with joy, and thought no
more of him: now that she knew all the magic he could teach her.

_HOW MORGAN LE FAY TRIED TO KILL_

_KING ARTHUR_

King Arthur had a sister called Morgan le Fay, who was skilled in
magic of all sorts, and hated her brother because he had slain in
battle a Knight whom she loved. But to gain her own ends, and to
revenge herself upon the King, she kept a smiling face, and let none
guess the passion in her heart.

One day Morgan le Fay went to Queen Guenevere, and asked her leave to
go into the country. The Queen wished her to wait till Arthur
returned, but Morgan le Fay said she had had bad news and could not
wait. Then the Queen let her depart without delay.

Early next morning at break of day Morgan le Fay mounted her horse and
rode all day and all night, and at noon next day reached the Abbey of
nuns where King Arthur had gone to rest, for he had fought a hard
battle, and for three nights had slept but little. 'Do not wake him,'
said Morgan le Fay, who had come there knowing she would find him, 'I
will rouse him myself when I think he has had enough sleep,' for she
thought to steal his sword Excalibur from him. The nuns dared not
disobey her, so Morgan le Fay went straight into the room where King
Arthur was lying fast asleep in his bed, and in his right hand was
grasped his sword Excalibur. When she beheld that sight, her heart
fell, for she dared not touch the sword, knowing well that if Arthur
waked and saw her she was a dead woman. So she took the scabbard, and
went away on horseback.

When the King awoke and missed his scabbard, he was angry, and asked
who had been there; and the nuns told him that it was his sister
Morgan le Fay, who had gone away with a scabbard under her mantle.
'Alas!' said Arthur, 'you have watched me badly!'

'Sir,' said they, 'we dared not disobey your sister.'

'Saddle the best horse that can be found,' commanded the King, 'and
bid Sir Ontzlake take another and come with me.' And they buckled on
their armour and rode after Morgan le Fay.

They had not gone far before they met a cowherd, and they stopped to
ask if he had seen any lady riding that way. 'Yes,' said the cowherd,
'a lady passed by here, with forty horses behind her, and went into
the forest yonder.' Then they galloped hard till Arthur caught sight
of Morgan le Fay, who looked back, and, seeing that it was Arthur who
gave chase, pushed on faster than before. And when she saw she could