Английские легенды / The English Legends - стр. 5

So the Archbishop, by the advice of Merlin, sent for all the lords and knights, asking them to come to London by Christmas. So on Christmas, in the greatest church of London, everybody came to pray. And when matins and the first mass[11] were done, everybody could see in the churchyard across the altar a great stone, and in the middle of it stood an anvil of steel a foot on high[12], and there was a sword between the stone and the anvil. And letters that were written in gold about the sword said this: “Who pulls this sword out of this stone and anvil, is the rightful king of all England.”

The people told it to the Archbishop, but he forbade trying to take the sword out before the Christmas high mass was finished. After that, a great many knights and lords tried to get the sword, but no one could move it. “He who could pull the sword is not here,” finally said the Archbishop, “but God will make him known. But this is my counsel that we let ten honourable knights guard the stone at all times.”

So they put ten knights to guard the stone at all times, and sent criers all over the realm to say that everyone is welcome to come to the church on New Year’s Eve to try and take the sword. On that day, a big jousting tournament was held, so all the barons and knights went there. Sir Ector decided to come as well, bringing with him his son Sir Kay that was made knight shortly before that, and his nourished brother[13] Arthur. When they were riding to the jousts-ward, Sir Kay noticed that he had forgotten his sword at home. He asked young Arthur to go and bring this sword to him, because he wanted to fight in the tournament.

Arthur went back, but everybody left home, so he could not get in and bring Sir Kay’s sword. He didn’t want to come back with empty hands, because he didn’t want his brother to miss the tournament.

“I know a sword nearby,” thought Arthur,“that I can bring to Sir Kay so that he would have a sword to fight with.”

So Arthur went to the churchyard. No one was guarding the stone and the anvil, because all the knights went to the tournament. Arthur took the sword by the handles and easily pulled it from under the anvil.

“Now I have a good sword for Sir Kay,” he said.

So Arthur brought the sword to his brother. Sir Kay immediately recognized the sword. He came to Sir Ector and said, “See, father, this is the sword from the stone. Therefore I am the rightful king of this land.”

Sir Ector recognized the sword, too. He took Arthur and Sir Kay back to the church, and asked Sir Kay to swear on the Book and answer, where did he get the sword.