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Reading Notes: King Arthur, Part A

This week I read King Authur by Andrew Lang.

For the first part if the unit, we went through several stories:

The Drawing of the Story
Arthur draws the sword for his foster brother Sir Kay so that he will have a sword for the tournament. It is quickly realized that it is the sword in the stone and secretly, he is the son of the former king, Uther Pendragon. I was surprised that Arthur and Sir Kay got along, unlike the Disney version.

The Questing Beast
Arthur sees a strange beast that brays like hounds, chased by Sir Pellinore. Arthur wants to go after the beast himself but Pellinore says it will be either him or one of his line who kills it. Later, Merlin comes and speaks of his own death and of Arthur's.

The Sword Excalibur
In this story, Merlin helps Arthur get Excalibur from the lady in the lake who gives it to him in return for a gift of her choosing. She doesn't specify what that will be.

The Round Table
When Arthur decides he wants to marry Guenevere, the daughter of King Leodegrance, Merlin goes to speak to the king about the union. The king offers the round table to Arthur as Guenevere's dowry since Uther gave it to him earlier.

The Passing of Merlin
Sir Pellinore brings a maiden, Vivien (or Nimue) to court and even though Merlin knows she will cause his demise, he can't help falling in love with her and teaching her his magic. Once Vivien learns everything she tricks him into going under a boulder and then traps him there with magic.

King Arthur and Morgan le Fay
Morgan is angry at Arthur so she goes into his room while he is sleeping and steals the scabbard of Excalibur which keeps Arthur from being injured. Arthur chases her but she throws the scabbard into a swamp and hides herself and her men. Arther returns home and Morgan sends him a mantle as an apology. Before Arthur accepts it, the lady of the lake advises him to have Morgan's attendant wear it. She doesn't want to but finally does and burns to ash.

The Quest of the Holy Graal
This is more of an Author's Note about how this story came about and how the Holy Grail of Christ was mixed with the story of a Graal that was created by heathens.

The King's Pilgrimage
Arthur was going to go on a pilgrimage to find St. Augustine's chapel. He wanted to go alone but Guenevere suggested he take a squire with him. During the night, the squire dreams he finds a chapel with a beautiful candle burning for a dead knight. He takes the candle for Arthur but someone comes after him and stabs him. He cries out in his sleep causing Arthur and everyone to come running. Despite the fact it was the dream, the squire has the candle and has been stabbed. He gives Arthur the candle before he dies. Afterward, Arthur goes alone on his quests.

The Coming of the Holy Graal
While the knights are at the round table, the Holy Graal appears to them under a cloth. They are filled with radiant light and awe. After it disappears, the knights all pledge to go and search of it. Arthur does not want them to go because it will break up the round table and leave the kingdom in despair. They leave anyway.

Photo Credit: wikimedia

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