accidentally killed the cousin of King Arthur, and had been taken
to the court of the king for trial. He had lived there almost as
a prisoner for six months, until it was decided that he had not
meant to do wrong. All his money was gone, and his clothes and
armor were poor. He was sorry for this, but he was still more
sorry that he was not doing brave deeds like the other knights.
One day when he sat in the great hall at Camelot, looking at the
shields which were carved or covered with gold, a damsel entered
who wore a rich mantle, trimmed with fur. As Arthur and the
knights looked at her, she let it fall to the floor, and they saw
that she wore a heavy sword.
"Damsel," said Arthur, "why do you, a maiden, wear a sword?"
"Alas!" said the maiden, "I should be glad if I did not wear it.
It is very heavy, and causes me pain. But I am forced to wear it
until I meet a knight who can take it from me."
"Surely many knights could do that, and gladly," the lords said.
"No," said the lady. "It seems that there is but one knight in
all the world who is to take the sword. I heard that there were
brave knights at the Court of King Rience, the enemy of King
Arthur, and I went there. Yet no one could unfasten the sword.
Now am I come here on the same errand."
"In truth, damsel," said the king, "you are right welcome. My
knights shall try to take your weapon."
Then, at a sign from Arthur, a knight stepped forward. But, even
though he exerted all his strength, the sword could not be
unfastened.
"Sir, you need not pull so hard," said the damsel. "The one who
is to take the sword will do so easily."
All the knights tried except Sir Balin, who stood back because of
his poor clothes. Yet he wanted very much to see if he was the
chosen knight, and just as the damsel was going away, he said:
"Damsel, will you let me try? I am poorly clothed, but my heart
tells me that I may succeed."
The damsel saw that he had a good face. But his clothes were so
poor she doubted if he were really a knight.
"I am afraid you will fail," she said.
"Ah, maiden," he returned, "poor clothes are but the outside.
Good deeds are just as worthy, whether done by a rich person or a
poor one. Many a man who is badly clothed has real valor and
kindness."
"That is very true," she said; "so try, good sir."
Then Sir Balin seized the hilt of the sword, and the weapon came
away easily. All the lords wondered, and the lady said:
"You are a good knight, the best I have met. You shall do many
brave deeds. And now, give me my sword again."
"No," said Sir Balin, "I should like to keep this sword, for I
have no other."
"Alas!" said the maiden, "I am sorry to hear these words, for now
I must give you the sword."
"Surely he deserves it," said Arthur, "for it weighed heavily on
you."
"Yes," she replied, "but it is a misfortune for him to keep it.
He shall slay with it the best friend he has in the world. It is
going to prove his destruction."
Sir Balin would not believe her.
"I could not slay my best friend," he said. "Besides, I am
willing to meet whatever happens, and I wish to keep the sword."
Then the maiden departed in great sorrow, while Balin said to the
king:
"My lord, give me permission to leave your court."
"I do not like to lose you," said the king. "Perhaps you are
angry because you were in prison so long. You must know that it
takes time to find out who is innocent and who is guilty."
"My lord," answered Sir Balin, "I know it is not wise to make a
judgment hastily, and I do not blame you for keeping me in
prison. I love you, and wish to leave your court that I may do
some deed worthy of the Round Table."
Then Arthur said that he might go. Soon a servant brought to
Balin a fine horse and good armor which were the gifts of the
king. Balin at once took leave of Arthur and the knights, and
rode away, singing as he rode, for he was very happy. Sometimes
he stopped to lift up his shield and admire it. It had a blue
emblem upon it, and to Sir Balin's eyes its beauty was that of
the sky, the soft blue of heaven.
Sir Balin rode until he was tired. At last, from the crest of a
hill, he saw a gloomy stone castle, and galloped towards it
joyfully, hoping to rest there.
At a turn of the road, he saw a cross with gold letters upon it.
He stopped to read the words, which were: "Let no knight go to
the castle, for great danger is there."
"Oh," said Sir Balin, "I am used to danger. I fear nothing," and
he went on.
Presently an old man started up beside the road. He had a long
gray beard, and was dressed in a long gray robe that sparkled
with little specks of frost. The old man said to Sir Balin:
"Did you not read the letters on the cross?"
"Yes," replied Sir Balin, "but I am not afraid."
"Oh, Sir Balin, you of all men should fear to go to that castle,"
the old man said.
"Why?" he asked in amazement. "Nevertheless, I shall go."
