Читать книгу Famous Legends Adapted for Children - Emeline G. Crommelin - Страница 14
ОглавлениеKING ARTHUR
... No man knew from whence he came,
But after tempest, when the long wave broke
All down the thundering shores of Bude and Bos,
There came a day as still as Heaven, and then
They found a naked child upon the sands
Of dark Tintagil by the Cornish sea;
And that was Arthur; and they fostered him;
Till he by miracle was approven king;
And that his grave should be a mystery
From all men like his birth.
Tennyson—Idylls of the King: Guinevere.
ARTHUR MADE KING
Arthur was a famous king of England. He lived such a long time ago that we know, really, very little about him. This king had such strange adventures, and did such wonderful things, that people have never tired of writing and reading about him and his famous Knights of the Round Table.
It was not until Arthur had grown to young manhood, that he knew he was of royal blood. When this little prince was born, his father, King Uther, bade his attendants take the child, wrapped in cloth of gold, and give him to any poor man they met at the castle gate. It happened that the babe was given to Merlin, who was supposed to know all things. Merlin took him to Sir Ector, Who brought the child up as his own son, and Sir Ector’s wife cared for him, and they called him Arthur.
When King Uther died, every lord in England wanted to be king. The wise Merlin had promised that it should be made known to them, by a wonderful sign, who should be king.
He called, therefore, all the lords together in a great church in London, on Christmas morning, to see if the sign would be given.
After the first prayers were said, there was discovered in the churchyard a great stone having four sides, with an anvil of steel in the middle of it, in which was a sword. About the sword, written in letters of gold, were these words:
“Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise King born of England.”
The lords went out to behold the stone and the sword. As soon as they saw the words that were written about the sword, they tried to move it; but it would not be stirred. “It will be made known to us,” said the archbishop. So it was decided that ten famous knights should guard the sword until one came who should be able to move it.
On New Year’s day there was a great contest, when it was hoped it would be revealed to them who should be made king. All the barons came forth to the contest to try their skill. Among them rode Sir Ector, and with him his son, Sir Kay, and his foster-son, young Arthur.
But Sir Kay had no sword with him, having left his at his father’s castle. He therefore asked Arthur to ride for his sword and bring it to him.
“I will, indeed,” said Arthur, and rode as fast as he could; but when he reached the castle there was no one there to give him his brother’s sword, for all had gone to the contest.
Then Arthur, being angry, said to himself: “I will ride to the churchyard, and take the sword from within the stone, for my brother, Sir Kay, shall not be without a sword this day.”
When Arthur came to the churchyard, there was no one there. All the knights had gone to the contest to try their skill. Then Arthur, quickly and easily, pulled the sword out of the stone, and rode away to give it to his brother. As soon as Sir Kay saw it, he knew it was the sword of the stone, and went to his father, Sir Ector, and cried:
“Sir, here is the sword of the stone that appeared in the churchyard. It must be that I am chosen King of England.”
When Sir Ector looked at the sword, he rode again to the churchyard, with Sir Kay and Arthur, where he made Sir Kay swear how he came by the sword.
“Sir,” said Sir Kay, “my brother, Arthur, brought it to me.”
“And how came you by it?” asked Sir Ector of Arthur.
Then Arthur told how he had ridden to the castle for his brother’s sword, and found no one there to give it to him. Knowing that Sir Kay should have a sword, he rode to the churchyard where he had seen the sword, and pulled it out of the stone easily.
“Were there no knights about the sword?” asked Sir Ector.
“No,” answered Arthur.
“Then,” exclaimed Sir Ector to Arthur, “I know now that you are chosen King of England.”
“Wherefore should I be king?” asked Arthur.
“Sir,” said Sir Ector, “because of the prediction that no man, save he that should draw out this sword shall be king of this land.”
Then Sir Ector bade Arthur put the sword as it was before, that he might see for himself. So Arthur put the sword in the stone easily. Then did Sir Ector try to pull it out, but he could not move it.
“Now shall you try,” said Sir Kay to Arthur.
“I will, indeed,” said Arthur; and he pulled the sword out as easily as he had done before.
Then Sir Ector and Sir Kay both knelt on the ground before him.
“My father and my brother!” cried Arthur. “Why should you kneel to me?”
“No, no, I am not your father,” exclaimed Sir Ector, “nor am I even of your blood, which I now know is higher than I thought.”
Then Sir Ector told Arthur how he was brought to him, soon after he was born, and had been to him like his own son.
Then was Arthur grieved when he knew that Sir Ector, who had cared for him, was not his father; that Sir Ector’s wife, who had nourished him, was not his mother.
Arthur promised Sir Ector that if ever he (Arthur) should become king, he would never fail to do whatever Sir Ector might ask of him. Then was the archbishop told how the sword had been won, and by whom. But as this was not enough, all the barons came again on the twelfth day to try again who should be king. Still no one could move the sword, save Arthur only. This vexed the barons, who declared the kingdom should not be ruled by a boy who was not of royal blood. Again the contest was put off until another feast-day, when all the lords should meet. And when they met again, none could move the sword, as before, save Arthur only, who pulled it out easily. This grieved the barons so that it was put off until Easter. As Arthur had done before, so did he again at Easter. Still some of the lords were angry, and it was put off until another feast-day. Then all manner of men tried to pull the sword from the stone; but none could move it, save Arthur only. He pulled it out easily before them all. Then the people cried:
“We will have Arthur for our king! Let there be no more delay. We see now that he is rightly chosen, and if any one holdeth against it, he shall not live.”
Then all the people, both rich and poor, knelt before Arthur, and asked mercy because they had kept him waiting so long a time. The noble Arthur forgave them, and taking the sword that he had won, offered it upon the altar, and was made a knight. There it was he promised to be a true king as long as he should live.
King Arthur righted many wrongs that had been done since his father’s death. The lands that had been taken from lords, knights, and ladies he caused to be returned to them, and he ruled the kingdom well.
