<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></SPAN>CHAPTER I</h2>
<h3>OF ARTHUR'S BIRTH; AND HOW HE BECAME KING</h3>
<p>Long years ago, there ruled over Britain a king called Uther
Pendragon. A mighty prince was he, and feared by all men; yet, when
he sought the love of the fair Igraine of Cornwall, she would have
naught to do with him, so that, from grief and disappointment,
Uther fell sick, and at last seemed like to die.</p>
<p>Now in those days, there lived a famous magician named Merlin, so
powerful that he could change his form at will, or even make
himself invisible; nor was there any place so remote but that he
could reach it at once, merely by wishing himself there. One day,
suddenly he stood at Uther's bedside, and said: "Sir King, I know
thy grief, and am ready to help thee. Only promise to give me, at
his birth, the son that shall be born to thee, and thou shalt have
thy heart's desire." To this the king agreed joyfully, and Merlin
kept his word: for he gave Uther the form of one whom Igraine had
loved dearly, and so she took him willingly for her husband.</p>
<p>When the time had come that a child should be born to the King and
Queen, Merlin appeared before Uther to remind him of his promise;
and Uther swore it should be as he had said. Three days later, a
prince was born, and, with pomp and ceremony, was christened by the
name of Arthur; but immediately thereafter, the King commanded that
the child should be carried to the postern-gate, there to be given
to the old man who would be found waiting without.</p>
<p>Not long after, Uther fell sick, and he knew that his end was come;
so, by Merlin's advice, he called together his knights and barons,
and said to them: "My death draws near. I charge you, therefore,
that ye obey my son even as ye have obeyed me; and my curse upon
him if he claim not the crown when he is a man grown." Then the
King turned his face to the wall and died.</p>
<p>Scarcely was Uther laid in his grave before disputes arose. Few of
the nobles had seen Arthur or even heard of him, and not one of
them would have been willing to be ruled by a child; rather, each
thought himself fitted to be king, and, strengthening his own
castle, made war on his neighbours until confusion alone was
supreme, and the poor groaned because there was none to help them.</p>
<p>Now when Merlin carried away Arthur—for Merlin was the old man who
had stood at the postern-gate—he had known all that would happen,
and had taken the child to keep him safe from the fierce barons
until he should be of age to rule wisely and well, and perform all
the wonders prophesied of him. He gave the child to the care of the
good knight Sir Ector to bring up with his son Kay, but revealed
not to him that it was the son of Uther Pendragon that was given
into his charge.</p>
<p>At last, when years had passed and Arthur was grown a tall youth
well skilled in knightly exercises, Merlin went to the Archbishop
of Canterbury and advised him that he should call together at
Christmas-time all the chief men of the realm to the great
cathedral in London; "For," said Merlin, "there shall be seen a
great marvel by which it shall be made clear to all men who is the
lawful King of this land." The Archbishop did as Merlin counselled.
Under pain of a fearful curse, he bade barons and knights come to
London to keep the feast, and to pray heaven to send peace to the
realm.</p>
<p>The people hastened to obey the Archbishop's commands, and, from
all sides, barons and knights came riding in to keep the
birth-feast of our Lord. And when they had prayed, and were coming
forth from the cathedral, they saw a strange sight. There, in the
open space before the church, stood, on a great stone, an anvil
thrust through with a sword; and on the stone were written these
words: "Whoso can draw forth this sword, is rightful King of
Britain born."</p>
<p>At once there were fierce quarrels, each man clamouring to be the
first to try his fortune, none doubting his own success. Then the
Archbishop decreed that each should make the venture in turn, from
the greatest baron to the least knight; and each in turn, having
put forth his utmost strength, failed to move the sword one inch,
and drew back ashamed. So the Archbishop dismissed the company, and
having appointed guards to watch over the stone, sent messengers
through all the land to give word of great jousts to be held in
London at Easter, when each knight could give proof of his skill
and courage, and try whether the adventure of the sword was for
him.</p>
<p>Among those who rode to London at Easter was the good Sir Ector,
and with him his son, Sir Kay, newly made a knight, and the young
Arthur. When the morning came that the jousts should begin, Sir Kay
and Arthur mounted their horses and set out for the lists; but
before they reached the field, Kay looked and saw that he had left
his sword behind. Immediately Arthur turned back to fetch it for
him, only to find the house fast shut, for all were gone to view
the tournament. Sore vexed was Arthur, fearing lest his brother Kay
should lose his chance of gaining glory, till, of a sudden, he
bethought him of the sword in the great anvil before the cathedral.
Thither he rode with all speed, and the guards having deserted
their post to view the tournament, there was none to forbid him the
adventure. He leaped from his horse, seized the hilt, and instantly
drew forth the sword as easily as from a scabbard; then, mounting
his horse and thinking no marvel of what he had done, he rode after
his brother and handed him the weapon.</p>
<p>When Kay looked at it, he saw at once that it was the wondrous
sword from the stone. In great joy he sought his father, and
showing it to him, said: "Then must I be King of Britain." But Sir
Ector bade him say how he came by the sword, and when Sir Kay told
how Arthur had brought it to him, Sir Ector bent his knee to the
boy, and said: "Sir, I perceive that ye are my King, and here I
tender you my homage"; and Kay did as his father. Then the three
sought the Archbishop, to whom they related all that had happened;
and he, much marvelling, called the people together to the great
stone, and bade Arthur thrust back the sword and draw it forth
again in the presence of all, which he did with ease. But an angry
murmur arose from the barons, who cried that what a boy could do, a
man could do; so, at the Archbishop's word, the sword was put back,
and each man, whether baron or knight, tried in his turn to draw it
forth, and failed. Then, for the third time, Arthur drew forth the
sword. Immediately there arose from the people a great shout:
"Arthur is King! Arthur is King! We will have no King but Arthur";
and, though the great barons scowled and threatened, they fell on
their knees before him while the Archbishop placed the crown upon
his head, and swore to obey him faithfully as their lord and
sovereign.</p>
<p>Thus Arthur was made King; and to all he did justice, righting
wrongs and giving to all their dues. Nor was he forgetful of those
that had been his friends; for Kay, whom he loved as a brother, he
made Seneschal and chief of his household, and to Sir Ector, his
foster-father, he gave broad lands.</p>
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