"Sir Balin, Sir Balin!" cried the old man after him, "you are too
self-willed. You will be very sorry for what you have done before
you die."
But Sir Balin rode on without fear, and soon reached the gate of
the castle. A hundred beautiful ladies and many knights welcomed
him. They took off his armor and put a rich crimson cloak upon
his shoulders. Then they led him into a banquet hall where there
was music and dancing. They set food before him, and he ate,
thankfully. He was very happy, feeling sure that he could rest
here for many days.
Just as he was thinking this, the lady who was mistress of the
castle said:
"Sir knight, it is the rule of this castle that every lord who
comes here as a guest must fight."
"That is a hard custom," said Sir Balin.
"Yet you need fight but once," answered the lady. "We have here
the knight who entered just before you came."
"Alas!" said Sir Balin, "I would rather not fight, for I wish to
rest. Since such is the custom of the castle, however, I must do
my part. Let some one bring my armor."
A servant at once came up to him with a suit of black armor.
"This is not my armor," said Sir Balin. "My armor is not painted
black. It is honest gray steel, decorated with blue."
"It is the custom of the castle to wear black," they told him.
"This armor is as good as your own."
Sir Balin felt sad, he could hardly tell why; and was very sorry
that he had ever come to the castle. Putting on the armor,
however, he went into the courtyard and mounted his horse. No
sooner was he ready than another knight, clad all in black,
entered the courtyard.
The two knights rode together so fiercely that the shock threw
them both off their horses in a swoon. After a time they
recovered and began to fight on foot, pressing each other near
the walls of the castle.
Sir Balin was fighting with the sword that he had taken from the
damsel in King Arthur's Court. It was a strong sword, and
whenever it struck, the armor of his opponent cracked. They
fought till their breath failed, and then they rested. Each knew
that never before had he dealt with such a strong enemy.
Then they fought again, and gave each other seven deep wounds,
the least of which would prove fatal. All the ground was red with
blood, but Sir Balin fought on still, for the people of the
castle were watching from the walls, and he wished to be thought
a great warrior. So at last he used all his remaining strength
and gave the other knight such a hard blow that he fell to the
ground. Sir Balin knew that it was a death stroke. He felt that
he, too, was about to die, and said:
"Who are you? I never fought with such a strong knight before."
The other answered faintly:
"I am Sir Balan, the brother to the good knight Sir Balin."
Then Sir Balin cried out:
"Alas, alas! that I should live to see this day!" and he fell
backward in a swoon.
Sir Balan was dying, but he crawled on his hands and knees to
where Sir Balin lay, and took off his helmet only to discover the
face of his brother. Then he wept bitterly till Sir Balin
recovered from his swoon.
"Alas!" said Sir Balan, "if we had but worn our own armor we
should have known each other. And now we must die; we have killed
each other."
[Illustration: _"They fought till their breath failed"_]
Sir Balin was too full of remorse to weep.
"All this is my fault," he said. "As the old man on the road told
me, I have been too self-willed. First, I would have the damsel's
sword, although she told me that I should slay with it the best
friend I had. That is you, Balan. And then I would enter this
castle in spite of warnings. I deserve to die, but it is a hard
punishment that I should have killed you, my brother."
Soon some ladies came from the wall into the courtyard, and to
them Sir Balin said:
"We are two dear brothers who have killed each other. I pray you,
promise to bury us in the same grave."
The ladies wept as they made the promise. The two brothers put
their arms about each other and waited for death. They hoped to
die together, but Sir Balan died first. Soon after, when Sir
Balin had also died, the ladies buried them together, and put a
stone above the grave, telling the sad story of their combat and
death.
[Illustration] SIR GERAINT AND ENID
One of the bravest knights in King Arthur's Court was Sir
Geraint. Once he was in the forest with Queen Guinevere and one
of her maidens, when a lady, a knight, and a dwarf rode by. The
queen told the maiden to go to the dwarf and ask who his master
was.
As the maiden approached them, she saw that the knight had a very
proud face. She asked the dwarf his master's name, but he said,
roughly:
"I do not know."
"If you do not know," answered the maiden, "I will ask him
myself."
She started to ride up to the knight, but the dwarf struck at her
with his whip. Upon this, she went back and told the queen and
Sir Geraint what had passed. Sir Geraint was very angry, and he
said to the queen:
"Fair queen, I will ride after this knight and his dwarf and
avenge the insult done to your maiden. If I succeed, I shall
return in three days."
