight whom she loved. But to gain her own ends, and to
revenge herself upon the King, she kept a smiling face, and let none
guess the passion in her heart.
One day Morgan le Fay went to Queen Guenevere, and asked her leave to
go into the country. The Queen wished her to wait till Arthur
returned, but Morgan le Fay said she had had bad news and could not
wait. Then the Queen let her depart without delay.
Early next morning at break of day Morgan le Fay mounted her horse and
rode all day and all night, and at noon next day reached the Abbey of
nuns where King Arthur had gone to rest, for he had fought a hard
battle, and for three nights had slept but little. 'Do not wake him,'
said Morgan le Fay, who had come there knowing she would find him, 'I
will rouse him myself when I think he has had enough sleep,' for she
thought to steal his sword Excalibur from him. The nuns dared not
disobey her, so Morgan le Fay went straight into the room where King
Arthur was lying fast asleep in his bed, and in his right hand was
grasped his sword Excalibur. When she beheld that sight, her heart
fell, for she dared not touch the sword, knowing well that if Arthur
waked and saw her she was a dead woman. So she took the scabbard, and
went away on horseback.
When the King awoke and missed his scabbard, he was angry, and asked
who had been there; and the nuns told him that it was his sister
Morgan le Fay, who had gone away with a scabbard under her mantle.
'Alas!' said Arthur, 'you have watched me badly!'
'Sir,' said they, 'we dared not disobey your sister.'
'Saddle the best horse that can be found,' commanded the King, 'and
bid Sir Ontzlake take another and come with me.' And they buckled on
their armour and rode after Morgan le Fay.
They had not gone far before they met a cowherd, and they stopped to
ask if he had seen any lady riding that way. 'Yes,' said the cowherd,
'a lady passed by here, with forty horses behind her, and went into
the forest yonder.' Then they galloped hard till Arthur caught sight
of Morgan le Fay, who looked back, and, seeing that it was Arthur who
gave chase, pushed on faster than before. And when she saw she could
not escape him, she rode into a lake that lay in the plain on the edge
of the forest, and, crying out, 'Whatever may befall me, my brother
shall not have the scabbard,' she threw the scabbard far into the
water, and it sank, for it was heavy with gold and jewels. After that
she fled into a valley full of great stones, and turned herself and
her men and her horses into blocks of marble. Scarcely had she done
this when the King rode up, but seeing her nowhere thought some evil
must have befallen her in vengeance for her misdeeds. He then sought
high and low for the scabbard, but could not find it, so he returned
unto the Abbey. When Arthur was gone, Morgan le Fay turned herself and
her horses and her men back into their former shapes and said, 'Now,
Sirs, we may go where we will.' And she departed into the country of
Gore, and made her towns and castles stronger than before, for she
feared King Arthur greatly. Meanwhile King Arthur had rested himself
at the Abbey, and afterwards he rode to Camelot, and was welcomed by
his Queen and all his Knights. And when he told his adventures and
how Morgan le Fay sought his death they longed to burn her for her
treason.
[Illustration: MORGAN LE FAY CASTS AWAY THE SCABBARD]
The next morning there arrived a damsel at the Court with a message
from Morgan le Fay, saying that she had sent the King her brother a
rich mantle for a gift, covered with precious stones, and begged him
to receive it and to forgive her in whatever she might have offended
him. The King answered little, but the mantle pleased him, and he was
about to throw it over his shoulders when the lady of the lake stepped
forward, and begged that she might speak to him in private. 'What is
it?' asked the King. 'Say on here, and fear nothing.' 'Sir,' said the
lady, 'do not put on this mantle, or suffer your Knights to put it on,
till the bringer of it has worn it in your presence.' 'Your words are
wise,' answered the King, 'I will do as you counsel me. Damsel, I
desire you to put on this mantle that you have brought me, so that I
may see it.' 'Sir,' said she, 'it does not become me to wear a King's
garment.' 'By my head,' cried Arthur, 'you shall wear it before I put
it on my back, or on the back of any of my Knights,' and he signed to
them to put it on her, and she fell down dead, burnt to ashes by the
enchanted mantle. Then the King was filled with anger, more than he
was before, that his sister should have dealt so wickedly by him.
_WHAT BEAUMAINS ASKED OF THE KING_
As Pentecost drew near King Arthur commanded that all the Knights of
the Round Table should keep the feast at a city called Kin-Kenadon,
hard by the sands of Wales, where there was a great castle. Now it was
the King's custom that he would eat no food on the day of Pentecost,
which we call Whit Sunday, until he had heard or seen some great
marvel. So on that morning Sir Gawaine was looking from the window a
little before noon when he espied three men on horseback, and with
them a dwarf on foot, who held their horses when they alighted. Then
Sir Gawaine went to the King and said, 'Sir, go to your food, for
strange adventures are at hand.' And Arthur called the other Kings
that were in the castle, and all the Knights of the Round Table that
were a hundred and fifty, and they sat down to dine. When they were
seated there entered the hall two men well and richly dressed, and
upon their shoulders leaned the handsomest young man that ever was
seen of any of them, higher than the other two by a cubit. He was wide
in the chest and large handed, but his great height seemed to be a
burden and a shame to him, therefore it was he leaned on the shoulders
of his friends. As soon as Arthur beheld him he made a sign, and
without more words all three went up to the high dais, where the King
sat. Then the tall young man stood up straight, and said: 'King
Arthur, God bless you and all your fair fellowship, and in especial
the fellowship of the Table Round. I have come hither to pray you to
give me three gifts, which you can grant me honourably, for they will
do no hurt to you or to anyone.' 'Ask,' answered Arthur, 'and you
shall have your asking.'
