im at Camelot,
where he would call a council, and hold a tourney.

From every part the Knights flocked to Camelot, and the town was full
to overflowing of armed men and their horses. And when they were all
assembled, there rode in a damsel, who said she had come with a
message from the great Lady Lile of Avelion, and begged that they
would bring her before King Arthur. When she was led into his presence
she let her mantle of fur slip off her shoulders, and they saw that by
her side a richly wrought sword was buckled. The King was silent with
wonder at the strange sight, but at last he said, 'Damsel, why do you
wear this sword? for swords are not the ornaments of women.' 'Oh, my
lord,' answered she, 'I would I could find some Knight to rid me of
this sword, which weighs me down and causes me much sorrow. But the
man who will deliver me of it must be one who is mighty of his hands,
and pure in his deeds, without villainy, or treason. If I find a
Knight such as this, he will draw this sword out of its sheath, and
he only. For I have been at the Court of King Ryons, and he and his
Knights tried with all their strength to draw the sword and they could
not.'

'Let me see if I can draw it,' said Arthur, 'not because I think
myself the best Knight, for well I know how far I am outdone by
others, but to set them an example that they may follow me.' With that
the King took the sword by the sheath and by the girdle, and pulled at
it with all his force, but the sword stuck fast. 'Sir,' said the
damsel, 'you need not pull half so hard, for he that shall pull it out
shall do it with little strength.' 'It is not for me,' answered
Arthur, 'and now, my Barons, let each man try his fortune.' So most of
the Knights of the Round Table there present pulled, one after
another, at the sword, but none could stir it from its sheath. 'Alas!
alas!' cried the damsel in great grief, 'I thought to find in this
Court Knights that were blameless and true of heart, and now I know
not where to look for them.' 'By my faith,' said Arthur, 'there are no
better Knights in the world than these of mine, but I am sore
displeased that they cannot help me in this matter.'

Now at that time there was a poor Knight at Arthur's Court who had
been kept prisoner for a year and a half because he had slain the
King's cousin. He was of high birth and his name was Balin, and after
he had suffered eighteen months the punishment of his misdeed the
Barons prayed the Kin