lin made the
Archbishop of Canterbury send for them all to come to London. It was
Christmas time, and in the great cathedral a solemn service was held, and
prayer was made that some sign should be given, to show who was the
rightful king. When the service was over, there appeared a strange stone
in the churchyard, against the high altar. It was a great white stone,
like marble, with something sunk in it that looked like a steel anvil; and
in the anvil was driven a great glistening sword. The sword had letters of
gold written on it, which read: "Whoso pulleth out this sword of this
stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England."

All wondered at the strange sword and its strange writing; and when the
archbishop himself came out and gave permission, many of the knights tried
to pull the sword from the stone, hoping to be king. But no one could move
it a hair's breadth.

"He is not here," said the archbishop, "that shall achieve the sword; but
doubt not, God will make him known."

Then they set a guard of ten knights to keep the stone, and the archbishop
appointed a day when all should come together to try at the stone,--kings
from far and near. In the meantime, splendid jousts were held, outside
London, and both knights and commons were bidden.

Sir Ector came up to the jousts, with others, and with him rode Kay and
Arthur. Kay had been made a knight at Allhallowmas, and when he found
there was to be so fine a joust he wanted a sword, to join it. But he had
left his sword behind, where his father and he had slept the night
before. So he asked young Arthur to ride for it.

"I will well," said Arthur, and rode back for it. But when he came to the
castle, the lady and all her household were at the jousting, and there was
none to let him in.

Thereat Arthur said to himself, "My brother Sir Kay shall not be without a
sword this day." And he remembered the sword he had seen in the
churchyard. "I will to the churchyard," he said, "and take that sword with
me." So he rode into the churchyard, tied his horse to the stile, and went
up to the stone. The guards were away to the tourney, and the sword was
there, alone.

Going up to the stone, young Arthur took the great sword by the hilt, and
lightly and fiercely he drew it out of the anvil.

Then he rode straight to Sir Kay, and gave it to him.

Sir Kay knew instantly that it was the sword of the stone, and he rode off
at once to his father and said, "Sir, lo, here