AFTER THE DEATH OF UTHER PENDRAGON there was no true king in Britain.

No one but
Merlin knew if Arthur really existed, or where he was. The lords fought each other and each tried
to make himself king. They built castles in which they themselves were safe, but from which
they rode out to rob farmers and anyone who had any wealth. They tortured those who would not
say where their wealth was hidden, Great was the misery of Britain. Cries went up for a true king
who would protect the poor and keep justice for every man.

When Merlin knew that the time had come, he went to the Archbishop of Canterbury and
said that if he would call the leading men to London at Christmastime, a miracle would prove
who was the rightful king of Britain. So the Archbishop summoned all the chief men of the
kingdom to London at Christmas.

On Christmas Day they went to church. When they came out, they found in the
churchyard a square marble stone, in the middle of which was an anvil, and into the anvil was
thrust a sword. The stone gripped the naked sword by the point, and on the blade was written in
gold letters: “Whoever pulls out this sword from this stone and anvil is the rightful King of all
Logres.” Here was the miracle foretold by Merlin.

Each lord tried to pull it out and all failed. Nobody could move it. News of the miracle
was hurriedly told to all knights. A tournament was announced for New Year's Day, when the
knights were each invited to try to pull out the sword.

All the great lords met again on New Year's Day. Among them was Sir Ector, who
brought his son Sir Kay, who had been made a knight at the previous Halloween. who had been
made a knight at the previous Halloween. did not know it himself.

After the church service they all rode in a merry company to the tournament field. Sir
Kay suddenly realized that he had left his sword behind in his lodgings. There was no time for
him to go back, for he was due to take part in the young knights’ tournament, so he asked Arthur
to go back for him. Arthur went as fast as he could to their lodgings. But everyone had gone to
see the fighting, and the house was locked, Arthur was angry and said: "I will ride to the
churchyard and take the sword in the stone, for my brother shall not be without a sword this
day.”
 He found no one at the churchyard, for everyone had gone to see the tournament. So he
took the sword by the hilt, gave it light, quick pull — and out it came. He jumped on to his horse,
rode to the tournament field, and gave Kay the sword.

Now Kay, being a knight, knew the meaning of the sword in the stone, He recognized it
at once. He unwisely thought he could deceive others about how he came by it. He went to his
father and said: “Sir, look, here is the sword of the stone, and so I must be king of this land.”

Sir Ector was amazed, But he was a wise man, and he immediately took Kay and Arthur
and went back to the church, He told Kay to swear how he came by the sword.

Kay was frightened now, and he said: “Sir, by my brother Arthur, for he brought it to
me.”

Sir Ector looked at young Arthur, remembering how strangely Merlin had brought him in
secret as a newborn baby, told him to bring him up as his own son, and promised that in time
Merlin would reveal who the child truly was.

“How did you get the sword?” said Sir Ector slowly to Arthur, standing by the altar in the
quiet church.

Arthur told him exactly what he had done.

“Now,” said Sir Ector to Arthur, “As I understand, you must be king of this land.”

“I?" said Arthur, astonished. “How can that be?”

“Sir,” said Sir Ector, using the title for the first time, “because God will have it so, for no
man could have pulled out this sword unless he was the rightful king of this land. Now let me see
whether you can put the sword back as it was and pull out again.”

“That’s quite easy,” said Arthur and they all went outside of the frosty churchyard. There
stood the white stone with anvil wedged in the top. But no sword was in the anvil. Arthur went
up to it and thrust the sword back into its slit, which gripped the blade hard.

Sir Ector tried to pull it out, to see that there was no tick. He could not move it at all.
“Now you try” said Sir Ector to Sir Kay, and Sir Kay pulled with all his might, but could not
move it. “Now you shall try,” Sir Ector said to Arthur.
 “Very well” said Arthur, and he pulled it out easily.

Sir Ector and Sir Kay knelt down before Arthur. "My dear father and brother.” said the
boy. “Why do you kneel to me?”

Then Sir Ector told him that he was not his own son, but that Merlin had brought him as a
baby to be brought up as his son in his household. "Sir," said Sir Ector again, “I will ask no more
of you but that you will make my son, your foster brother Sir Kay, steward in charge of your
lands.”

Arthur answered: “That shall be done, and no other man shall have the office while he
and I live.”

Then they went to the Archbishop and told him what had happened. At the end of the
New Year's tournament, on the Epiphany, all the knights tried the sword and none could move it.
Then Arthur, who was not even a knight, drew it out.

It was decided at last. Arthur took the sword in both hands and laid it one the altar where
the Archbishop was standing. Then he knelt down, and the best knight present was chosen to
come forward and make him knight.

After that, the Archbishop set on his head the crown of Britain, and wearing it, Arthur
swore the king’s oath to give justice to all men, high and low, all the days of his life. The people
threw up their caps and shouted because a true king had come at last to punish the wicked and
defend the poor.

But many of the great lords were not pleased and refused to have a boy if fifteen, of
unknown parents, as king over them. They resisted so strongly that it was not until the summer
feast of Pentecost that Arthur was acknowledge as the true king. The King took those who were
not to be trusted away from their posts. Arthur knew that a peaceful reign did not lie ahead of
him. There were fierce raiders from over the seas, hostile British lords in strong castles, and even
treacherous men among his advisers. A heavy task lay before him in ruling the kingdom rightly,
or even in keeping his throne at all.