pened that Sir Ector rode also,
and with him Sir Kay, his son, that had just been made knight, and
young Arthur that was his foster-brother.

As they rode to the joust-ward Sir Kay suddenly missed his sword, which
he had left at his father's lodging, and he begged young Arthur to ride
and fetch it. "I will gladly," said Arthur, and he hastened off home.
But the lady and all the household were out to see the jousting, and he
found nobody at home to deliver him the sword. Then was Arthur
troubled, and said to himself, "I will ride to the churchyard and take
the sword that sticketh in the stone, for my brother Sir Kay shall not
be without a sword this day."

So when he came to the great stone Arthur alighted, and tied his horse
to the stile. He then went straight to the tent of the guards, but
found no knights there, for they were at the jousting. So he took the
sword by the handles, and lightly and fiercely pulled it out of the
anvil; then he mounted his horse and rode his way till he came to his
brother Sir Kay, and delivered him the sword.

As soon as Sir Kay saw the sword, he knew well it was that one of the
stone, and so he rode away to his father, Sir Ector, and said: "Sir, lo
here is the sword of the stone; wherefore I must be king of this land."

When Sir Ector beheld the sword, all three returned to the church and
entered it. Anon Sir Ector made Sir Kay to swear upon a book how he
came by that sword. And Sir Kay answered that Arthur had brought it to
him. "And how gat ye the sword?" said he to Arthur; and when Sir Ector
heard how it had been pulled from the anvil, he said to Arthur: "Now I
understand ye must be king of this land."

"Wherefore I?" said Arthur, "and for what cause?"

"Sir," said Ector, "for God will have it so; for there should never man
have drawn out this sword but he that shall be rightwise king. Now let
me see whether ye can put the sword there as it was, and pull it out
again."

"That is no mastery," said Arthur, and so he put it into the stone.
Therewith Sir Ector assayed to pull out the sword, and failed. Then
Sir Kay pulled at it with all his might, but it would not yield.

"Now shall ye assay again," said Sir Ector to Arthur.

"I will well," said Arthur, and pulled it out easily a second time.

Now was Sir Ector sure that Arthur was of higher blood than had been
thought, and that the rightful king had been made known. And he told
his foster-son all, how he was not his f