"Do so," said the queen, "and I trust you will succeed, not only
in this, but in all things which you attempt. Some day you will
love some fair lady. Before you marry her, bring her to me, and
no matter how poor or how rich she may be, I will clothe her for
her wedding in the most beautiful garments in the world. They
shall shine like the sun."
So off rode Sir Geraint, keeping at some distance behind the
lady, the knight, and the dwarf. At last, after passing through
many woods, he lost sight of them as they disappeared beyond the
top of a hill. Sir Geraint rode up, and saw below him, in a
valley, the one street of a little town. On one side was a
fortress, so new that the stone of which it was built was still
white; while on the other side stood a gray old castle, fast
falling into decay. He saw the three people he was following
enter the fortress.
In the little town there was a great deal of noise and bustle. At
first Sir Geraint could not find any place to stay, for the
houses were all full. He stopped before a servant who was
scouring his master's armor, and asked what all the noise meant.
The servant said:
"The Sparrow-hawk," and went on working.
Then he met an old man carrying a sack of corn, and asked him the
same question. The old man made the same reply. Next Sir Geraint
approached one who was making armor, and questioned him. Without
looking up the man replied:
"Friend, he who works for the Sparrow-hawk has little time for
answering questions."
Sir Geraint was vexed, and said:
"I am weary of hearing of your Sparrow-hawk. I do not understand
what you mean. Will you not tell me where I can find a place to
stay for to-night? And will you not sell me some armor? I have
but my sword."
Then the man looked up, and said:
"Your pardon, sir. We are all very busy here, for to-morrow we
hold a tournament, and our work is not half done. I cannot give
you armor, for we need all that we have in the town. As to
lodging, all the room is taken. However, perhaps Earl Iniol in
the castle will receive you."
Sir Geraint rode over to the gray old castle, and as the gate was
open, entered the ruined courtyard. Dismounting, he went into the
hall. Here he found the earl, an elderly man dressed in clothes
which had once been handsome, but were now old and worn. To him
Sir Geraint said:
"Good sir, I seek lodging for the night."
The old Earl Iniol answered:
"Sir, I was once rich and am now poor; nevertheless, I will
gladly give you the best I have."
As he spoke, some one in the castle began to sing. The voice was
very sweet. Sir Geraint thought he had never heard anyone sing so
wonderfully.
"That is my daughter Enid," said the earl.
Then he took Sir Geraint into a room in which sat an old lady in
a faded velvet gown. She was the earl's wife. By her side stood
Enid in a faded silk gown. She was as beautiful as her voice was
sweet, and after watching her, Sir Geraint said to himself:
"I already love this maiden."
He said nothing out loud, only looked at her. Earl Iniol spoke to
her:
"Enid, this good knight will stay with us. His horse is in the
courtyard; take it to the stall and give it corn. Then go into
the town and buy us some food."
Sir Geraint wished to put away his horse himself, but the old
earl said:
"Sir, we are very poor, but we cannot permit our guest to do any
work. I pray you, stay here."
So Enid took the horse to the stall. After that, she went into
the town and soon returned with meat and sweet cakes. Then,
because most of the rooms in the old castle were in ruins, she
cooked the meat in the same hall in which they were to eat. When
the meal was ready, she waited on her father and her mother and
Sir Geraint. The knight watched her and loved her more and more.
When they had risen from the table, he said to the earl:
"My lord, pray tell me what the people of this town mean when
they speak of the Sparrow-hawk."
The earl's face grew sad, as he said:
"That is the name given to the young knight who rules in this
town."
"Does he live in the fortress?" asked Sir Geraint. "And do a lady
and a dwarf ride with him?"
"Yes," said the earl.
"Ah, then he is the man I am in search of," said Sir Geraint. "I
must fight with him before three days are over. I am Geraint of
King Arthur's Court."
"I know your name well," said the earl. "We often hear of your
great deeds at Camelot. Many times have I related to my Enid the
story of your brave deeds."
"I am bound to do my duty with the other knights," answered Sir
Geraint. "And now tell me more of this Sparrow-hawk."
"Alas! he is my nephew," said the earl. "At one time I ruled this
town. My nephew, the Sparrow-hawk, was powerful, too, and he
asked to unite our power by marrying Enid, but neither she nor I
wished it. Then he collected a body of men and attacked me, and
took all my wealth, leaving me nothing but this old castle."
"To-morrow," said Sir Geraint, "I will fight in the tournament
with this Sparrow-hawk, and conquer him, and give you back your
lands. But I lack armor."
