The Story of the Champions of the Round Table | Page 7

such a
magical lake as hath been aforetime described in the Book of King
Arthur.
And that land of the lake was of this sort that shall here be described:--
Unto anyone who could enter into the magic water of that lake (and
there were very few of those who were mortal who were allowed to
come to those meadows of Faery that were there concealed beneath
those enchanted waters) he would behold before him a wide and radiant
field of extraordinary beauty. And he would behold that that field was
covered all over with such a multitude of exquisite and beautiful
flowers that the heart of the beholder would be elated with pure joy to
find himself in the midst of that waving sea of multitudinous and
fragrant blossoms. And he would behold many fair and shady groves of
trees that here and there grew up from that valley, each glade
overshadowing a fountain of water as clear as crystal. And he would
perhaps behold, at such pleasant places beneath the shade of those trees,
some party of the fair and gentle folk of that country; and he would see

them playing in sport, or he would hear them chanting to the music of
shining golden harps. And he would behold in the midst of that
beautiful plain a wonderful castle with towers and roofs uplifted high
into the sky, and all shining in the peculiar radiance of that land, like to
castles and battlements of pure gold.
Such was the land unto which Launcelot was brought, and from what I
have told you you may see what a wonderful, beautiful place it was.
And the mystery of that place entered into the soul of Launcelot, so that
thereafter, when he came out thence, he was never like other folk, but
always appeared to be in a manner remote and distant from other of his
fellow-mortals with whom he dwelt.
For though he smiled a great deal, it was not often that he laughed; and
if he did laugh, it was never in scorn, but always in loving-kindness.
* * * * *
It was here in this land that Sir Pellias had now dwelt for several years,
with great peace and content. (For it hath been told in the Book of King
Arthur how, when he was upon the edge of death, the Lady Nymue of
the Lake brought him back to life again, and how, after that time, he
was half fay and half mortal.)
And the reason why Launcelot was brought to that place was that Sir
Pellias might teach him and train him in all the arts of chivalry. For no
one in all the world was more skilful in arms than Sir Pellias, and no
one could so well teach Launcelot the duties of chivalry as he.
So Sir Pellias taught Launcelot all that was best of knighthood, both as
to conduct of manner, and as to the worthiness and skill at arms,
wherefore it was that when Launcelot was completely taught, there was
no knight in all the world who was his peer in strength of arms or in
courtesy of behavior, until his own son, Sir Galahad, appeared in the
courts of chivalry as shall by and by be told of.
So when Launcelot came forth into the world again he became the

greatest knight in all the history of chivalry, wherefore that prophecy of
his mother was fulfilled as to his being like to a bright star of exceeding
lustre.
Accordingly, I have herein told you with great particularity all these
circumstances of his early history so that you may know exactly how it
was that he was taken away into the lake, and why it was that he was
afterward known as Sir Launcelot, surnamed of the Lake.
As to how he came into the world to achieve that greatness unto which
he had been preordained, and as to how King Arthur made him knight,
and as to many very excellent adventures that befell him, you shall
immediately read in what followeth.

PART I
The Story of Launcelot
Here beginneth the story of Sir Launcelot, surnamed of the Lake, who
was held by all men to be the most excellent, noble, perfect
knight-champion who was ever seen in the world from the very
beginning of chivalry unto the time when his son, Sir Galahad,
appeared like a bright star of extraordinary splendor shining in the sky
of chivalry.
In this Book it shall be told how he was taken into a magic lake, how he
came out thence to be made knight by King Arthur, and of how he
undertook several of those adventures that made him at once the
wonder and the admiration of all men, and the chiefest glory