I will tell the story of my young days as best I may, and as it is already written down in the books of my uncle Bleise. “My lord King Arthur,” answered Merlin, “it shall be as you wish. “For,” said King Arthur, “never had king better friend than thou art, or wiser counsellor in peace or war, and it would glad me much to hear the story of thy youth.” When all were met together, and the dial showed the hour after which none were looked for to arrive, unless it might be strangers and pilgrims from afar, who, together with foreign minstrels, were admitted at all hours, the harpers strung their harps to good tune, and the hall rang with many a merry peal.Īs no knight seemed ready with fitting tale of adventure, and no stranger guest had yet appeared to satisfy the custom of the time, King Arthur turned him to his old friend and ever-wise counsellor, Merlin, and begged of him a history. As King Arthur looked on the happy faces of these his chosen knights, the thought came to him that he would gladly have seen also his favourite nephew Sir Gawain there in place, and happily wedded too: for Sir Gawain was to him as a son. And next to Sir Tristram was his wife, the gracious Isond. Sir Launcelot of the Lake had beside him his young bride, pale Elaine. But Sir Gawain, by reason of some dispute, had departed from Camelot. Those of greatest renown were Sir Launcelot of the Lake, Sir Tristram, and Sir Gawain. Mostly, there was no lack of strange encounters and romantic passages for at that time brave knights went forth to seek the oppressed, and those who asked aid of others stronger than themselves and, especially, damsels that were any way distressed, found ready help in the stout swords and courteous bearing of the knights of King Arthur’s court.Īt this special feast of Whitsuntide, there were present all of King Arthur’s chosen knights, save one and that one was his own nephew, Sir Gawain, called the Courteous. It was the Feast of Whitsuntide, at Camelot, in the court of Arthur the good king.Ĭustom was in those days, that ever as the time of that feast came about, King Arthur would desire to hear some adventures, and chiefly those of his goodly and chivalrous Knights of the Round Table. The Boy Alisaunder’s Tale of the Forgiving Heart The Christian Convert’s Tale of the Iron King The Roman Minstrel’s Ballad of Gabrielle of Gaul The Tale of Sir Gawain’s Bride: The Slave-Queen The Danish Knight’s Tale of the Heathen Priest The Lady Lynetta’s Tale of a Pleasant Masque Sir Gareth’s Tale of the Moorland Mystery The Lady Angelides’ Tale of the Terrible Horn Sir Dragonet the Fool’s Tale of a Purfled Mantle The Pilgrim’s Tale of the Mountain Voices Sir Percival’s Tale of Bruno the Pitiless Eliot the Harper’s Lay of Gwenelda of Wales Of a Strange Damsel and of Three Questions
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |