Foreword

In a book which was written by me aforetime, and which was set forth in
print, I therein told much of the history of King Arthur; of how he
manifested his royalty in the achievement of that wonderful magic sword
which he drew forth out of the anvil; of how he established his royalty; of
how he found a splendid sword yclept Excalibur in a miraculously wonderful
manner; of how he won the most beautiful lady in the world for his queen;
and of how he established the famous Round Table of noble worthy knights,
the like of whose prowess the world hath never seen, and will not be likely
ever to behold again.

Also I told in that book the adventures of certain worthy knights and
likewise how the magician Merlin was betrayed to his undoing by a sorceress
hight Vivien.

Now, if you took any joy in reading that book, I have great hope that that
which follows may be every whit as pleasing to you; for I shall hereinafter
have to do with the adventures of certain other worthies with whom you may
have already become acquainted through my book and otherwise; and likewise
of the adventures of certain other worthies, of whom you have not yet been
told by me.

More especially, I believe, you will find entertainment in what I shall
have to tell you of the adventures of that great knight who was altogether
the most noble of spirit, and the most beautiful, and the bravest of heart,
of any knight who ever lived--excepting only his own son, Galahad, who was
the crowning glory of his house and of his name and of the reign of King
Arthur.

However, if Sir Launcelot of the Lake failed now and then in his behavior,
who is there in the world shall say, "I never fell into error"? And if he
more than once offended, who is there shall have hardihood to say, "I never
committed offence"?

Yea, that which maketh Launcelot so singularly dear to all the world, is
that he was not different from other men, but like other men, both in his
virtues and his shortcomings; only that he was more strong and more brave
and more untiring than those of us who are his brethren, both in our
endeavors and in our failures.

CONTENTS

The Story of Launcelot

Chapter First

How Sir Launcelot Came Forth From the Enchanted Castle of the
Lake and Entered Into the World Again, and How King Arthur
Made Him Knight

Chapter Second

How Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel Rode Forth Errant Together
and How Sir Lionel Met Sir Turquine to His Great Dole.