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graphic universetm minneapolis WHETHER KING ARTHUR WAS A REAL PERSON IS UNKNOWN, BUT HIS STORY IS SET AMID REAL EVENTS IN BRITISH HISTORY. HE WOULD HAVE LIVED AROUND A.D. 400 OR 500, WHEN THE MANY SMALL KINGDOMS OF story by jeff limke ENGLAND, WALES, AND CORNWALL WERE FIGHTING EACH pencils and inks by thomas yeates special thanks to tod smith OTHER AND AGAINST FOREIGN INVADERS. ARTHUR IS THUS SEEN AS THE KING WHO UNITED AND DEFENDED EARLY coloring by hi-fi design BRITAIN. BUT OFTEN ARTHURIAN TALES ARE DEPICTED AS lettering by bill hauser TAKING PLACE MUCH LATER IN THE MIDDLE AGES (ABOUT 1100–1300), WITH KNIGHTS IN ARMOR, JOUSTS, AND Copyright © 2007 by Millbrook Press, Inc. CASTLES. EXCALIBUR UNSHEATHED FOLLOWS Graphic Universe TM is a trademark of Millbrook Press, Inc.

THAT TRADITION. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Graphic Universe An imprint of Lerner Publishing Group 241 First Avenue North Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Limke, Jeff. King Arthur : Excalibur unsheathed / by Jeff Limke, adapted from Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur ; illustrations by Thomas Yeates. p. cm. — (Graphic myths and legends) Includes index. ISBN-13: 978–0–8225–3083–1 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0–8225–3083–X (lib. bdg. : alk. paper) 1. Graphic novels. I. Malory, Thomas, Sir, 15th cent. Morte d’Arthur. II. Title. III. Series. PN6727.L53S76 2007 741.5’973—dc22 2005010186

Manufactured in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 – JR – 12 10 09 08 07 table of contents

a country without a king ...6

the new king in a new year...15

the boy becomes king...19

the lesson taught to king lot...23

the collector of beards...28

a joust in the forest...34 a gift from the lady of the lake...42

glossary...46 further reading and websites...47 index...48 about the author and artist...48 a country without a king

Long ago, Uther Pendragon, the king of England, died without an heir. Rival factions battled again and again for the chance to be crowned the next ruler.

Merlin, who was often called a magician, saw no end to the chaos. He knew a king had to be found before Upon Uther’s death, a the fighting between sword embedded in a lords got out of stone had miraculously control. Merlin urged appeared at Westminster the Archbishop of Abbey near London. The Canterbury to hold a archbishop and Merlin series of jousting agreed that each tournaments in London. tournament winner would get the chance to show he was fit to be king by pulling the sword from the stone.

Lords from all over England trekked to London, all with the same intent- -hoping to win the chance to pull the sword embedded in stone and in doing so, be named king of all England. The sun is almost clear of the horizon. I should perhaps get a new squire, Arthur?

Hurry, my boy, the longer we twiddle about, the less likely we’ll get there in time, Especially if you want to see it first.

I agree with I’m working, Arthur. He’s I’m working. the best you’re Know anyone going to find. else willing to listen to you, Kay?

Now, however, we must be Time to see on our way to your first what the future tournament, Kay. holds, eh?

7 Most definitely. This is So many people. Can we count London? There must be later, after thousands. we’ve seen it?

I hadn’t expected…

It’s right in here!

What’s your hurry? We’ll It isn’t be here going forever! anywhere. Ah, Kay, comE on! Kay, do you think you I don’t know. can win? A lot of these knights-

Kay! Father! There it is! It is most wonderful, is it not?

But I am afraid everyone else has left, and, if you do not do so as well, you will miss the young man’s event.

And that would be inexcusable, Lord Ector.

Yes, Merlin, that it would be.

I don’t We can’t be care! late for the most important Father, thing in my life! where did everyone I suspect else go? Merlin. He has his ways.

9 out of a dark age… . . . came england’s greatest hero.

YOUNG ARTHUR SPENDS HIS DAYS TOILING AS A SQUIRE—FEEDING THE HORSES AND HAULING HIS BIG BROTHER’S ARMOR. AROUND HIM, ENGLAND IS IN TURMOIL, LEFT WITHOUT A KING. BUT ALL THAT CHANGES IN ONE DAY, WITH ONE PULL ON THE MYSTERIOUS SWORD IN THE STONE. GUIDED BY MERLIN THE MAGICIAN, ARTHUR TAKES HIS PLACE AS THE RIGHTFUL HEIR TO ENGLAND’S THRONE. HE RECEIVES THE SWORD EXCALIBUR AND WINS THE LOYALTY OF THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE. BUT CAN THE YOUNG KING WIN PEACE AND FREEDOM FOR ENGLAND?

GRAPHIC MYTHS AND LEGENDS TITLES: AMATERASU: RETURN OF THE SUN ARTHUR & LANCELOT: THE FIGHT FOR CAMELOT ATALANTA: THE RACE AGAINST DESTINY : ESCAPING ’S CURSE BEOWULF: MONSTER SLAYER ROBIN HOOD: OUTLAW OF SHERWOOD FOREST & : SPRING HELD HOSTAGE SINBAD: SAILING INTO PERIL HERCULES: THE TWELVE LABORS : BATTLING THE MINOTAUR ISIS & OSIRIS: TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH THOR & LOKI: IN THE LAND OF GIANTS : QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE THE : THE FALL OF TROY KING ARTHUR: EXCALIBUR UNSHEATHED YU THE GREAT: CONQUERING THE FLOOD

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