Book 1: The Coming of Arthur

Tintagel

  My name is King Arthur, and I was born to Uther Pendragon and Igraine.  Uther made war with a Duke, who was the husband of Igraine.  The Duke fled to a castle at Terrabil.  Merlin the wise wizard told Uther that he would marry Igraine and they would have a son, but the son must be given to Merlin to raise.  Uther agreed, and he killed the Duke and married Igraine.  Two years later, Uther fell sick.  Merlin summoned all the lords and asked the King if his son Arthur should reign after his death.  Before he died, Uther gave me his blessing.  I went to live with Merlin and no one knew who I was.
   

The Sword in the Stone

Great misery surrounded Britain.  One year on New Year's Day, they held a contest to see who could pull a sword out of a stone.  The stone said that whoever could pull the sword out would become King of all Britain.  No one in the kingdom could pull out the stone.  Sir Kay, who I was a squire to, forgot his sword and I went back to the inn to get it, but the inn was locked.  I saw a sword in a stone and I pulled it out for him to use.  Sir Kay tried to say that he pulled out the sword, but the priest came to see if this was true, and Sir Kay admitted that I had done it.  I was knighted and crowned to be King of all Britain.  Many people were happy, but the lords did not approve of a 15 year old boy being their king.

The Black Knight

One day I went for a ride, and I stumbled upon three thieves robbing Merlin.  The instant I came in, they fled.  Merlin and I continued to ride and we saw a knight dressed in black who would not let us pass.  The black knight defeated me but before he could slay me, Merlin cast a spell to put the Knight to sleep.   Now of course I was very angry with Merlin for not letting the knight have a fair fight.  Merlin explained that the Knight was Pellinore who, as Merlin predicted, would help me later in life and would tell me the name of my real sister.

We came to a lake, and we saw an arm coming out of the water holding a sword.  A boat with the Lady of the Lake was coming across the water and came to shore.  I asked her for the sword, and she said she would give me the sword as long as I gave her a gift when she came to receive it.  I agreed, and took the sword from the arm which receded into the water.  The Lady of the Lake disappeared.  The sword was named Excalibur.

The Lady of the Lake and Excalibur

Guinevere

I loved Queen Guinevere because she was the best lady in the land.  Merlin warned me that she would cause war between me and the best knight of my round table, but I couldn't resist her.  At our wedding, Merlin presented the Round Table - which had spots for 150 knights.  Merlin said the names of the Knights of the Round Table would live forever.  The table was round so that no one complained that I was seated higher than anyone else.  During our wedding, a white hart, a brachet, and a pack of hounds came running through the hall followed by a lady on a white horse.  Another knight came and took the lady away with him, who was lady Nimue.  I sent Gawain to bring back the white hart, Sir Tor to bring back the brachet, and King Pellinore to bring back the damsel.  All the knights returned successful but they all had put shame on themselves.

Merlin

Merlin told me that he had to take his long sleep but warned me first that an evil lady would steal my sword and scabbard.  I will miss his wisdom.

While hunting, my men and I discovered a strange ship and boarded it.  When we awoke the next morning, we were in a prison cell.  The only way to get out was to fight another knight that I did not know.  During the battle, I realized that the other knight had Excalibur and my scabbard.  When I got my sword back, the other knight told me who he was and I realized that he was one of my own knights from Camelot.  I gave him mercy and realized that Morgana le Fay had swapped the blades.  While I was recovering, Morgana le Fay stole my sword and scabbard and ran away.  We chased her but when she realized she was trapped she threw them into a deep lake.  We searched but couldn't find them because it sank.  I was very angry with her.  She tried to trick me again but it didn't work.  After this, Morgana never dared to enter the kingdom again.

Morgana le Fay

Book 2: The Knights of the Round Table

   Since the Round Table began, it has grown in fame and size.  Many knights from around the world come to test their strength and honor.  My knights have completed many adventures, and I will tell you some of their stories here.

