The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
hilt of the sword, and it was of pure gold beset with jewels of several
sorts, so that the hilt of the sword and the bracelets that encircled
the arm glistered in the midst of the lake like to some singular star
of exceeding splendor. And King Arthur sat upon his war-horse and gazed
from a distance at the arm and the sword, and he greatly marvelled
thereat; yet he wist not how he might come at that sword, for the lake
was wonderfully wide and deep, wherefore he knew not how he might come
thereunto for to make it his own. And as he sat pondering this thing
within himself, he was suddenly aware of a strange lady, who approached
him through those tall flowers that bloomed along the margin of the
lake. And when he perceived her coming toward him he quickly dismounted
from his war-horse and he went forward for to meet her with the
bridle-rein over his arm. And when he had come nigh to her, he
perceived that she was extraordinarily beautiful, and that her face was
like wax for clearness, and that her eyes were perfectly black, and
that they were as bright and glistening as though they were two jewels
set in ivory. And he perceived that her hair was like silk and as black
as it was possible to be, and so long that it reached unto the ground
as she walked. And the lady was clad all in green--only that a fine
cord of crimson and gold was interwoven into the plaits of her hair.
And around her neck there hung a very beautiful necklace of several
strands of opal stones and emeralds, set in cunningly wrought gold; and
around her wrists were bracelets of the like sort--of opal stones and
emeralds set into gold. So when King Arthur beheld her wonderful
appearance, that it was like to an ivory statue of exceeding beauty
clad all in green, he immediately kneeled before her in the midst of
all those flowers as he said, “Lady, I do certainly perceive that thou
art no mortal damoiselle, but that thou art Fay. Also that this place,
because of its extraordinary beauty, can be no other than some land of
Faerie into which I have entered.”
And the Lady replied, “King Arthur, thou sayest soothly, for I am indeed
Faerie. Moreover, I may tell thee that my name is Nymue, and that I am
the chiefest of those Ladies of the Lake of whom thou mayst have heard
people speak. Also thou art to know that what thou beholdest yonder as a
wide lake is, in truth, a plain like unto this, all bedight with
flowers. And likewise thou art to know that in the midst of that plain
there standeth a castle of white marble and of ultramarine illuminated
with gold. But, lest mortal eyes should behold our dwelling-place, my
sisters and I have caused it to be that this appearance as of a lake
should extend all over that castle so that it is entirely hidden from
sight. Nor may any mortal man cross that lake, saving in one
way--otherwise he shall certainly perish therein.”
“Lady,” said King Arthur, “that which thou tellest me causes me to
wonder a very great deal. And, indeed, I am afraid that in coming
hitherward I have been doing amiss for to intrude upon the solitude of
your dwelling-place.”
“Nay, not so, King Arthur,” said the Lady of the Lake, “for, in truth,
thou art very welcome hereunto. Moreover, I may tell thee that I have a
greater friendliness for thee and those noble knights of thy court than
thou canst easily wot of. But I do beseech thee of thy courtesy for to
tell me what it is that brings thee to our land?”
“Lady,” quoth the King, “I will tell thee the entire truth. I fought of
late a battle with a certain sable knight, in the which I was sorely
and grievously wounded, and wherein I burst my spear and snapped my
sword and lost even my misericordia, so that I had not a single thing
left me by way of a weapon. In this extremity Merlin, here, told me of
Excalibur, and of how he is continually upheld by an arm in the midst of
this magical lake. So I came hither and, behold, I find it even as he
hath said. Now, Lady, an it be possible, I would fain achieve that
excellent sword, that, by means of it I might fight my battle to its
entire end.”
“Ha! my lord King,” said the Lady of the Lake, “that sword is no easy
thing for to achieve, and, moreover, I may tell thee that several
knights have lost their lives by attempting that which thou hast a mind
to do. For, in sooth, no man may win yonder sword unless he be without
fear and without reproach.”
“Alas, Lady!” quoth King Arthur, “that is indeed a sad saying for me.
For, though I may not lack in knightly courage, yet, in truth, there be
many things wherewith I do reproach myself withal. Ne’theless, I would
fain attempt this thing, even an it be to my great endangerment.
Wherefore, I prithee tell me how I may best undertake this adventure.”
[Sidenote: _The Lady of the Lake summoneth a boat._]
“King Arthur,” said the Lady of the Lake, “I will do what I say to aid
thee in thy wishes in this matter.” Whereupon she lifted a single
emerald that hung by a small chain of gold at her girdle and, lo! the
emerald was cunningly carved into the form of a whistle. And she set the
whistle to her lips and blew upon it very shrilly. Then straightway
there appeared upon the water, a great way off, a certain thing that
shone very brightly. And this drew near with great speed, and as it came
nigh, behold! it was a boat all of carven brass. And the prow of the
boat was carved into the form of a head of a beautiful woman, and upon
either side were wings like the wings of a swan. And the boat moved upon
the water like a swan--very swiftly--so that long lines, like to silver
threads, stretched far away behind, across the face of the water, which
otherwise was like unto glass for smoothness. And when the brazen boat
had reached the bank it rested there and moved no more.
