therefore, when, on
arriving at the tourney ground, he discovered that he had forgotten to
bring his sword.

"I will fetch it for you," cried the young Arthur, anxious to be of
service.

He found the apartment of Sir Kay closed and locked; but he was
determined to get a sword for his brother, and remembering the huge
anvil he had seen in the churchyard, he hurried toward it. Grasping the
hilt of the projecting sword, he drew it out easily.

Happy over his good fortune, Arthur returned to the tourney ground and
gave the new sword to his foster brother. Sir Hector, who stood near,
recognized it.

"Where did you get that sword?" he asked.

"From the great anvil in the churchyard of St. Stephen's I drew it," was
the answer.

But Sir Hector still doubted, and when the tournament was over, he and
all the principal nobles of the realm rode back to the churchyard.

Arthur replaced the sword in the anvil and stood aside while all present
tried to draw it forth. None succeeded. Then Arthur again stepped up,
grasped the hilt and pulled out the blade.

"The king, the king!" the people cried; for they knew that at last they
had found a worthy successor to the good King Uther.

So Arthur was crowned king and entered upon that wise and kingly rule of
which the praises have so often been sung.

Following are the stories of the coming and passing of Arthur as they
are related by Tennyson:

THE COMING OF ARTHUR

Leodogran, the King of Cameliard,
Had one fair daughter, and none other child;
And she was fairest of all flesh on earth,
Guinevere, and in her his one delight.

For many a petty king ere Arthur came
Ruled in this isle, and ever waging war
Each upon other, wasted all the land;
And still from time to time the heathen host
Swarm'd overseas, and harried what was left.
And so there grew great tracts of wilderness,
Wherein the beast was ever more and more,
But man was less and less, till Arthur came.
For first Aurelius lived and fought and died,
And after him King Uther fought and died,
But either fail'd to make the kingdom one.
And after these King Arthur for a space,
And thro' the puissance of his Table Round,
Drew all their petty princedoms under him,
Their king and head, and made a realm, and reign'd.

And thus the land of Cameliard was waste,
Thick with wet woods, and many a beast therein,
And none or few to