The Green Knight

At the Christmas feast, we were interrupted by a Green Knight who entered the hall and challenged the knights to slay him with his terrible green and gold axe.  Sir Gawain took the challenge and the Green Knight kneeled so Sir Gawain could smite his head off.  When he swung the axe, the Green Knight's head was severed from his body.  Amazingly, the Green Knight walks to his head, picks it up, and tells Sir Gawain that he has to find him in a year.  A year later, Sir Gawain leaves to find the Green Knight. On his journey, he stays with a couple at a castle who befriends him.  The wife tries to trick him into being unfaithful but Gawain resists her three times.  He leaves, and finds the Green Chapel where the Green Knight lives.  Sir Gawain was surprised to see the Green Knight with his head back on.  This time the Green Knight tries to slay him with another axe three times but Sir Gawain prevails.  The Green Knight reveals that he is the husband of the lady that tried to test Gawain's nobility.  Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, sent the Green Knight to Camelot to test the valor of the Knights of the Round Table.  I was proud of the faithful knight and gave him his honor back.

Launcelot

One day at a Feast a wounded man came for healing.  Lady Nimue had said that there was an amazing knight that could heal with the touch of his hand.  All the knights tried but to no avail.  Lady Nimue entered the hall with Launcelot, and said that he was the Knight that could heal people and that he would take an empty spot at the Round Table.  I immediately knighted Launcelot.  Launcelot went over to the wounded man and by touch he healed him.  We were all impressed, and I sent Launcelot out on his first quest.  During his journey, Launcelot and his men laid down under a tree to rest.  While he was sleeping, his men saw a Knight that was chasing three other knights.  They tried to defeat him, but he captured them and threw them in his dungeon where he had many knights.  While Launcelot was still sleeping, Morgana le Fay and three other queens came upon him.  They devised a plan to capture him by putting him to sleep for seven hours with a spell.  They took him back to their castle and when he woke up they told him he had to marry one of them or be slain.  Launcelot refused either of those options.  The queens put him in the dungeon with the other knights.  A damsel that brought him food offered to help him escape if he would help her father fight another knight.  He killed the knight for her father and returned to the castle to rescue his men.  He fought Sir Turquyn, the Knight that had captured and put all the knights in the dungeon.  After he kills Sir Turquyn, he frees all the knights in the dungeon.  All the knights returned to King Arthur but Sir Launcelot went on to go on many more adventures.  I was impressed with his heroic adventures and he became my best knight.

Gareth and the Red Knight

At another feast, a stranger came into the hall and asked for three gifts:  one he would get right then, and the other two he would get a year later.  I was intrigued, so I asked the boy what he wanted. He said that the first gift was to serve in the kitchen of the Round Table for a year.  I granted his wish, and he served us well for a year.  At that time, a lady came into the hall because her sister had been kidnapped by the Red Knight and she wanted us to save her.  The kitchen boy asked for the quest as his second gift, and said that his third gift would be to be knighted by Launcelot.  I agreed, and they left with the lady.  First, Beaumains the kitchen server slayed a Black Knight who challenged him.  He showed him mercy and sent him back to Camelot to serve King Arthur.  Launcelot saw this and asked him who he was, and he revealed that he was Gareth, King Arthur's nephew.  Launcelot knighted him and they continued the journey.  Next they met a Green Knight who challenged them and Gareth overthrew him.  He does the same as the Black Knight for the Green Knight.  Then, they come upon a Blue Knight who challenges them and Gareth wins.  He sends the Blue Knight back to serve King Arthur as well.  Finally, they find the Red Knight who is holding the lady hostage.  Gareth gets the upper hand and defeats him.  The Red Knight explains that it was Morgana le Fay who was trying to ruin Camelot yet again, and Gareth had stopped her plan and brought honor and fame to the Round Table.  I set my nephew a seat at the Round Table and was proud of the glory he brought us.

King Arthur's Goblet

One of the most important stories happened when a man named Percival was brought to my court.  As we were sitting there, a Red Knight entered the hall and stole my goblet and ran away.  I said that whoever could return the goblet wearing the Red Knight's armour would be knighted.  Percivale accepted the challenge and left to return the goblet.  Percival was successful and killed the Red Knight and took the goblet and his armour.  On his return, he entered a castle and saw the Holy Grail, Holy Spear, and a golden platter.  The lady there told him that when Galahad sat at the Round Table the Holy Grail would appear at Camelot.  Percival returned to tell us his tale and he had many great quests after this.  I cannot wait for Galahad to come and fulfill the prediction of Merlin.

