_Wherein King Arthur miraculously procures a sword._
Soon after Arthur was crowned king he went on a journey with
Merlin, the wise magician. They met a knight in the wood, who
challenged Arthur to combat. The king fought the knight as they did
in those days, and though he overcame the knight, yet the king lost
so much blood that he was very weak.
As he and Merlin continued their journey, the king said, “I am
weak from loss of blood, and my sword is broken. When shall I get
another?”
“Fear not,” said Merlin, “you shall lose no more blood and you
shall get another sword as good as the one you broke.” And they
rode on in silence for a long while. At last they came to a large
lake, very quiet and beautiful, with trees around the edges, and of
color like turquoise.
While Arthur was gazing out into the lake he became aware of three
women standing by his side. “Who are you?” asked Arthur. To which
they replied, “We are queens who have come to help you. Look out
into the lake again.”
Arthur looked out upon the lake, and saw in the distance a cloud
upon the water like a mist. It moved toward him, and when it came
near he saw in the cloud the figure of a woman. Her robe seemed
made of the waves of the lake, and her hair was like the morning
mist. She was so wonderful that Arthur exclaimed, “Who is she?”
Then Merlin said, “She is The Lady of the Lake. She lives in the
rock in the midst of the water, and has come to help you.”
Arthur looked at the figure of the woman. She smiled at him, and
pointed at the lake. Then Arthur saw an arm rising out of the
water, clothed in pure white. The arm held a sword with a crosslike
hilt, and the sword shone so bright that Arthur’s eyes were dazzled.
Then Arthur spoke up and said, “Fair Lady, I would that yonder
sword were mine, for I have lost one in combat, and am now without
one.”
The lady smiled and said, “Step into yonder boat, and row to the
arm, and take the sword, together with the scabbard.” And so Arthur
untied the boat, took the oars, and rowed out into the lake. Coming
to the arm he took the sword and scabbard, and rowed back to the
shore. When he landed he found that the three queens and the Lady
of the Lake and the arm had vanished.
As Arthur was gazing at the sword, Merlin said to him: “My lord,
which pleases you more, the sword or the scabbard?”
To which Arthur replied, “The sword pleases me more.”
Then Merlin told him to guard the scabbard for so long as he held
it he would lose no blood. Then Merlin said, “You have a good sword
now; use it in making justice and right prevail in all the land.”
And they rode along on their journey.