thought he would not live much
longer, and he turned to Sir Bedivere: "Take Excalibur, my good
sword," he said, "and go with it to the lake, and throw it into its
waters. Then come quickly and tell me what you see."

Sir Bedivere took the sword and went down to the lake. But as he
looked at the handle with its sparkling gems and the richness of
the sword, he thought he could not throw it away. "I will hide it
carefully here among the rushes," thought the knight. And when he had
hidden it, he went slowly to the King and told him he had thrown the
sword into the lake.

"What did you see?" asked the King eagerly.

"Nothing but the ripple of the waves as they broke on the beach," said
Sir Bedivere.

"You have not told me the truth," said the King. "If you love me, go
again to the lake, and throw my sword into the water."

Again the knight went to the water's edge. He drew the sword from its
hiding-place. He would do the King's will, for he loved him. But again
the beauty of the sword made him pause. "It is a noble sword; I will
not throw it away," he murmured, as once more he hid it among the
rushes. Then he went back more slowly, and told the King that he had
done his will.

"What did you see?" asked the King.

"Nothing but the ripples of the waves as they broke on the beach,"
repeated the knight.

"You have betrayed me twice," said the King sadly, "and yet you are
a noble knight! Go again to the lake, and do not betray me for a rich
sword."

Then for the third time Sir Bedivere went to the water's edge, and
drawing the sword from among the rushes, he flung it as far as he
could into the lake.

And as the knight watched, an arm and a hand appeared above the
surface of the lake. He saw the hand seize the sword, and shaking it
three times, disappear again under the water. Then Sir Bedivere went
back quickly to the King, and told him what he had seen.

"Carry me to the lake," entreated Arthur, "for I have been here too
long."

And the knight carried the King on his shoulders down to the water's
side. There they found a barge lying, and seated in it were three
queens, and each queen wore a black hood. And when they saw King
Arthur they wept.

"Lay me in the barge," said the King. And when Sir Bedivere had laid
him there, King Arthur rested his head on the lap of the fairest
queen. And they rowed from land.

Sir Bedivere, left alone, watched the barge as it drifted out of
sight, and then he went sorrowfully