Book 3: The Quest for the Holy Grail

Knights of the Round Table

     One day while we were at Camelot new writing appeared on the last empty seat of the Round Table.  It said that the seat would be filled 454 years after the death of Christ.  We realized that that was today.  We covered the seat with a silken cloth.  One of my squires dashed in and said that there was a sword in a stone yet again floating in the river.  We hurried to it and we saw that it read, "never shall man take me hence but only he by whose side I ought to hang, and He shall be the best Knight in the world."  All of my knights tried to get the sword out of the stone, but none of them succeeded.  A huge burst of wind hit my castle, and when we entered the castle there was a hermit with Galahad.  We unveiled the chair from the silken cloth and it read, "This is the siege of Sir Galahad the High Prince."  We were happy and amazed because we knew we would have the Holy Grail soon as Merlin had predicted.  Galahad pulled the sword out of the stone with ease.  We all rejoiced and went in to sit at the Round Table.  I told the men that this was our finest hour as the Table was finally complete.  But I was sad because I had a feeling it would come to an end.  At that moment, the Holy Grail floated in through the hall and we could not see who was carrying it. After it disappeared, we all knew that the quest had begun.  All the knights left in search of it.

Sir Galahad

     Sir Galahad left on his quest for the Holy Grail.  He came upon an abbey and there was a shield that only the one that would touch the grail could carry.  Other men tried the shield but they all failed.  Sir Galahad tried to pick up the shield and proved himself worthy.  A white knight appeared and told him that he was the holiest knight and that his quest would be successful.  On his journey, Sir Percivale is tempted many times but he is able to overcome them.  Because of this, he was given permission to enter the Enchanted Ship which would take them to Carbonek and the Holy Grail.  Meanwhile, Sir Bors is on his journey for the Holy Grail.  He has to prove himself pure by eating only bread and water.  He is tempted many times but he prevails.  He proves himself pure and is able to enter the mysterious Enchanted Ship as well.  Launcelot also is on the quest.  He could only see the Grail because of his sinful love for Guinevere.  The hermit at the Castle tells him that he will be able to see the Grail but not touch it because of his sin.  Lancelot leaves and finds the Enchanted Ship.  All the knights are thrilled to be together and to complete the quest.

When the Knights arrived at the Castle of Carbonek, they went to a feast but they only ate bread and water to prove themselves pure.  While they were sitting there, the procession of the Holy Grail entered the room.  Galahad stopped the procession and took his place in front of it.  He led the procession to the chapel.  Galahad then drank out of the Holy Grail.  Lady Blanchefleur gave Percivale the broken sword and told him that if he could put it back together that she would marry him and they would be King and Queen of Carbonek.  Percivale accomplishes the task and Galahad marries them.  When Galahad puts the Holy Grail back on the altar, his soul is taken up into Heaven.  The Holy Grail and Bleeding Spear disappear and are never seen again.  Sir Bors returned to Camelot to unfold the amazing story.  I was incredibly impressed with all my knights for trying so hard.  Many of them failed and there were many empty seats at the Round Table.

   

Book 4: The Departing

Camelot

     At this time, I was in mourning because I knew the end was nigh.  Although all the knights had returned from the Holy Grail quest, I knew that the seats were no longer being filled and no more words were appearing on the seats.  No new knights were possible to replace the dead ones.  Evil was also stirring in the land because knights were breaking fellowship, and riots were breaking out.  Launcelot was avoiding Guinevere because he knew that he had sinned and wanted to redeem himself. Guinevere thought that Launcelot had a new love and told him to leave the Castle.  So Launcelot took his horse and left, and no one knew where he was.

     Later that year, a wounded knight came to the Castle and needed Launcelot to heal him.  At that moment Launcelot returned and healed the knight.  I was sad because I knew that Lady Nimue had predicted that after this healing the kingdom would start to fall.

