secret craft, and had made him swear that he would never
do any enchantment upon her.

[Illustration: Merlin and Nimue]

They went together over the sea unto the land of Benwick, where Ban was
king, that had helped Arthur against his enemies. Here Merlin saw
young Launcelot, King Ban's son, and he told the queen that this same
child should grow to be a man of great honour, so that all Christendom
should speak of his prowess. So the queen was comforted of her great
sorrow that she made for the mortal war that King Claudas waged on her
lord and on her lands.

Then afterwards Nimue and Merlin departed into Cornwall, and by the way
he showed her many wonders, and wearied her with his desire for her
love. She would fain have been delivered of him, for she was afraid of
him, almost believing him a devil's son, and yet she could not put him
away by any means.

And so on a time it happened that Merlin showed to her a wonderful
cavern in the cliff, closed by an enchanted stone. By her subtle
working she soon made Merlin remove the stone and go into the cavern to
let her know of the marvels there. Then she so wrought through the
magic he had taught her that the stone was placed back again, so that
he never came out for all the craft that he could do. And then she
departed and left him there.

On a day a certain knight rode to see adventures, and happened to come
to the rock where Nimue had put Merlin, and there he heard him make
great lamentation. The knight would gladly have helped him, and tried
to move the great stone; but it was so heavy that a hundred men might
not lift it up. When Merlin knew that the knight sought his
deliverance, he bade him leave his labour, for all was in vain. He
could never be helped but by her that put him there.

So Merlin's prophecy of his own end was fulfilled, and he passed from
the world of men. Arthur truly missed his old friend and marvelled
what had become of him. Afterwards, when the last great battle came,
he would have given everything to have Merlin with him again, but it
could not be.

CHAPTER VIII

A STAG-HUNT AND WHAT CAME OF IT

It befell that Arthur and many of his knights rode on hunting into a
deep forest, and King Arthur, King Uriens of Gore that was the husband
of Arthur's sister Morgan le Fay, and Sir Accolon of Gaul followed a
great hart so fast that within a while they were ten miles from their
fellowship. At the last they chased so sore that they