'Sir, this is my petition for this feast, for the other two I will ask
after. Give me meat and drink for this one twelvemonth.' 'Well,' said
the king, 'you shall have meat and drink enough, for that I give to
every man, whether friend or foe. But tell me your name!'
'I cannot tell you that,' answered he. 'That is strange,' replied the
King, 'but you are the goodliest young man I ever saw,' and, turning
to Sir Kay, the steward, charged him to give the young man to eat and
drink of the best, and to treat him in all ways as if he were a lord's
son. 'There is little need to do that,' answered Sir Kay, 'for if he
had come of gentlemen and not of peasants he would have asked of you a
horse and armour. But as the birth of a man is so are his requests.
And seeing he has no name I will give him one, and it shall be
Beaumains, or Fair-hands, and he shall sit in the kitchen and eat
broth, and at the end of a year he shall be as fat as any pig that
feeds on acorns.' So the young man was left in charge of Sir Kay, that
scorned and mocked him.
Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawaine were wroth when they heard what Sir Kay
said, and bade him leave off his mocking, for they believed the youth
would turn out to be a man of great deeds; but Sir Kay paid no heed to
them, and took him down to the great hall, and set him among the boys
and lads, where he ate sadly. After he had finished eating both Sir
Lancelot and Sir Gawaine bade him come to their room, and would have
had him eat and drink there, but he refused, saying he was bound to
obey Sir Kay, into whose charge the King had given him. So he was put
into the kitchen by Sir Kay, and slept nightly with the kitchen boys.
This he bore for a whole year, and was always mild and gentle, and
gave hard words to no one. Only, whenever the Knights played at
tourney he would steal out and watch them. And Sir Lancelot gave him
gold to spend, and clothes to wear, and so did Gawaine. Also, if there
were any games held whereat he might be, none could throw a bar nor
cast a stone as far as he by two good yards.
Thus the year passed by till the feast of Whitsuntide came again, and
this time the king held it at Carlion. But King Arthur would eat no
meat at Whitsuntide till some adventures were told him, and glad was
he when a squire came and said to him, 'Sir you may go to your food,
for here is a damsel with some strange tales.' At this the damsel was
led into the hall, and bowed low before the King, and begged he would
give her help. 'For whom?' asked the King, 'and what is the
adventure?' 'Sir,' answered she, 'my sister is a noble lady of great
fame, who is besieged by a tyrant, and may not get out of her castle.
And it is because your Knights are said to be the noblest in all the
world that I came to you for aid.' 'What is your sister's name, and
where does she dwell? And who is the man that besieges her, and where
does he come from?' 'Sir King,' answered she, 'as for my sister's
name, I cannot tell it you now, but she is a lady of great beauty and
goodness, and of many lands. As for the tyrant who besieges her, he is
called the Red Knight of the Red Lawns.' 'I know nothing of him,' said
the King. 'But I know him,' cried Sir Gawaine, 'and he is one of the
most dangerous Knights in the world. Men say he has the strength of
seven, and once when we had crossed swords I hardly escaped from him
with my life.' 'Fair damsel,' then said the King, 'there are many
Knights here who would go gladly to the rescue of your lady, but none
of them shall do so with my consent unless you will tell us her name,
and the place of her castle.' 'Then I must speak further,' said the
damsel. But before she had made answer to the King up came Beaumains,
and spoke to Arthur, saying, 'Sir King, I thank you that for this
whole year I have lived in your kitchen, and had meat and drink, and
now I will ask you for the two gifts that you promised me on this
day.' 'Ask them,' answered the King. 'Sir, this shall be my two gifts.
First grant me the adventure of this damsel, for it is mine by right.'
'You shall have it,' said the King. 'Then, Sir, you shall bid Sir
Lancelot du Lake to make me Knight, for I will receive Knighthood at
the hands of no other.' 'All this shall be done,' said the King. 'Fie
on you,' cried the damsel, 'will you give me none but a kitchen boy to
rescue my lady?' and she went away in a rage, and mounted her horse.