     Guinevere and her maidens went into the woods for May Day.  A knight of mine, Melliagraunce, decided to kidnap her since she was unprotected.  He took Guinevere to his castle.  Launcelot came to rescue Guinevere and when he arrived the knight was fearful and gave up Guinevere.  When I arrived the two knights made peace.  I told them that in exactly one week they would meet again and fight.  Mellaigraunce tricked Launcelot and Launcelot fell down a trap door into a dungeon and was stuck there for a week.  Launcelot escapes with the help of a maiden, and kills Melliagraunce in the battle.

Guinevere at the stake

     Launcelot and Guinevere decide to meet in the garden at sundown.  Unfortunately Sir Mordred, the son of Morgana le Fay, overhears their plan and watches them in the garden.  Lancelot and Guinevere agree to go to Guinevere's room, and Mordred follows.  Mordred thinks he will catch them and bring shame upon the kingdom and me.  Mordred tells me about their plan and I send 12 knights to kill Launcelot.  This was incredibly painful for me to see my own wife betray me with my best knight.  Launcelot slays all the knights including Sir Gawain's brother and flees with several knights into the forest.  When I heard from Mordred what had happened, I told them to burn my wife in the morning.  I was torn between the two decisions, but justice had to be done.  In the morning, as Guinevere is led to the stake, Launcelot rides in, kills many knights, and rescues Guinevere.  Unfortunately he accidentally kills Sir Gareth.  Sir Gawain is enraged that Gareth was killed, and he vows to slay Launcelot without resting.  I regretted my decision to burn my Queen because now the land was doomed forever.

   I took my men to Launcelot's castle and after a great battle we made peace and Launcelot returned Guinevere to me.  I was touched by Launcelot's gesture and remembered all the great things he had done and so we made peace.  Launcelot then fled to France forever.  We had peace for a while, but Gawain forced me to declare war on Launcelot because he was still mad.  We took a great army to France.  I left Mordred in charge of the kingdom.  While Gawain was fighting Launcelot, Mordred declared me dead and tried to marry Guinevere.  Guinevere escaped and sent me a message.  I came back to rescue her and we fought a great battle.  In the end, Gawain was killed.  I was very sad and wept at the loss of a great knight.

     I sent word to Mordred that I wanted a truce for a month.  When we arrived on the battlefield, one of his men drew his sword to kill a snake.  My men thought that they were attacking, and the fight began.  Almost all the knights were killed in a battle that lasted all day.  At evening, I met Mordred and my men told me to leave him alone but he attacked me.  I killed him with my spear but he hit me with his sword right before he died.  We both fell to the ground.  I sent a knight to throw my sword into the lake from which I had received it.  He reported that a hand came out of the water and took Excalibur.  My men took me to a sea where Nimue and the lady of the Isle of Avalon and my sister Morgana arrived on a boat to take me away.  I told the knights to tell everyone that I had to go to the Vale of Avalon to be healed.  I promised to return when Britain needed me the most.

Heroic Archetypes

The Innocent:  Percivale is the innocent because when they found him he was only 15 and had never been outside his home.  He tries to fight the Red Knight without any help or training.

The Orphan:  King Arthur is the orphan because he didn't know his mother or father.

The Warrior:  Sir Galahad is the warrior because he sought to win at all battles, and chose his battles wisely with courage and discipline.

The Loyal Retainers:  The knights of the Round Table are the loyal retainers of King Arthur.  They protected Arthur and brought him fame.

Black Goddess:  Lady Morgana le Fay is the Black Godess.  She is beautiful but she tries to destroy King Arthur.

White Godess:  Guinevere is the White Godess.  She is a good and beautiful lady and seen as an ideal marriage partner.

Earth Mother:  the Lady of the Lake is the Earth Mother.  She provides protection for King Arthur in the form of Excalibur.

The Magician:  Merlin is the magician.  He is able to predict events and cast spells.

The Sage:  Lady Nimue is the Sage.  She guides King Arthur in his quests.

The Shadow:  Mordred is the Shadow.  King Arthur has to fight Mordred in the last battle.  He is also the other side of King Arthur's personality.