The story of King Arthur and His Knights

We all know the legendary King Arthur and His Knights of The Round Table. There are many version of the story which has been retold throughout time from the original Geoffrey of Monmouth until the newest version in television shows. But now I’m going to tell you another version of the story from Howard Pyle original.

In the ancient days there lived a King named Uther Pendragon who had two reliable men in his court. One was known as the powerful wizard who was able to see the future, Merlin and the other one was a noble knight named Sir Ulfius.

One day when Queen Ygraine, King Uther’s gentle wife, had a baby boy Merlin came to Uther. “Sire, I am sorry to tell you that I see bad things in the future. You will soon die and your kingdom will fall into great confusion. Your baby will be in great danger from enemies that would try to take what is rightfully his. I beg you Sire, let Sir Ulfius and I take the baby away and hide him somewhere safe until he is grown.” King Uther let Merlin and Ulfius take the child and hide him.

Shortly after that, everything that Merlin had seen in the future came true, and the kingdom fell into a state of confusion where many lesser kings wanted to rule. The land positively groaned with the troubles that lay upon it. Finally, the Archbishop of Canterbury called Merlin to him. “My lord, I am happy to tell you that I see great things in the future. Soon there shall be a king who will bring peace and order where there is now confusion and war. This king shall be Uther Pendragon’s own flesh and blood, and to prove that he is the late king’s son he will be the only one able to pull the sword out of the stone.”

From then on many travelers, knights, esquires, and kings came to try and pull the sword out but none of them succeed. Until came a boy named Arthur.

Arthur was the son of Sir Ector of Bonmaison and little brother of Sir Kay. He came to London town that day to help his brother in his fight in the tournament. Sir Kay was a great fighter, but unfortunately because of his big head he broke his sword in the tournament. Arthur seeing his brother need of a sword ran to the church where the sword in the stone was and pulled it out of the stone. Happy that he had found a sword for his brother he ran back to the tournament and gave the sword to his brother. When Sir Kay saw the sword he demanded Arthur to tell him the origin of the sword. Arthur explained everything to him and Sir Kay told their father of Arthur’s finding. “My son, if you drew this sword out of the stone then you needs to push it back in and draw it out again, with witness.”

Sir Ector and his two sons went back to the church. Arthur pushed it back to the stone and drew it out again. He repeated the action twice and suddenly Sir Ector began to cry. Sir Ector told Arthur that he was not his son and told him the true story of his birthright.

Since that day Arthur became the King and with the help of Merlin he built a great and powerful Kingdom called Camelot. He also drove the lesser kings who had declared war with him away. He drove King Pellinore into the forest, King Ryence to the mountains and to prevent attack from King Lot and Urien, Arthur knighted Lot’s sons, Gawaine and Geharris, and Urien’s son Ewaine. He also found the perfect queen for his kingdom named Guinevere.

It all seem like a very happy ending but beyond all that the legend continue to a different and darker ending.

The peace in Camelot was not eternal. Soon after years of Arthur’s coronation the kingdom was threatened into war with Arthur’s nephew Sir Modred, son of Arthur’s half sister the Lady Morgana Le fay, who wanted the throne of Camelot. King Arthur was so busy with the war he didn’t notice the affair between Queen Guinevere and his loyal knight, Lancelot Du Lac, until it was too late. Lancelot and Guinevere had gone when Arthur realized his wife affair. With a heavy and broken heart King Arthur set and planned the incoming war with his courtiers. When Modred’s army was near the border Arthur searched Merlin for his help. He failed to find the wise warlock because Merlin had been tricked by the witch Vivien, and was trapped forever in a magical cave, where magic had originally came from, named the Chrystal Cave.

When the war was set in Camnland, King Arthur alone with his knights and army faced their foes bravely. King Arthur fought his nephew with Excalibur, a sword he got from the Lady of the Lake when his original sword had broken. King Arthur and his nephew where both extremely good in sword play but in the end one must die, in this war though none won. King Arthur and Modred were both killed by each other swords. Thus leaving Camelot leaderless, and in chaos until there was only the rumbles of the once proud and standing castle of Camelot.

From then on no one knew of the true existence of Camelot, King Arthur and his court. The story became whispers and songs in bars and taverns. In modern time it became legends and bedtime story for children to hear.