"I can give you armor, although it is old and rusty," said the
earl. "But no one is allowed to fight in this tournament unless
there is some lady he loves best in all the world. Then he fights
for the sake of this lady, and if he wins, receives the prize,
which he in turn gives to her."
"What is the prize?" asked Sir Geraint.
"A hawk, a sparrow-hawk made of gold. This nephew of mine is very
strong and has always overcome every knight who has opposed him
in these tournaments, which are held yearly. It is because he has
won the prize so often that he is called the Sparrow-hawk. But
tell me, is there some lady whom you love?"
Then Sir Geraint said:
"I love this child of yours, my lord, and will gladly make her my
wife if you will permit it."
The earl was very glad, but Enid was afraid, for she thought she
was not worthy of such a great knight. Yet, she knew she loved
him, and said so, and soon promised to go with him to Arthur's
Court within three days.
The next morning, the earl and Sir Geraint and Enid went to the
field where the tournament was to take place. Many knights and
ladies were there. The ladies sat under a pavilion which was
draped in purple velvet ornamented with gold, while the knights
were on horseback. A herald blew a trumpet, and the knight who
was called the Sparrow-hawk galloped into the field.
He rode around it three times, and then went up to the pavilion
and said to his lady:
"I give you the gold sparrow-hawk again, because no one dares to
fight with me for it."
Then Sir Geraint rode forward in his rusty armor and said:
"I will fight with you."
The knight looked upon him, and gave a very scornful laugh as he
rode at Sir Geraint. The two clashed together and began to fight
fiercely, while all the people watched. Twice they had to stop
and rest. For a long time they seemed evenly matched, and no one
could decide which would win. But when Sir Geraint looked to
where Enid sat in her faded silk gown among the richly dressed
ladies in the pavilion, he grew very strong and struck his enemy
such a blow that he fell to the earth.
"Now, Sparrow-hawk," said Sir Geraint, "I have overthrown you.
You must do two things: you must ride with your lady and your
dwarf to Arthur's Court and ask pardon of Queen Guinevere because
your dwarf struck her maiden; and you must restore all the riches
you have taken from your good uncle, Earl Iniol."
This the knight promised to do. And afterwards, in Arthur's
Court, he grew very sorry for his evil deeds, and became a good
man.
Meanwhile, Enid was making ready to go to Arthur's Court with Sir
Geraint. She was sorry that she had only her robe of faded silk.
She remembered a robe her mother had given her before the
Sparrow-hawk took their riches. It was of velvet, the color of
mother-of-pearl, with gold leaves and flowers and birds
embroidered upon it.
While she was thinking of this beautiful robe, her mother entered
the room, carrying it. Enid gave a cry of joy, and her mother
told her that the Sparrow-hawk had just given it back, together
with other robes and gold and jewels. "Put it on, Enid," she
said, and helped her daughter to array herself in the handsome
gown, exclaiming: "How beautiful you look, my dear child! Sir
Geraint may well be proud to fetch such a fair lady to King
Arthur's Court."
Just then the earl entered to tell them that the knight wanted
Enid to ride with him to Camelot in the faded silk dress in which
he had first seen her.
Enid, although she was deeply disappointed, at once put on again
her faded gown. When Sir Geraint came in he saw that the earl's
wife was also disappointed, so he told them that the queen had
promised to dress his bride in the most beautiful robes in the
world for her wedding. At this both the ladies were much pleased.
So after bidding farewell to her parents, Enid rode with Sir
Geraint to Camelot, where the queen welcomed her, and gave her a
robe that was as bright as the sun. Then the good Archbishop of
Canterbury married Sir Geraint and Enid amid great rejoicings.
[Illustration: Two Crossed Swords and a Shield]
[Illustration] ARTHUR AND SIR ACCALON
There was a woman in Arthur's Court named Morgan le Fay, who had
learned a great deal about magic. She was a wicked woman, and
hated the king because he was more powerful than she, and because
he was so good.
However, she pretended to be a true friend to him, and the king
believed in her. One day when they were talking together, she
asked him if he would not let her take charge of his wonderful
sword Excalibur, and its scabbard. She said that she would guard
them so carefully that they would never be stolen. As she was
very eager, Arthur granted her request.
One day in time of peace, King Arthur went out hunting with a
certain knight named Sir Accalon, who was the lover of Morgan le
Fay. They rode for a long time, and when they were tired, stopped
to rest beside a great lake. As they looked over its shining
waters, they saw a beautiful little ship, which sailed straight
towards them, and ran up to the sands at their feet. It was all
covered with golden silks, which waved in the gentle wind. King
Arthur and Sir Accalon climbed into it and examined it thoroughly,
but they found no one on board.