No sooner had she left the hall than a page came to Beaumains and told
him that a horse and fair armour had been brought for him, also there
had arrived a dwarf carrying all things that a Knight needed. And when
he was armed there were few men that were handsomer than he, and the
Court wondered greatly whence these splendid trappings had come. Then
Beaumains came into the hall, and took farewell of the King, and Sir
Gawaine and Sir Lancelot, and prayed Sir Lancelot that he would follow
after him. So he departed, and rode after the damsel. Many looked upon
him and marvelled at the strength of his horse, and its golden
trappings, and envied Beaumains his shining coat of mail; but they
noted that he had neither shield nor spear. 'I will ride after him,'
laughed Sir Kay, 'and see if my kitchen boy will own me for his
better.' 'Leave him and stay at home,' said Sir Gawaine and Sir
Lancelot, but Sir Kay would not listen and sprang upon his horse. Just
as Beaumains came up with the damsel, Sir Kay reached Beaumains, and
said, 'Beaumains, do you not know me?'
Beaumains turned and looked at him, and answered, 'Yes, I know you for
an ill-mannered Knight, therefore beware of me.' At this Sir Kay put
his spear in rest and charged him, and Beaumains drew his sword and
charged Sir Kay, and dashed aside the spear, and thrust him through
the side, till Sir Kay fell down as if he had been dead, and Beaumains
took his shield and spear for himself. Then he sprang on his own
horse, bidding first his dwarf take Sir Kay's horse, and rode away.
All this was seen by Sir Lancelot, who had followed him, and also by
the damsel. In a little while Beaumains stopped, and asked Sir
Lancelot if he would tilt with him, and they came together with such a
shock that both the horses and their riders fell to the earth and were
bruised sorely. Sir Lancelot was the first to rise, and he helped
Beaumains from his horse, and Beaumains threw his shield from him, and
offered to fight on foot. And they rushed together like wild boars,
turning and thrusting and parrying for the space of an hour, and Sir
Lancelot marvelled at the young man's strength, and thought he was
more like a giant than a Knight, and dreading lest he himself should
be put to shame, he said: 'Beaumains, do not fight so hard, we have no
quarrel that forbids us to leave off.' 'That is true,' answered
Beaumains, laying down his arms, 'but it does me good, my lord, to
feel your might.' 'Well,' said Sir Lancelot, 'I promise you I had much
ado to save myself from you unshamed, therefore have no fear of any
other Knight.' 'Do you think I could really stand against a proved
Knight?' asked Beaumains. 'Yes,' said Lancelot, 'if you fight as you
have fought to-day I will be your warrant against anyone.' 'Then I
pray you,' cried Beaumains, 'give me the order of knighthood.' 'You
must first tell me your name,' replied Lancelot, 'and who are your
kindred.' 'You will not betray me if I do?' asked Beaumains. 'No, that
I will never do, till it is openly known,' said Lancelot. 'Then, Sir,
my name is Gareth, and Sir Gawaine is my brother.' 'Ah, Sir,' cried
Lancelot, 'I am gladder of you than ever I was, for I was sure you
came of good blood, and that you did not come to the Court for meat
and drink only.' And he bade him kneel, and gave him the order of
knighthood.
[Illustration: Faugh sir! You smell of ye Kitchen Gareth & Linet]
After that Sir Gareth wished to go his own ways, and departed. When he
was gone, Sir Lancelot went back to Sir Kay and ordered some men that
were by to bear him home on a shield, and in time his wounds were
healed; but he was scorned of all men, and especially of Sir Gawaine
and Sir Lancelot, who told him it was no good deed to treat any young
man so, and no one could tell what his birth might be, or what had
brought him to the Court.
Then Beaumains rode after the damsel, who stopped when she saw him
coming. 'What are you doing here?' said she. 'Your clothes smell of
the grease and tallow of the kitchen! Do you think to change my heart
towards you because of yonder Knight whom you slew? No, truly! I know
well who you are, you turner of spits! Go back to King Arthur's
kitchen, which is your proper place.' 'Damsel,' replied Beaumains,
'you may say to me what you will, but I shall not quit you whatever
you may do, for I have vowed to King Arthur to relieve the lady in the
castle, and I shall set her free or die fighting for her.' 'Fie on
you, Scullion,' answered she. 'You will meet with one who will make
you such a welcome that you would give all the broth you ever cooked
never to have seen his face.' 'I shall do my best to fight him,' said
Beaumains, and held his peace.
Soon they entered the wood, and there came a man flying towards them,
galloping with all his might. 'Oh, help! help! lord,' cried he, 'for
my master lies in a thicket, bound by six thieves, and I greatly fear
they will slay him.' 'Show me the way,' said Sir Beaumains, and they
rode together till they reached the place where the Knight lay bound.
Then Sir Beaumains charged the six thieves, and struck one dead, and
another, and another still, and the other three fled, not liking the
battle. Sir Beaumains pursued them till they turned at bay, and fought
hard for their lives; but in the end Sir Beaumains slew them, and
returned to the Knight and unbound him. The Knight thanked Beaumains
heartily for his deliverance, and prayed him to come to his castle,
where he would reward him. 'Sir,' said Beaumains, 'I was this day made
Knight by noble Sir Lancelot, and that is reward enough for anything I
may do. Besides, I must follow this damsel.' But when he came near her
she reviled him as before, and bade him ride far from her. 'Do you
think I set store by what you have done? You will soon see a sight
that will make you tell a very different tale.' At this the Knight
whom Beaumains had rescued rode up to the damsel, and begged that she
would rest in his castle that night, as the sun was now setting. The
damsel agreed, and the Knight ordered a great supper, and gave Sir
Beaumains a seat above the seat of the damsel, who rose up in anger.
