THE LEGEND OF THE LEGEND OF A KINGA KING

The Kingdom of The Kingdom of Britain was without Britain was without a High King. There a High King. There were many nobles were many nobles all over the island, all over the island, but the land but the land needed a king who needed a king who could lead them could lead them together in the together in the fight against the fight against the Saxons.Saxons.

Britain was full of evil Britain was full of evil men, though, and men, though, and Merlin the wizard knew Merlin the wizard knew it was important that the it was important that the throne go to an honest, throne go to an honest, brave soul. Therefore, brave soul. Therefore, he placed a spell on a he placed a spell on a magical sword called magical sword called Excalibur. Here, only a Excalibur. Here, only a true and good man true and good man would be able to use would be able to use this sword.this sword.

Years passed Years passed and it was and it was agreed among agreed among the great lords the great lords of Britain that a of Britain that a tournament tournament would be held, would be held, and the knight and the knight who won the who won the tournament tournament would be the would be the next High King.next High King.

Sir Kay, a brand new Sir Kay, a brand new knight and the son of knight and the son of Sir Ector, was Sir Ector, was preparing to fight in preparing to fight in the tournament. He the tournament. He was sure that he was sure that he would win it and he would win it and he would be the next would be the next High King.High King.

He told this to He told this to Arthur, his adopted Arthur, his adopted brother: “When I am brother: “When I am the High King, you the High King, you can be my can be my assistant.”assistant.”

► Arthur was so excited, that one Arthur was so excited, that one morning, when they were leaving for morning, when they were leaving for the tournament, he forgot to bring the tournament, he forgot to bring Kay’s sword with him. When Kay found Kay’s sword with him. When Kay found out, he was very angry.out, he was very angry.

• Kay ordered Arthur Kay ordered Arthur to go fetch a sword to go fetch a sword for him, for him, immediately! immediately! Without a sword, Without a sword, Kay would not be Kay would not be able to fight. Arthur able to fight. Arthur was worried that he was worried that he would miss seeing would miss seeing the matches, so he the matches, so he hurried as fast as hurried as fast as he could.he could.

► On his way to fetch On his way to fetch Kay’s sword, Arthur Kay’s sword, Arthur saw—in the middle saw—in the middle of an empty of an empty courtyard– another courtyard– another sword sticking out of sword sticking out of a stone. He looked a stone. He looked around and couldn’t around and couldn’t see anyone else see anyone else nearby. It didn’t nearby. It didn’t seem as though the seem as though the sword belonged to sword belonged to anybody.anybody.

He vowed to put He vowed to put the sword back the sword back when Kay was when Kay was done using it, so done using it, so quickly—with a quickly—with a mighty yank-- he mighty yank-- he pulled the sword pulled the sword right out of the right out of the stone. stone.

Arthur ran back to Arthur ran back to Kay and gave it to Kay and gave it to him. Kay’s father him. Kay’s father saw the sword that saw the sword that Kay had in his Kay had in his hands and said, hands and said, “Son, where did “Son, where did you get that you get that sword?”sword?”

Kay said, “Arthur Kay said, “Arthur brought it to me, brought it to me, father.” Sir Ector father.” Sir Ector said, “Arthur, where said, “Arthur, where did you get this did you get this sword?” Arthur told sword?” Arthur told the truth about how the truth about how he obtained it.he obtained it.

► ““The sword didn’t The sword didn’t appear to belong to appear to belong to anyone, so I took it.” anyone, so I took it.” Arthur said. Sir Ector Arthur said. Sir Ector then took the sword then took the sword from Arthur’s hand from Arthur’s hand and turned it over. and turned it over. “But it does belong “But it does belong to someone. Look at to someone. Look at the inscription.”the inscription.”

The inscription read the following:The inscription read the following:

Whosoever draws this Whosoever draws this sword shall be the King sword shall be the King

of Britain.of Britain.

Sir Ector called Sir Ector called together the men of together the men of the tournament and the tournament and showed them Arthur showed them Arthur and the sword. They and the sword. They all got down on their all got down on their knees, bowed their knees, bowed their heads and heads and proclaimed young proclaimed young Arthur as the new Arthur as the new King of BritainKing of Britain..

