self, who promised that when the
time came I should know from whom you sprang. And now it has been
revealed to me.' But when Arthur heard that Sir Ector was not his
father, he wept bitterly. 'If I am King,' he said at last, 'ask what
you will, and I shall not fail you. For to you, and to my lady and
mother, I owe more than to anyone in the world, for she loved me and
treated me as her son.' 'Sir,' replied Sir Ector, I only ask that you
will make your foster-brother, Sir Kay, Seneschal[2] of all your
lands.' 'That I will readily,' answered Arthur, 'and while he and I
live no other shall fill that office.'

[Footnote 2: 'Seneschal' means steward.]

[Illustration: HOW ARTHUR DREW THE SWORD]

Sir Ector then bade them seek out the Archbishop with him, and they
told him all that had happened concerning the sword, which Arthur had
left standing in the stone. And on the Twelfth Day the Knights and
Barons came again, but none could draw it out but Arthur. When they
saw this, many of the Barons became angry and cried out that they
would never own a boy for King whose blood was no better than their
own. So it was agreed to wait till Candlemas, when more Knights might
be there, and meanwhile the same two men who had been chosen before
watched the sword night and day; but at Candlemas it was the same
thing, and at Easter. And when Pentecost came, the common people who
were present, and saw Arthur pull out the sword, cried with one voice
that he was their King, and they would kill any man who said
differently. Then rich and poor fell on their knees before him, and
Arthur took the sword and offered it upon the altar where the
Archbishop stood, and the best man that was there made him Knight.
After that the crown was put on his head, and he swore to his lords
and commons that he would be a true King, and would do them justice
all the days of his life.

_THE QUESTING BEAST_

But Arthur had many battles to fight and many Kings to conquer before
he was acknowledged lord of them all, and often he would have failed
had he not listened to the wisdom of Merlin, and been helped by his
sword Excalibur, which in obedience to Merlin's orders he never drew
till things were going ill with him. Later it shall be told how the
King got the sword Excalibur, which shone so bright in his enemies'
eyes that they fell back, dazzled by the brightness. Many Knights came
to his standard, and among them Sir Ban, King of Gaul beyond the sea,
who