Then the Lady of the Lake bade King Arthur to enter the boat, and so he
entered it. And immediately he had done so, the boat moved away from the
bank as swiftly as it had come thither. And Merlin and the Lady of the
Lake stood upon the margin of the water, and gazed after King Arthur and
the brazen boat.
And King Arthur beheld that the boat floated swiftly across the lake to
where was the arm uplifting the sword, and that the arm and the sword
moved not but remained where they were.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur obtaineth Excalibur._]
Then King Arthur reached forth and took the sword in his hand, and
immediately the arm disappeared beneath the water, and King Arthur held
the sword and the scabbard thereof and the belt thereof in his hand and,
lo! they were his own.
Then verily his heart swelled with joy an it would burst within his
bosom, for Excalibur was an hundred times more beautiful than he had
thought possible. Wherefore his heart was nigh breaking for pure joy at
having obtained that magic sword.
Then the brazen boat bore him very quickly back to the land again and he
stepped ashore where stood the Lady of the Lake and Merlin. And when he
stood upon the shore, he gave the Lady great thanks beyond measure for
all that she had done for to aid him in his great undertaking; and she
gave him cheerful and pleasing words in reply.
Then King Arthur saluted the lady, as became him, and, having mounted
his war-horse, and Merlin having mounted his palfrey, they rode away
thence upon their business--the King’s heart still greatly expanded with
pure delight at having for his own that beautiful sword--the most
beautiful and the most famous sword in all the world.
* * * * *
That night King Arthur and Merlin abided with the holy hermit at the
forest sanctuary, and when the next morning had come (the King having
bathed himself in the ice-cold forest fountain, and being exceedingly
refreshed thereby) they took their departure, offering thanks to that
saintly man for the harborage he had given them.
Anon, about noon-tide, they reached the valley of the Sable Knight, and
there were all things appointed exactly as when King Arthur had been
there before: to wit, that gloomy castle, the lawn of smooth grass, the
apple-tree covered over with shields, and the bridge whereon hung that
single shield of sable.
“Now, Merlin,” quoth King Arthur, “I do this time most strictly forbid
thee for to interfere in this quarrel. Nor shalt thou, under pain of my
displeasure, exert any of thy arts of magic in my behalf. So hearken
thou to what I say, and heed it with all possible diligence.”
[Sidenote: _King Arthur challenges King Pellinore to battle again._]
Thereupon, straightway, the King rode forth upon the bridge and, seizing
the brazen mall, he smote upon the sable shield with all his might and
main. Immediately the portcullis of the castle was let fall as afore
told, and, in the same manner as that other time, the Sable Knight rode
forth therefrom, already bedight and equipped for the encounter. So he
came to the bridge-head and there King Arthur spake to him in this wise:
“Sir Pellinore, we do now know one another entirely well, and each doth
judge that he hath cause of quarrel with the other: thou, that I, for
mine own reasons as seemed to me to be fit, have taken away from thee
thy kingly estate, and have driven thee into this forest solitude: I,
that thou has set thyself up here for to do injury and affront to
knights and lords and other people of this kingdom of mine. Wherefore,
seeing that I am here as an errant Knight, I do challenge thee for to
fight with me, man to man, until either thou or I have conquered the
other.”
Unto this speech King Pellinore bowed his head in obedience, and
thereupon he wheeled his horse, and, riding to some little distance,
took his place where he had afore stood. And King Arthur also rode to
some little distance, and took his station where he had afore stood. At
the same time there came forth from the castle one of those tall pages
clad all in sable, pied with crimson, and gave to King Arthur a good,
stout spear of ash-wood, well seasoned and untried in battle; and when
the two Knights were duly prepared, they shouted and drave their horses
together, the one smiting the other so fairly in the midst of his
defences that the spears shivered in the hand of each, bursting all into
small splinters as they had aforetime done.
Then each of these two knights immediately voided his horse with great
skill and address, and drew each his sword. And thereupon they fell to
at a combat, so furious and so violent, that two wild bulls upon the
mountains could not have engaged in a more desperate encounter.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur overcometh King Pellinore._]
But now, having Excalibur for to aid him in his battle, King Arthur soon
overcame his enemy. For he gave him several wounds and yet received none
himself, nor did he shed a single drop of blood in all that fight,
though his enemy’s armor was in a little while all stained with crimson.
And at last King Arthur delivered so vehement a stroke that King
Pellinore was entirely benumbed thereby, wherefore his sword and his
shield fell down from their defence, his thighs trembled beneath him and
he sank unto his knees upon the ground. Then he called upon King Arthur
to have mercy, saying, “Spare my life and I will yield myself unto
thee.”
[Sidenote: _King Arthur demands two of the sons of King Pellinore for
hostages._]
And King Arthur said, “I will spare thee and I will do more than that.
For now that thou hast yielded thyself unto me, lo! I will restore unto
thee thy power and estate. For I bear no ill-will toward thee,
Pellinore, ne’theless, I can brook no rebels against my power in this
realm. For, as God judges me, I do declare that I hold singly in my
sight the good of the people of my kingdom. Wherefore, he who is against
me is also against them, and he who is against them is also against me.