Chapter IIChapter II

The Young KingThe Young King

Young King Arthur Young King Arthur was faced with was faced with many problems many problems right from the right from the beginning. Mostly, beginning. Mostly, though, he needed though, he needed to fight against the to fight against the Saxons, who had Saxons, who had invaded Britain invaded Britain before he was born.before he was born.

► He had to make the He had to make the many lords fight many lords fight together with him together with him instead of against instead of against each other. To each other. To solve this problem, solve this problem, he was given the he was given the round table. Here round table. Here all men would sit all men would sit together without together without thinking anyone thinking anyone was more important was more important than anyone else.than anyone else.

The man who gave King Arthur the Round Table The man who gave King Arthur the Round Table also gave him a wife. King Leodegrance promised also gave him a wife. King Leodegrance promised King Arthur his daughter, Guinevere to be his King Arthur his daughter, Guinevere to be his queen. They were married during a big queen. They were married during a big celebration.celebration.

After his wedding, King Arthur fought many battles against the Saxons, and eventually quieted them for the next 20 years and a time of peace settled on the land

• With no Saxons With no Saxons to fight and a lot to fight and a lot of knights of knights sitting around sitting around the kingdom of the kingdom of Camelot, Arthur Camelot, Arthur asked Merlin, asked Merlin, the wizard, to the wizard, to provide his men provide his men with creative with creative quests and quests and adventures. adventures.

Over the years, Over the years, Merlin made up Merlin made up some interesting some interesting quests for the quests for the knights and they knights and they were kept busy. But were kept busy. But Merlin soon Merlin soon disappeared and disappeared and trouble eventually trouble eventually found King Arthur found King Arthur and his men once and his men once again.again.

King Arthur’s evil King Arthur’s evil nephew, Mordred, nephew, Mordred, came to Camelot. came to Camelot. He pretended to be He pretended to be a loyal and a loyal and trustworthy knight, trustworthy knight, but he was secretly but he was secretly planning on planning on overthrowing his overthrowing his uncle, the king.uncle, the king.

Eventually the Saxons started to attack King Eventually the Saxons started to attack King Arthur’s land once again, so while Arthur was Arthur’s land once again, so while Arthur was away fighting, Mordred made his move. He away fighting, Mordred made his move. He raised an army to attack King Arthur once raised an army to attack King Arthur once the battle with the Saxons was over.the battle with the Saxons was over.

► Mordred and Arthur Mordred and Arthur fought each other fought each other on the battleground. on the battleground. Eventually they Eventually they both struck each both struck each other with mortal other with mortal blows. Mordred blows. Mordred died instantly. died instantly. Arthur lived long Arthur lived long enough to make one enough to make one last request from last request from one of his most one of his most loyal knights.loyal knights.

Sir Bedivere, Sir Bedivere, Arthur’s most Arthur’s most loyal knight, came loyal knight, came upon the dying upon the dying King Arthur and King Arthur and asked, “My lord, asked, “My lord, what can I do for what can I do for you?” Arthur you?” Arthur replied, “Take my replied, “Take my sword, Excalibur, sword, Excalibur, and return it to and return it to it’s original it’s original owner.”owner.”

FLASHBACKFLASHBACK The magical sword, Excalibur, was given The magical sword, Excalibur, was given

to Merlin the wizard, who eventually gave to Merlin the wizard, who eventually gave it to Arthur. But where exactly did it come it to Arthur. But where exactly did it come from?from?

• The Lady of the Lake, a magical being who lived underwater, gave the sword to Merlin. She placed a spell on it so it would bring its owner great strength and courage in battle.

Arthur knew how Arthur knew how horrible it would be horrible it would be if the sword if the sword Excalibur got into Excalibur got into the wrong hands, so the wrong hands, so he insisted that Sir he insisted that Sir Bedevere throw the Bedevere throw the sword back into the sword back into the Lake and returned Lake and returned to its rightful ownerto its rightful owner

Bedivere agreed to Bedivere agreed to do this, but he found do this, but he found he could not. It was he could not. It was the sword of a great the sword of a great king and should not king and should not be thrown away. be thrown away. Bedivere hid the Bedivere hid the sword and returned sword and returned to Arthur. But to Arthur. But Arthur knew it was Arthur knew it was not done.not done.