'Fie! fie! Sir Knight,' cried she, 'you are uncourteous to set a mere
kitchen page before me; he is not fit to be in the company of
high-born people.' Her words struck shame into the Knight, and he took
Beaumains and set him at a side table, and seated himself before him.
In the early morning Sir Beaumains and the damsel bade farewell to the
Knight, and rode through the forest till they came to a great river,
where stood two Knights on the further side, guarding the passage.
'Well, what do you say now?' asked the damsel. 'Will you fight them or
turn back?' 'I would not turn if there were six more of them,'
answered Sir Beaumains, and he rushed into the water and so did one of
the Knights. They came together in the middle of the stream, and their
spears broke in two with the force of the charge, and they drew their
swords, hitting hard at each other. At length Sir Beaumains dealt the
other Knight such a blow that he fell from his horse, and was drowned
in the river. Then Beaumains put his horse at the bank, where the
second Knight was waiting for him, and they fought long together, till
Sir Beaumains clave his helmet in two. So he left him dead, and
rode after the damsel. 'Alas!' she cried, 'that even a kitchen page
should have power to destroy two such Knights! You think you have done
mighty things, but you are wrong! As to the first Knight, his horse
stumbled, and he was drowned before you ever touched him. And the
other you took from behind, and struck him when he was defenceless.'
'Damsel!' answered Beaumains, 'you may say what you will, I care not
what it is, so I may deliver this lady.' 'Fie, foul kitchen knave, you
shall see Knights that will make you lower your crest.' 'I pray you be
more civil in your language,' answered Beaumains, 'for it matters not
to me what Knights they be, I will do battle with them.' 'I am trying
to turn you back for your own good,' answered she, 'for if you follow
me you are certainly a dead man, as well I know all you have won
before has been by luck.' 'Say what you will, damsel,' said he, 'but
where you go I will follow you,' and they rode together till eventide,
and all the way she chid him and gave him no rest.
[Illustration: LINET AND THE BLACK KNIGHT]
At length they reached an open space where there was a black lawn, and
on the lawn a black hawthorn, whereon hung a black banner on one side,
and a black shield and spear, big and long, on the other. Close by
stood a black horse covered with silk, fastened to a black stone. A
Knight, covered with black armour, sat on the horse, and when she saw
him the damsel bade him ride away, as his horse was not saddled. But
the Knight drew near and said to her, 'Damsel, have you brought this
Knight from King Arthur's Court to be your champion?' 'No, truly,'
answered she, 'this is but a kitchen boy, fed by King Arthur for
charity.' 'Then why is he clad in armour?' asked the Knight; 'it is a
shame that he should even bear you company.' 'I cannot be rid of him,'
said she, 'he rides with me against my will. I would that you were
able to deliver me from him! Either slay him or frighten him off, for
by ill fortune he has this day slain the two Knights of the passage.'
'I wonder much,' said the Black Knight, 'that any man who is well born
should consent to fight with him.' 'They do not know him,' replied the
damsel, 'and they think he must be a famous Knight because he rides
with me.' 'That may be,' said the Black Knight, 'but he is well made,
and looks likely to be a strong man; still I promise you I will just
throw him to the ground, and take away his horse and armour, for it
would be a shame to me to do more.' When Sir Beaumains heard him talk
thus he looked up and said, 'Sir Knight, you are lightly disposing of
my horse and armour, but I would have you know that I will pass this
lawn, against your will or not, and you will only get my horse and
armour if you win them in fair fight. Therefore let me see what you
can do.' 'Say you so?' answered the Knight, 'now give up the lady at
once, for it ill becomes a kitchen page to ride with a lady of high
degree.' 'It is a lie,' said Beaumains, 'I am a gentleman born, and my
birth is better than yours, as I will prove upon your body.'
With that they drew back their horses so as to charge each other
hotly, and for the space of an hour and a half they fought fiercely
and well, but in the end a blow from Beaumains threw the Knight from
his horse, and he swooned and died. Then Beaumains jumped down, and
seeing that the Knight's horse and armour were better than his own, he
took them for himself, and rode after the damsel. While they were thus
riding together, and the damsel was chiding him as ever she did, they
saw a Knight coming towards them dressed all in green. 'Is that my
brother the Black Knight who is with you?' asked he of the damsel.
'No, indeed,' she replied, 'this unhappy kitchen knave has slain your
brother, to my great sorrow.' 'Alas!' sighed the Green Knight, 'that
my brother should die so meanly at the hand of a kitchen knave.
Traitor!' he added, turning to Beaumains, 'thou shalt die for slaying
my brother, for he was a noble Knight, and his name was Sir Percard.'