They rested on two couches which were on the deck, until it grew
dark. Then they were about to return home, when all at once, a
hundred torches, set on the sides of the ship were lighted, and
suddenly there appeared twelve beautiful damsels who told the two
that they were welcome, and that they should be served with a
banquet.
Presently the maidens led the king and the knight into a room
which had a table covered with a white cloth embroidered in
purple. It bore many golden dishes, and each dish had a beautiful
design carved upon it. Some dishes had vine-leaves, others
ivy-leaves; some had angels with long robes sweeping back in
graceful lines; and all these dishes held choice food. The king
and Sir Accalon ate to their hearts' content.
Then the damsels led them into two separate chambers. King Arthur
was tired and so sleepy that he gave but one glance at his
bedroom. He saw that it was hung in red silk embroidered with
gold dragons and griffins. Then he threw himself on his bed and
slept very soundly.
When he awoke, he found himself not in the pretty bed-chamber,
but in a dark place. He could see nothing, but all about him he
heard the sound of complaining and weeping. He was much
bewildered, but in a moment he cried:
"What is this? Where am I?"
Then a voice answered:
"You are in prison, as we are."
"Who are you?" asked Arthur.
The voice replied:
"We are twenty knights, prisoners, and some of us have been here
as long as seven years. We are in the dungeons of a wicked lord
named Sir Damas. He has a younger brother, and the two brothers
are enemies, quarreling about their inheritance. Now the younger
brother, Sir Ontzlake, is very strong, but Sir Damas is not
strong, and moreover, he is a coward. So he tries to find a
knight who will fight for him against Sir Ontzlake.
"But Sir Damas is so much hated that no one will fight for him.
So he goes about the country with a body of rough men, and
whenever he sees a knight, he captures him. Then he asks him to
fight with Sir Ontzlake. So far, all the knights have refused,
and have been thrown into prison. We do not have food enough, but
we would rather die here than fight for Sir Damas, who is so
wicked."
At that moment a damsel entered the prison with a torch, which
faintly lighted the dismal place, and advanced to the king.
"Sir," she said, "will you fight for my lord, Sir Damas? If you
will, you shall be taken from this prison. If you will not, you
shall die here."
Arthur considered for some time, and then said:
"I would rather fight than die in prison. If I fight, will you
deliver also all these prisoners?"
The damsel promised, and Arthur consented to fight. While she
went to tell Sir Damas, Arthur said to the other prisoners:
"My friends, I do not know Sir Damas, and I do not know Sir
Ontzlake. I do not know whether they are bad or good. But I will
fight, and then, when I have conquered, I shall judge between
them, and do justice to both."
"That is a good plan," said the knights, "but why are you so sure
that you will conquer?"
"I am Arthur, the King," he replied.
At that the knights set up a great cry of joy, and the king
continued:
"I shall send for my good sword Excalibur and the scabbard, and
with these I shall surely win."
So when Arthur and the knights were led out of prison, the king
sent the damsel who had visited them to Morgan le Fay for his
sword and scabbard.
Meantime, the knight who had accompanied Arthur on the little
ship, Sir Accalon, also awoke. He found himself in the palace of
Morgan le Fay, and he wondered very much where Arthur was. He
went to the lady, who said to him:
"My dear lord, the day has come when you can have great power if
you want it. Should you like to be king of this land, instead of
Arthur?"
Now Sir Accalon was a traitor at heart. He wanted very much to be
king, even if the good Arthur was to be killed; so he said:
"Yes, truly."
Then she said:
"You shall be king, and I shall be your queen. All you need to do
is to fight a great battle, which you shall win. I have been
using my magic. It was I who sent the ship of silk to you and
Arthur. I had him put into prison, and I had you brought here."
Sir Accalon wondered very much. Then she told him of the fight
King Arthur was to make against Sir Ontzlake.
"But I have caused Sir Ontzlake to fall sick," she said, "and he
cannot fight. I shall go with you to his castle and you can offer
to fight for him."
"I to fight with the king!" cried Sir Accalon. "He would surely
overthrow me."
"He cannot," said Morgan le Fay, "because you are to fight with
his sword. A little while ago he sent to me for Excalibur and the
scabbard, but I returned him a false sword which looks like
Excalibur, and a false scabbard. You shall take the true ones,
and then you shall surely overcome him and rule this land."