So Sir Bedivere So Sir Bedivere returned to the returned to the water’s edge, water’s edge, threw it out, and threw it out, and a hand rose from a hand rose from the center of the the center of the lake and caught lake and caught the sword the sword neatly. It saluted neatly. It saluted Bedivere and Bedivere and then sank below then sank below the surface.the surface.

““Thank you, my Thank you, my friend,” Arthur said, friend,” Arthur said, and closed his and closed his eyes one final time.eyes one final time.

MERLIN THE MAGICIANMERLIN THE MAGICIAN We know that We know that

Merlin was Merlin was King Arthur’s King Arthur’s advisor and a advisor and a very wise very wise wizard, but wizard, but where exactly where exactly did he come did he come from?from?

According to According to legend, Merlin legend, Merlin was born from a was born from a mortal mother mortal mother and a demon and a demon father. That’s father. That’s why he looked why he looked and acted and acted human, but he human, but he also contained also contained magical powers.magical powers.

► Because he desired Because he desired peace, he worked peace, he worked for many years as a for many years as a faithful companion faithful companion to several kings. In to several kings. In fact, he was fact, he was present at Arthur’s present at Arthur’s birth and helped to birth and helped to raise him until raise him until Arthur became Arthur became king.king.

Merlin was in love Merlin was in love with lady Nimue—with lady Nimue—otherwise known otherwise known as the Lady of the as the Lady of the Lake. She and Lake. She and Merlin helped Merlin helped design Excalibur, design Excalibur, the magical sword the magical sword that helped Arthur that helped Arthur conquer the conquer the Saxons.Saxons.

For years, For years, Merlin Merlin helped helped

bring peace bring peace to Camelot, to Camelot,

Arthur’s Arthur’s kingdom. kingdom.

And that’s when he let his And that’s when he let his guard down.guard down.

• He told Lady Nimue all of his magical secrets and she eventually used them to entrap Merlin in an enchanted forest. She did not want to share him with anymore kings.

In Merlin’s absence, Arthur’s kingdom fell apart and Merlin was never heard from again.

Sir LancelotSir Lancelot

He was the He was the First Knight First Knight of the Round of the Round Table, and Table, and the bravest of the bravest of King Arthur’s King Arthur’s men. But men. But how did he how did he and King and King Arthur meet?Arthur meet?

Legend tells us that Legend tells us that as a child, Lancelot as a child, Lancelot was left by the shore was left by the shore of the lake, where he of the lake, where he was found by the was found by the Lady of the Lake. She Lady of the Lake. She fostered and raised fostered and raised him, and in time him, and in time Lancelot became one Lancelot became one of history's greatest of history's greatest knights. knights.

• As the years passed, Lady Guinevere (King Arthur’s wife) had been kidnapped by their Saxon enemies. It was Lancelot who rescued her, and King Arthur—being very grateful—invited Lancelot to live in his Kingdom of Camelot.

Sir Lancelot and Sir Lancelot and King Arthur King Arthur became good became good friends. In fact, friends. In fact, Arthur asked Arthur asked Lancelot to watch Lancelot to watch over his kingdom over his kingdom of Camelot while of Camelot while he went on the he went on the quest to seek the quest to seek the Holy Grail.Holy Grail.

The quest took much longer than expected and as the months went by, Sir Lancelot and Lady Guinevere fell in love.

When King Arthur finally When King Arthur finally returned home, he learned the returned home, he learned the

truth about Guinevere and truth about Guinevere and Lancelot. Lancelot.

Lady Guinevere Lady Guinevere was sentenced to was sentenced to death for treason, death for treason,

but on the day but on the day she was to be she was to be

executed, executed, Lancelot rescued Lancelot rescued her and they rode her and they rode

far away from far away from Camelot.Camelot.

They both felt very ashamed for what they had done. Eventually Guinevere went to a convent to live and seek forgiveness for her actions, and Lancelot lived as a hermit on a small island for the remainder of his life.