'I defy you,' said Beaumains, 'for I slew him as a good Knight
should.'
Then the Green Knight seized a horn which hung from a horn tree, and
blew three notes upon it, and two damsels came and armed him, and
fastened on him a green shield and a green spear. So the fight began
and raged long, first on horseback and then on foot, till both were
sore wounded. At last the damsel came and stood beside them, and said,
'My lord the Green Knight, why for very shame do you stand so long
fighting a kitchen knave? You ought never to have been made a Knight
at all!' These scornful words stung the heart of the Green Knight, and
he dealt a mighty stroke which cleft asunder the shield of Beaumains.
And when Beaumains saw this, he struck a blow upon the Knight's helmet
which brought him to his knees, and Beaumains leapt on him, and
dragged him to the ground. Then the Green Knight cried for mercy, and
offered to yield himself prisoner unto Beaumains. 'It is all in vain,'
answered Beaumains, 'unless the damsel prays me for your life,' and
therewith he unlaced his helmet as though he would slay him. 'Fie upon
thee, false kitchen page!' said the damsel, 'I will never pray to save
his life, for I am sure he is in no danger.' 'Suffer me not to die,'
entreated the Knight, 'when a word may save me!' 'Fair Knight,' he
went on, turning to Beaumains, 'save my life, and I will forgive you
the death of my brother, and will do you service for ever, and will
bring thirty of my Knights to serve you likewise.' 'It is a shame,'
cried the damsel, 'that such a kitchen knave should have you and
thirty Knights besides.' 'Sir Knight,' said Beaumains, 'I care nothing
for all this, but if I am to spare your life the damsel must ask for
it,' and he stepped forward as if to slay him. 'Let be, foul knave,'
then said the damsel, 'do not slay him. If you do, you will repent
it.' 'Damsel,' answered Beaumains, 'it is a pleasure to me to obey
you, and at your wish I will save his life. Sir Knight with the green
arms, I release you at the request of this damsel, and I will fulfil
all she charges me.'
Then the Green Knight kneeled down, and did him homage with his sword.
'I am sorry,' said the damsel, 'for the wounds you have received, and
for your brother's death, for I had great need of you both, and have
much dread of passing the forest.' 'Fear nothing,' answered the Green
Knight, 'for this evening you shall lodge in my house, and to-morrow I
will show you the way through the forest.' And they went with the
Green Knight. But the damsel did not mend her ways with Beaumains, and
ever more reviled him, till the Green Knight rebuked her, saying
Beaumains was the noblest Knight that held a spear, and that in the
end she would find he had sprung from some great King. And the Green
Knight summoned the thirty Knights who did him service, and bade them
henceforth do service to Beaumains, and keep him from treachery, and
when he had need of them they would be ready to obey his orders. So
they bade each other farewell, and Beaumains and the damsel rode forth
anew. In like manner did Sir Beaumains overcome the Red Knight, who
was the third brother, and the Red Knight cried for mercy, and offered
to bring sixty Knights to do him service, and Beaumains spared his
life at the request of the damsel, and likewise it so happened to Sir
Persant of Inde.
And this time the damsel prayed Beaumains to give up the fight,
saying, 'Sir, I wonder who you are and of what kindred you have come.
Boldly you speak, and boldly you have done; therefore I pray you to
depart and save yourself while you may, for both you and your horse
have suffered great fatigues, and I fear we delay too long, for the
besieged castle is but seven miles from this place, and all the perils
are past save this one only. I dread sorely lest you should get some
hurt; yet this Sir Persant of Inde is nothing in might to the Knight
who has laid siege to my lady.' But Sir Beaumains would not listen to
her words, and vowed that by two hours after noon he would have
overthrown him, and that it would still be daylight when they reached
the castle. 'What sort of a man can you be?' answered the damsel,
looking at him in wonder, 'for never did a woman treat a Knight as ill
and shamefully as I have done you, while you have always been gentle
and courteous to me, and no one bears himself like that save he who is
of noble blood.' 'Damsel,' replied Beaumains, 'your hard words only
drove me to strike the harder, and though I ate in King Arthur's
kitchen, perhaps I might have had as much food as I wanted elsewhere.
But all I have done was to make proof of my friends, and whether I am
a gentleman or not, fair damsel, I have done you gentleman's service,
and may perchance, do you greater service before we part from each
other.' 'Alas, fair Beaumains, forgive me all that I have said and
done against you.' 'With all my heart,' he answered, 'and since you
are pleased now to speak good words to me, know that I hear them
gladly, and there is no Knight living but I feel strong enough to meet
him.'
So Beaumains conquered Sir Persant of Inde, who brought a hundred
Knights to be sworn into his service, and the next morning the damsel
led him to the castle, where the Red Knight of the Red Lawn held fast
the lady. 'Heaven defend you,' cried Sir Persant, when they told him
where they were going; 'that is the most perilous Knight now living,
for he has the strength of seven men. He has done great wrong to that
lady, who is one of the fairest in all the world, and it seems to me
as if this damsel must be her sister. Is not her name Linet?' 'Yes,
Sir,' answered she, 'and my lady my sister's name is dame Lyonesse.'
