The Junior Classics, vol 4 | Page 4

a man grown." Then the king turned his face
to the wall and died.
Scarcely was Uther laid in his grave before disputes arose. Few of the
nobles had seen Arthur or even heard of him, and not one of them
would have been willing to be ruled by a child; rather, each thought
himself fitted to be king, and, strengthening his own castle, made war
on his neighbors until confusion alone was supreme, and the poor
groaned because there was none to help them.
Now when Merlin carried away Arthur--for Merlin was the old man
who had stood at the postern-gate--he had known all that would happen,
and had taken the child to keep him safe from the fierce barons until he
should be of age to rule wisely and well, and perform all the wonders
prophesied of him. He gave the child to the care of the good knight Sir
Ector to bring up with his son Kay, but revealed not to him that it was
the son of Uther Pendragon that was given into his charge.
At last, when years had passed and Arthur was grown a tall youth well

skilled in knightly exercises, Merlin went to the Archbishop of
Canterbury and advised him that he should call together at
Christmas-time all the chief men of the realm to the great cathedral in
London; "for," said Merlin, "there shall be seen a great marvel by
which it shall be made clear to all men who is the lawful king of this
land." The archbishop did as Merlin counselled. Under pain of a fearful
curse, he bade the barons and knights come to London to keep the feast,
and to pray heaven to send peace to the realm.
The people hastened to obey the archbishop's commands, and, from all
sides, barons and knights came riding in to keep the birth-feast of Our
Lord. And when they had prayed, and were coming forth from the
cathedral they saw a strange sight. There, in the open space before the
church, stood, on a great stone, an anvil thrust through with a sword;
and on the stone were written these words: "Whoso can draw forth this
sword is rightful King of Britain born."
At once there were fierce quarrels, each man clamoring to be the first to
try his fortune, none doubting his success. Then the archbishop decreed
that each should make the venture in turn, from the greatest baron to
the least knight; and each in turn, having put forth his utmost strength,
failed to move the sword one inch, and drew back ashamed. So the
archbishop dismissed the company, and having appointed guards to
watch over the stone, sent messengers through all the land to give word
of great jousts to be held in London at Easter, when each knight could
give proof of his skill and courage, and try whether the adventure of the
sword was for him.
Among those who rode to London at Easter was the good Sir Ector, and
with him his son, Sir Kay, newly made a knight, and the young Arthur.
When the morning came that the jousts should begin, Sir Kay and
Arthur mounted their horses and set out for the lists; but before they
reached the field, Kay looked and saw that he had left his sword behind.
Immediately Arthur turned back to fetch it for him, only to find the
house fast shut, for all were gone to view the tournament. Sore vexed
was Arthur, fearing lest his brother Kay should lose his chance of
gaining glory, till, of a sudden, he bethought him of the sword in the
great anvil before the cathedral. Thither he rode with all speed, and the
guards having deserted their post to view the tournament, there was
none to forbid him the adventure. He leaped from his horse, seized the

hilt, and instantly drew forth the sword as easily as from a scabbard;
then, mounting his horse and thinking no marvel of what he had done,
he rode after his brother and handed him the weapon.
When Kay looked at it, he saw at once that it was the wondrous sword
from the stone. In great joy he sought his father, and showing it to him,
said: "Then must I be King of Britain." But Sir Ector bade him say how
he came by the sword, and when Sir Kay told how Arthur had brought
it to him, Sir Ector bent his knee to the boy, and said: "Sir, I perceive
that ye are my king, and here I tender you my homage;" and Kay did as
his father. Then the three sought the archbishop, to whom they related
all that had happened; and he, much marvelling, called the people
together to the great stone, and