"I am a woman, and I may not fight," said Queen Igraine to this. "But there are men here will take my quarrel. Merlin will bear me witness that it was King Uther"s wish, for reasons of state, that the birth of my child should be concealed, and if you seek a traitor you should accuse Uther Pendragon and not me. At its birth the child was wrapped in cloth of gold, by order of the king, and taken from me, and from that day to this I have not set eyes upon my son."
"Then," said Ulfius, "Merlin is more to blame than you."
"I bowed to the will of my husband," replied the queen. "After the death of my lord, the Duke of Tintagil, King Uther married me, and I bore him a son, but I know not what has become of my child."
Then Merlin took the king by the hand and led him to Queen Igraine.
"This is your mother," he said.
Therewith, Sir Hector bore witness how the child has been brought by Merlin to the postern gate of his castle, wrapped in cloth of gold, and how he had reared him as his own son, knowing not who he was, but full sure he was of high birth.
These words removed all doubt from Arthur"s mind, and with warm affection he took his mother in his arms, and kissed her lovingly, while tears of joy flowed freely from the eyes of mother and son, for never was gladder meeting than that which there took place.
For eight days thereafter feasts and sports were held at the castle, and great joy fell upon all men to learn that the son of great Uther Pendragon had come to the throne. And far and wide the story spread through the land that he who had drawn the magic sword was the rightful heir to England"s crown.
CHAPTER III.
THE LADY OF THE LAKE.
On a day at the end of the feasts given by King Arthur in honor of his mother, there came into the court a squire, who bore before him on his horse a knight that had been wounded unto death. He told how a stranger knight in the forest had set up a pavilion by a well, and forced all who pa.s.sed to joust with him. This stranger had slain his master, and he begged that some champion would revenge the slain knight.
Then rose Griflet, a youthful squire who had done good service in the wars, and begged to be knighted, that he might undertake this adventure.
"Thou art but young for such a task," said Arthur.
"I beseech you for the honor of it," pleaded Griflet. "I have done you knightly service."
Thereupon he was knighted and armed, and rode at day-dawn with a high heart into the forest. But by night-fall back he came, with a spear-thrust through his body, and scarce able to sit his horse for weakness. He had met the knight, and barely escaped with his life.
This angered the king, and he determined to undertake the adventure himself, and to seek to punish the daring knight who had planted himself, with hostile purpose, so near his court. By his order his best armor and horse were set before day at a point outside the city, and at day-dawn he met there his squire and rode with him secretly into the forest.
On the way thither he met three churls, who were chasing Merlin and seeking to slay him. The king rode to them and sternly bade them desist, and on seeing a knight before them they fled in craven fear.
"O Merlin," cried Arthur, "for all your craft you would have been slain, had I not come to your aid."
"Not so. I but played with these churls," said Merlin. "I could have saved myself easily enough. You are far more near your end than I, for unless G.o.d be your friend you ride to your death."
As they conversed they came to the forest fountain, and saw there a rich pavilion, while under a cloth stood a fair horse, richly saddled and bridled, and on a tree was a shield of varied colors and a great spear.
In a chair near by sat an armed knight.
"How is it, sir knight," asked the king, sternly, "that you abide here and force every knight that pa.s.ses to joust with you? It is an ill custom, and I bid you cease it."
"He who is grieved with my custom may amend it if he will," said the knight.
"I shall amend it," said Arthur.
"I shall defend it," replied the knight.
With these words they mounted, placed their spears in rest, and put their horses to their speed. Together they came in mid career with such violence and equal fortune that both spears were shivered to splinters, but both knights remained in their saddles. Taking new spears, once more they rode, and once again met in mid course with the same fortune as before. Then Arthur set hand to his sword.
"Nay," said the knight. "You are the best jouster of all the men I ever met. For the love of the high order of knighthood let us break another spear."
"I agree," said Arthur.
Two more spears were brought them, and again they rode together with all the might and speed of their horses. Arthur"s spear once more shivered into splinters from point to handle. But the knight struck him so fairly in the centre of his shield that horse and man together fell to the earth.
Then Arthur drew his sword eagerly and cried:
"Sir knight, I have lost the honor of horseback, and will fight you on foot."
"I will meet you on horse," replied the knight.
Angry at this, Arthur advanced towards him with ready shield and sword.
But the knight, feeling that he was taking a n.o.ble adversary at unfair advantage, dismounted, and advanced to meet Arthur on foot.
Then began a mighty battle, in which many great sword-strokes were made, and much blood was lost by both antagonists. After the affray had long continued the two warriors by chance struck so evenly together that their swords met in mid air, and the weapon of the knight smote that of Arthur into two pieces.
"You are in my power," cried the knight. "Yield you as overcome and recreant, or you shall die."
"As for death," said Arthur, "it will be welcome when it comes, but I had rather die than be so shamed."
Thus saying, he leaped upon his foeman, took him by the middle with a vigorous grip, and threw him to the earth. Then he tore off his helmet.
The knight, however, was much the larger and stronger man, and in his turn brought Arthur under him, deprived him of his helmet, and lifted his sword to strike off his head.
At this perilous moment Merlin advanced.
"Knight, hold thy hand," he cried. "You little know in what peril you put this realm, or who the warrior is beneath your sword."
"Who is he?" asked the knight.
"He is King Arthur."
Then would the knight have slain Arthur for fear of his wrath, and raised his sword again to do so, but at that moment Merlin threw him into an enchanted sleep.
"What have you done, Merlin?" cried Arthur. "G.o.d grant you have not slain this worthy knight by your craft! I would yield a year of my dominion to have him alive again."
"Do not fear," said Merlin. "He is asleep only, and will awake within three hours. And this I shall tell you, there is not a stronger knight in your kingdom than he, and hereafter he will do you good service. His name is King Pellinore, and he shall have two n.o.ble sons, whose names will be Percivale and Lamorak of Wales. And this brave knight shall, in the time to come, tell you the name of that son of your sister who is fated to be the destruction of all this land."
This being said, the king and the magician departed, leaving the knight to his magic slumbers. Soon they reached the cell of a hermit who was a noted leech, and who, with healing salves, in three days cured the king"s wounds so that he was able to ride again. As they now went forward, through forest and over plain, Arthur said,--
"I have no sword. I shall be ill put to it should I meet a champion."
"Heed not that," said Merlin. "That loss will be soon repaired."
And so they rode till they came to a lake, a broad and fair sheet of water, that stretched far before their eyes. As the king stood and looked upon it, he saw in its midst, to his deep wonder, an arm clothed in white samite lift itself above the water, and in the hand appeared a glittering sword, that gleamed brightly in the sun"s rays.