'The Red Knight has drawn out the siege for two years,' said Sir
Persant, 'though he might have forced an entrance many a time, but he
hoped that Sir Lancelot du Lake or Sir Tristram or Sir Gawaine should
come to do battle with him.' 'My Lord Sir Persant of Inde,' said the
damsel, 'I bid you knight this gentleman before he fight with the Red
Knight.' 'That I will gladly,' replied Sir Persant, 'if it please him
to take the order of knighthood from so simple a man as I am.' 'Sir,'
answered Beaumains, 'I thank you for your goodwill, but at the
beginning of this quest I was made a Knight by Sir Lancelot. My name
is Sir Gareth of Orkney and Sir Gawaine is my brother, though neither
he nor King Arthur, whose sister is my mother, knows of it. I pray you
to keep it close also.'
Now word was brought unto the besieged lady by the dwarf that her
sister was coming to her with a Knight sent by King Arthur. And when
the lady heard all that Beaumains had done, and how he had overthrown
all who stood in his way, she bade her dwarf take baked venison, and
fat capons, and two silver flagons of wine and a gold cup, and put
them into the hands of a hermit that dwelt in a hermitage close by.
The dwarf did so, and the lady then sent him to greet her sister and
Sir Beaumains, and to beg them to eat and drink in the hermit's cell,
and rest themselves, which they did. When they drew near the besieged
castle Sir Beaumains saw full forty Knights, with spurs on their heels
and swords in their hands, hanging from the tall trees that stood upon
the lawn. 'Fair Sir,' said the damsel, 'these Knights came hither to
rescue my sister, dame Lyonesse; and if you cannot overthrow the
Knight of the Red Lawn, you will hang there too.'
'Truly,' answered Beaumains, 'it is a marvel that none of King
Arthur's Knights has dealt with the Knight of the Red Lawn ere this';
and they rode up to the castle, which had round it high walls and deep
ditches, till they came to a great sycamore tree, where hung a
horn. And whoso desired to do battle with the Red Knight must blow
that horn loudly.
[Illustration: The Lady of Lyonesse sees Sir Gareth]
'Sir, I pray you,' said Linet, as Beaumains bent forward to seize it,
'do not blow it till it is full noontide, for during three hours
before that the Red Knight's strength so increases that it is as the
strength of seven men; but when noon is come, he has the might of one
man only.'
'Ah! for shame, damsel, to say such words. I will fight him as he is,
or not at all,' and Beaumains blew such a blast that it rang through
the castle. And the Red Knight buckled on his armour, and came to
where Beaumains stood. So the battle began, and a fierce one it was,
and much ado had Beaumains to last out till noon, when the Red
Knight's strength began to wane; they rested, and came on again, and
in the end the Red Knight yielded to Sir Beaumains, and the lords and
barons in the castle did homage to the victor, and begged that the Red
Knight's life might be spared on condition they all took service with
Beaumains. This was granted to them, and Linet bound up his wounds and
put ointment on them, and so she did likewise to Sir Beaumains. But
the Red Knight was sent to the Court of King Arthur, and told him all
that Sir Beaumains had done. And King Arthur and his Knights
marvelled.
Now Sir Beaumains had looked up at the windows of Castle Perilous
before the fight, and had seen the face of the Lady Lyonesse, and had
thought it the fairest in all the world. After he had subdued the Red
Knight, he hasted into the castle, and the Lady Lyonesse welcomed him,
and he told her he had bought her love with the best blood in his
body. And she did not say him nay, but put him off for a time. Then
the King sent letters to her to bid her, and likewise Sir Gareth, come
to his Court, and by the counsel of Sir Gareth she prayed the King to
let her call a tournament, and to proclaim that the Knight who bore
himself best should, if he was unwedded, take her and all her lands.
But if he had a wife already he should be given a white ger-falcon,
and for his wife a crown of gold, set about with precious stones.
So the Lady Lyonesse did as Sir Gareth had counselled her, and
answered King Arthur that where Sir Gareth was she could not tell, but
that if the King would call a tourney he might be sure that Sir Gareth
would come to it. 'It is well thought of,' said Arthur, and the Lady
Lyonesse departed unto Castle Perilous, and summoned all her Knights
around her, and told them what she had done, and how they were to make
ready to fight in the tournament. She began at once to set her castle
in order, and to think what she should do with the great array of
Knights that would ride hither from the furthest parts--from Scotland
and Wales and Cornwall--and to lodge fitly the Kings, Dukes, Earls,
and Barons that should come with Arthur. Queen Guenevere also she
awaited, and the Queen of Orkney, Sir Gareth's mother. But Sir Gareth
entreated the Lady Lyonesse and those Knights that were in the castle
with him not to let his name be known, and this they agreed to.
'Sir Gareth,' said dame Lyonesse, 'I will lend you a ring, which I
beseech you for the love you bear me to give me back when the
tournament is done, for without it I have but little beauty. This ring
is like no other ring, it will turn green red, and blue white, and the
bearer shall lose no blood, however sore he may be wounded.'
