The Sword Excalibur

Fiction Excerpt 3: The Sword Excalibur A few weeks later, Arthur was out riding early one morning. He carried only a light sword, not the one he had pulled from the stone. That sword still lay on the altar where he had placed it at his coronation. As he rode down a woodland path, he came upon three men attacking the wizard Merlin. When they saw an armed knight approach on horseback, they ran away. “Oh, Merlin,” said Arthur, “you would have been killed, in spite of all your magic.” “I could have saved myself if I had wanted to,” said Merlin. He paused, then added mysteriously: “You are more near death than I.” Arthur and Merlin followed a path that led to a fountain. In the path was a knight, sitting in a chair. He refused to let them pass without fighting him, saying it was his custom. “Anyone who does not like my custom can alter it, if he can,” he dared. “I will alter it,” declared Arthur. The knights mounted their horses, drew their spears, and charged each other. Each spear shattered in splinters on the other knight’s shield. The knights leaped off their horses and fell upon each other with their swords. The blows rang on their armor and ripped great gashes through the leather joints so that their blood ran out. At last King Arthur struck such a blow that his sword broke clean in two. At that, the other knight claimed victory. “I would rather die than yield to you,” said King Arthur, springing toward him. The knight was much heavier than Arthur, and he wrestled fiercely until he got Arthur down under him and held him helpless. Just as he raised his sword to kill him, Merlin cast a spell over him, and the knight fell to the earth in a deep sleep. Merlin helped Arthur up, and they rode away to dress Arthur’s wounds. Arthur was angry at Merlin for using a spell to beat the knight, who had fought so fairly and bravely. “You would have been killed if I had not been there,” answered Merlin. “Now I have no sword,” said Arthur. “Never mind,” answered Merlin. “Near here is a sword that shall be yours.” They rode until they came to a lake, in the middle of which Arthur saw a sight as strange as the stone and anvil in the churchyard. Rising out of the water was an arm, clothed in soft white silk, holding a sword. TEACHER RESOURCES 219 “Look,” said Merlin, “there is the sword of which I spoke.” Gazing further, they saw a boat move across the water with a damsel in it. “That is the Lady of the Lake,” said Merlin. “Speak well to her, and she will give you the sword.” The boat approached the land, and the lady greeted Arthur. “Damsel,” he replied, “what sword is that, that yonder arm holds above the water? I wish it were mine, for I have none.” “Sir Arthur, King,” she answered, “that sword is mine, and if you will give me a gift when I ask, you shall have it.” Arthur replied: “I will give you whatever gift you shall ask.” “Very well,” she said. “Get into the boat and row to the sword. Take it and the scabbard with you. I will ask for my gift when the time comes.” So Arthur and Merlin tied up their horses and rowed across the lake to the mysterious arm. As soon as Arthur grasped the hilt of the sword, the hand let go, and the arm sank back into the water. As they rowed back to the shore, the king examined the sword and saw that it was truly magnificent. Its name was carved into the blade: “Excalibur.” Carved below, on one side, were the words, “Take me,” and on the other, the words, “Cast me away.” Excalibur would be Arthur’s sword in many battles to come. 220 MEDIEVAL EUROPE.

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