_How queen Morgan le Fay made great sorrow for the death of Accolon,
and how she stole away the scabbard from Arthur._
Then came tidings unto Morgan le Fay that Accolon was dead, and his
body brought unto the church, and how king Arthur had his sword again.
But when queen Morgan wist that Accolon was dead she was so sorrowful
that near her heart to burst. But because she would not it were known,
outward she kept her countenance, and made no semblance of sorrow. But
well she wist, and she abode till her brother Arthur came thither,
there should no gold go for her life.
Then she went unto queen Guenever, and asked her leave to ride into the
country. Ye may abide, said queen Guenever, till your brother the king
come home. I may not, said Morgan le Fay, for I have such hasty tidings
that I may not tarry. Well, said Guenever, ye may depart when ye will.
So early on the morn, or it was day, she took her horse and rode all
that day, and most part of the night, and on the morn by noon she came
to the same abbey of nuns, whereas lay king Arthur, and she, knowing he
was there, asked where he was: and they answered how he had laid him in
his bed to sleep, for he had had but little rest these three nights.
Well, said she, I charge you that none of you awake him till I do. And
then she alight off her horse, and thought for to steal away Excalibur
his sword, and so she went straight unto his chamber, and no man durst
disobey her commandment, and there she found Arthur asleep in his bed,
and Excalibur in his right hand naked. When she saw that, she was
passing heavy that she might not come by the sword without she had
awaked him, and then she wist well she had been dead. Then she took the
scabbard, and went her way on horseback. When the king awoke and missed
his scabbard, he was wroth, and he asked who had been there, and they
said his sister queen Morgan had been there, and had put the scabbard
under her mantle, and was gone. Alas, said Arthur, falsely have ye
watched me. Sir, said they all, we durst not disobey your sister’s
commandment. Ah, said the king, let fetch the best horse that may be
found, and bid Sir Ontzlake arm him in all haste, and take another good
horse and ride with me. So anon the king and Ontzlake were well armed,
and rode after this lady; and so they came by a cross, and found a
cowherd, and they asked the poor man if there came any lady late riding
that way. Sir, said this poor man, right late came a lady riding with a
forty horses, and to yonder forest she rode. Then they spurred their
horses and followed fast, and within awhile Arthur had a sight of
Morgan le Fay; then he chased as fast as he might. When she espied him
following her, she rode a greater pace through the forest till she came
to a plain. And when she saw she might not escape, she rode unto a lake
thereby, and said, Whatsoever becometh of me, my brother shall not have
this scabbard. And then she let throw the scabbard in the deepest of
the water, so it sank, for it was heavy of gold and precious stones.
Then she rode into a valley where many great stones were, and when she
saw that she must be overtaken, she shaped herself, horse and man, by
enchantment, unto a great marble stone. Anon withal came Sir Arthur and
Sir Ontzlake, whereas the king might not know his sister and her men,
and one knight from another. Ah, said the king, here may ye see the
vengeance of God, and now am I sorry that this misadventure is
befallen. And then he looked for the scabbard, but it would not be
found. So he returned to the abbey there he came from. So when Arthur
was gone she turned all into the likeness as she and they were before,
and said, Sirs, now may we go where we will.