'Truly, my own lady,' answered Sir Gareth, 'this ring will serve me
well, and by its help I shall not fear that any man shall know me.'
And Sir Gringamore, brother to the Lady Lyonesse, gave him a bay
horse, and strong armour, and a sharp sword that had once belonged to
his father. On the morning of the fifteenth of August, when the Feast
of the Assumption was kept, the King commanded his heralds to blow
loudly their trumpets, so that every Knight might know that he must
enter the lists. It was a noble sight to see them flocking clad in
shining armour, each man with his device upon his shield. And the
heralds marked who bare them best, and who were overthrown. All
marvelled as to who the Knight could be whose armour sometimes seemed
green, and sometimes white, but no man knew it was Sir Gareth. And
whosoever Sir Gareth tilted with was straightway overthrown. 'Of a
truth,' cried King Arthur, 'that Knight with the many colours is a
good Knight,' and he called Sir Lancelot and bade him to challenge
that Knight to combat. But Sir Lancelot said that though the Knight
had come off victor in every fight, yet his limbs must be weary, for
he had fought as a man fights under the eyes of his lady, 'and for
this day,' said Sir Lancelot, 'he shall have the honour. Though it lay
in my power to put it from him, I would not.'
Then they paused for a while to rest, and afterwards the tournament
began again more fiercely than before, and Sir Lancelot was set upon
by two Knights at once. When Sir Gareth saw that, he rode in between
them, but no stroke would he deal Sir Lancelot, which Sir Lancelot
noted, and guessed that it was the good Knight Sir Gareth. Sir Gareth
went hither and thither, smiting anyone that came in his way, and by
fortune he met with his brother Sir Gawaine, and knocked off his
helmet. Now it happened that while he was fighting a Knight dealt Sir
Gareth a fierce blow on his helm, and he rode off the field to mend
it. Then his dwarf, who had been watching eagerly, cried out to Sir
Gareth to leave the ring with him, lest he should lose it while he was
drinking, which Sir Gareth did; and when he had drunk and mended his
helm he forgot the ring, at which the dwarf was glad, for he knew his
name could no longer be hid. And when Sir Gareth returned to the
field, his armour shone yellow like gold, and King Arthur marvelled
what Knight he was, for he saw by his hair that he was the same Knight
who had worn the many colours. 'Go,' he said to his heralds, 'ride
near him and see what manner of Knight he is, for none can tell me his
name.' So a herald drew close to him, and saw that on his helm was
written in golden letters 'This helm belongs to Sir Gareth of Orkney';
and the herald cried out and made proclamation, and the Kings and
Knights pressed to behold him. And when Sir Gareth saw he was
discovered, he struck more fiercely than before, and smote down Sir
Sagramore, and his brother Sir Gawaine. 'O brother,' said Sir Gawaine,
'I did not think you would have smitten me!' When Sir Gareth heard him
say that he rode out of the press, and cried to his dwarf, 'Boy, you
have played me foul, for you have kept my ring. Give it to me now,
that I may hide myself,' and he galloped swiftly into the forest, and
no one knew where he had gone. 'What shall I do next?' asked he of the
dwarf. 'Sir,' answered the dwarf, 'send the Lady Lyonesse back her
ring.' 'Your counsel is good,' said Gareth; 'take it to her, and
commend me to her grace, and say I will come when I may, and bid her
to be faithful to me, as I am to her.' After that Sir Gareth rode
deeper into the forest.
Though Sir Gareth had left the tournament he found that there were as
many fights awaiting him as if he had remained there. He overcame all
his foes, and sent them and their followers to do homage to King
Arthur, but he himself stayed behind. He was standing alone after they
had gone, when he beheld an armed Knight coming towards him. Sir
Gareth sprang on his horse, and without a word the two crashed
together like thunder, and strove hard for two hours, till the ground
was wet with blood. At that time the damsel Linet came riding by, and
saw what was doing, and knew who were the fighters. And she cried 'Sir
Gawaine, Sir Gawaine, leave fighting with your brother Sir Gareth.'
Then he threw down his shield and sword, and ran to Sir Gareth, and
first took him in his arms and next kneeled down and asked mercy of
him. 'Why do you, who were but now so strong and mighty, so suddenly
yield to me?' asked Sir Gareth, who had not perceived the damsel. 'O
Gareth, I am your brother, and have had much sorrow for your sake.'
At this Sir Gareth unlaced his helm and knelt before Sir Gawaine, and
they rose and embraced each other. 'Ah, my fair brother,' said Sir
Gawaine, 'I ought rightly to do you homage, even if you were not my
brother, for in this twelvemonth you have sent King Arthur more
Knights than any six of the best men of the Round Table.' While he was
speaking there came the Lady Linet, and healed the wounds of Sir
Gareth and of Sir Gawaine. 'What are you going to do now?' asked she.
'It is time that King Arthur had tidings of you both, and your horses
are not fit to bear you.'
