Uther Pendragon was one of the kings who ruled in Britain so long ago
that many marvelous legends have sprung up about him and his more famous
son, Arthur. They lived in the days when magicians and witches were
believed to be common, and the stories of the time are filled with deeds
of magic and with miraculous events.
Merlin was the greatest of magicians, and it was only by his power that
King Uther won the wife he wanted and that his son was protected and
nurtured during his childhood and youth. Many of the knights of King
Uther aspired to his throne, and so to protect the baby Arthur, Merlin
carried him to the good knight Sir Ector, who brought him up with his
own son Kay; but none knew that the boy was Uther's son.
When Arthur had grown to be a tall, manly youth and was skilled in the
use of arms, the Archbishop of Canterbury called together all the
men-at-arms and the great ladies of the land, for Merlin had declared
that at Christmas-tide great wonders should be done. King Uther had been
long dead, and there was much wrangling over his successor, although he
had declared on his death bed that his son Arthur was living and should
reign in his stead.
From all sides, barons, knights and ladies, with long retinues of
servants, crowded into London and gathered into the greatest church.
When the people came forth from the service there was seen in the
churchyard a great marble stone, four square, and having in the midst of
it a steel anvil a foot high. Through the middle of this anvil a
beautiful sword was sticking, with the point projecting beyond. Around
the sword in letters of gold was written,
"WHOSO PULLETH THIS SWORD
OUT OF THIS STONE AND ANVIL IS
THE TRUE-BORN KING OF BRITAIN."
The excitement was great and for some time difficult to quell, for every
man who hoped to be king wished to be the first to try to draw the
sword; but the Archbishop arranged the men in order, and one after
another they made their attempts. Not even the strongest man in the
kingdom could move the sword the fraction of a single inch.
When it became certain that no one could draw the sword, the Archbishop
set ten knights to guard it and decreed that on New Year's Day the
people should meet for other attempts; in the meantime, word should be
sent abroad that all in the kingdom might know of the marvelous sword
and the reward that awaited the successful knight. A great tournament
was called and many rich prizes were offered.
Among those who came to the jousts were Sir Ector and his son, Sir Kay,
and the young man Arthur, not yet a knight. In the morning when they
rode to the field where the multitude were gathered to watch the
jousting, Sir Kay discovered that he had left his sword at his lodgings.
"Arthur, I beg you to ride back and bring me my sword," said Sir Kay.
[Illustration: ARTHUR DRAWS THE SWORD]
Arthur willingly rode back, but when he came to the lodging he could not
enter, because every one had gone out to see the jousting. Arthur loved
Sir Kay dearly, and could not bear to think of his brother being kept
out of the tourney because he had no sword. And so, as he rode by the
churchyard and saw the magic sword unguarded in the stone, he thought
how fine a weapon it would be for Sir Kay.
"How fortunate that the guards have gone to see the tourney. I'll take
this sword to Kay," he said.
When Arthur laid his hand on the jewelled hilt the sword came free from
its resting place, and the boy bore it joyously to his brother.
As soon as Sir Kay saw the sword he knew it was the one that had been in
the magic stone. Hastily riding to Sir Ector he said, "See, here is the
sword of the stone. It must be that I am to be king."