The Junior Classics, vol 4 | Page 9

been at the
water. "What sawest thou there?" said the king. "Sir," said he, "I saw
nothing but waves and wind."--"That is untruly said of thee," said King
Arthur. "Therefore go thou lightly, and do my command; as thou art to
me life and dear, spare not, but throw it in." Then Sir Bedivere returned
again, and took the sword in his hand; and then he thought it sin and
shame to throw away that noble sword: and so after he hid the sword
and returned again, and told the king that he had been at the water and
done his command. "What saw ye there?" said the king. "Sir," said he,
"I saw nothing but the water lap and waves wan."--"Ah! traitor untrue,"
said King Arthur, "now hast thou betrayed me two times, who would
have weened that thou that hast been unto me so self and dear, and thou
art named a noble knight, and wouldest betray me for the rich sword.
But now go again lightly, for thy long tarrying putteth me in great
jeopardy of my life, for I have taken cold; and but if thou do as I
command thee, and if ever I may see thee, I shall slay thee with mine
own hands, for thou wouldest for my rich sword see me dead." Then
Sir Bedivere departed and went to the sword and lightly took it up and
went to the water's side, and there he bound the girdle about the belts.
And then he threw the sword into the water as far as he might, and
there came an arm and a hand above the water, and met it and caught it,
and so shook it thrice and brandished. And then the hand vanished
away with the sword in the water.
So Sir Bedivere came again to the king, and told him what he had seen.
"Alas!" said the king, "help me from hence; for I dread me I have
tarried over long." Then Sir Bedivere took King Arthur upon his back,
and so went with him to the water's side; and, when they were at the

water's side, even fast by the bank hovered a little barge, with many fair
ladies in it: and among them all was a queen, and they all had black
hoods; and they wept and shrieked when they saw King Arthur.
"Now put me into the barge," said the king. And so he did softly, and
there received him three queens with great mourning; and so these three
queens sat them down, and in one of their laps King Arthur laid his
head. And then that queen said: "Ah! dear brother, why have ye tarried
so long from me? Alas! this wound on your head hath taken overmuch
cold." And so then they rowed from the land; and Sir Bedivere cried,
"Ah! my lord Arthur, what shall become of me now ye go from me, and
leave me here alone among mine enemies?" "Comfort thyself," said
King Arthur, "and do as well as thou mayest; for in me is no trust for to
trust in: for I will into the vale of Avilion, for to heal me of my
grievous wound; and, if thou never hear more of me, pray for my soul."

SIR LAUNCELOT AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE CASTLE
PERILOUS
Retold by Beatrice Clay
Now, as time passed, King Arthur gathered into his Order of the Round
Table knights whose peers shall never be found in any age; and
foremost among them all was Sir Launcelot du Lac. Such was his
strength that none against whom he had lain lance in rest could keep
the saddle, and no shield was proof against his sword dint; but for his
courtesy even more than for his courage and strength, Sir Launcelot
was famed far and near. Gentle he was and ever the first to rejoice in
the renown of another; and, in the jousts, he would avoid encounter
with the young and untried knight, letting him pass to gain glory if he
might.
It would take a great book to record all the famous deeds of Sir
Launcelot, and all his adventures. He was of Gaul, for his father; King
Ban, ruled over Benwick; and some say that his first name was Galahad,
and that he was named Launcelot du Lac by the Lady of the Lake, who
reared him when his mother died. Early he won renown by delivering
his father's people from the grim King Claudas, who, for more than
twenty years, had lain waste the fair land of Benwick; then, when there
was peace in his own land, he passed into Britain, to Arthur's Court,
where the king received him gladly, and made him Knight of the

Round Table and took him for his