'Ride, I pray you,' said Sir Gawaine, 'to my uncle King Arthur, who is
but two miles away, and tell him what adventure has befallen me.' So
she mounted her mule, and when she had told her tale to King Arthur,
he bade them saddle him a palfrey and invited all the Knights and
ladies of his Court to ride with him. When they reached the place they
saw Sir Gareth and Sir Gawaine sitting on the hill-side. The King
jumped off his horse, and would have greeted them, but he swooned away
for gladness, and they ran and comforted him, and also their mother.
The two Knights stayed in King Arthur's Court for eight days, and
rested themselves and grew strong. Then said the King to Linet, 'I
wonder that your sister, dame Lyonesse, does not come here to visit
me, or more truly to visit my nephew, Sir Gareth, who has worked so
hard to win her love.'
'My lord,' answered Linet, 'you must, by your grace, hold her excused,
for she does not know that Sir Gareth is here.'
'Go and fetch her, then,' said Arthur.
'That I will do quickly,' replied Linet, and by the next morning she
had brought dame Lyonesse, and her brother Sir Gringamore, and forty
Knights, but among the ladies dame Lyonesse was the fairest, save only
Queen Guenevere. They were all welcomed of King Arthur, who turned to
his nephew Sir Gareth and asked him whether he would have that lady to
his wife.
'My lord,' replied Sir Gareth, 'you know well that I love her above
all the ladies in the world.'
'And what say you, fair lady?' asked the King.
'Most noble King,' said dame Lyonesse, 'I would sooner have Sir Gareth
as my husband than any King or Prince that may be christened, and if I
may not have him I promise you I will have none. For he is my first
love, and shall be my last. And if you will suffer him to have his
will and choice, I dare say he will have me.'
'That is truth,' said Sir Gareth.
'What, nephew,' cried the King, 'sits the wind in that door? Then you
shall have all the help that is in my power,' and so said Gareth's
mother. And it was fixed that the marriage should be at Michaelmas, at
Kin-Kenadon by the sea-shore, and thus it was proclaimed in all places
of the realm. Then Sir Gareth sent his summons to all the Knights and
ladies that he had won in battle that they should be present, and he
gave a rich ring to the Lady Lyonesse, and she gave him one likewise.
And before she departed she had from King Arthur a shining golden bee,
as a token. After that Sir Gareth set her on her way towards her
castle, and returned unto the King. But he would ever be in Sir
Lancelot's company, for there was no Knight that Sir Gareth loved so
well as Sir Lancelot. The days drew fast to Michaelmas, and there came
the Lady Lyonesse with her sister Linet and her brother Sir Gringamore
to Kin-Kenadon by the sea, and there were they lodged by order of King
Arthur. And upon Michaelmas Day the Bishop of Canterbury wedded Sir
Gareth and the Lady Lyonesse with great ceremonies, and King Arthur
commanded that Sir Gawaine should be joined to the damsel Linet, and
Sir Agrawaine to the niece of dame Lyonesse, whose name was Laurel.
Then the Knights whom Sir Gareth had won in battle came with their
followings and did homage to him, and the Green Knight besought him
that he might act as chamberlain at the feast, and the Red Knight that
he might be his steward. As soon as the feast was ended, they had all
manner of minstrelsy and games and a great tournament that lasted
three days, but at the prayer of dame Lyonesse the King would not
suffer that any man who was wedded should fight at that feast.
_THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAAL_
This is a mysterious part of the adventures of King Arthur's Knights.
We must remember that parts of these stories are very old; they were
invented by the heathen Welsh, or by the ancient Britons, from whom
the Welsh are descended, and by the old pagan Irish, who spoke Gaelic,
a language not very unlike Welsh. Then these ancient stories were
translated by French and other foreign writers, and Christian beliefs
and chivalrous customs were added in the French romances, and,
finally, the French was translated into English about the time of
Edward IV. by Sir Thomas Malory, who altered as he pleased. The Story
of the Holy Graal, in this book, is mostly taken from Malory, but
partly from 'The High History of the Holy Graal,' translated by Dr.
Sebastian Evans from an old French book.
What _was_ the Holy Graal? In the stories it is the holy vessel used
by our Lord, and brought to Britain by Joseph of Arimathea. But in the
older heathen Irish stories there is a mysterious vessel of a magical
sort, full of miraculous food, and probably the French writers of the
romances confused this with the sacred vessel brought from the Holy
Land. On account of the sins of men this relic was made invisible, but
now and then it appeared, borne by angels or floating in a heavenly
light. The Knights, against King Arthur's wish, made a vow to find it,
and gave up their duties of redressing wrongs and keeping order, to
pursue the beautiful vision. But most of them, for their sins, were
unsuccessful, like Sir Lancelot, and the Round Table was scattered
and the kingdom was weakened by the neglect of ordinary duties in the
search for what could never be gained by mortal men. This appears to
be the moral of the story, if it has any moral. But the stories are
confused almost like a dream, though it is a beautiful dream.
I