and Wales to his sway. Some of the
hostile monarchs believed the magician's story, but others doubted it,
King Lot of Orkney laughing him to scorn, while some among them called
him a prating wizard.

But it was agreed that they should hold a conference with Arthur, they
promising if he came out to them to place no hindrance to his safe
return. Merlin then sought the king and advised him to accept the
conference, telling him that he had nothing to fear. Thereupon Arthur
armed himself, and taking with him the Archbishop of Canterbury and
several noble knights, went out boldly to meet his foes.

The conference was an angry and bitter one, the kings speaking strongly,
and Arthur answering them with stout words of defiance, in which he told
them plainly that if he lived he would make them bow to his throne. In
the end they parted in wrath, the kings returning to their camp and
Arthur to the tower.

"What do you propose to do?" said Merlin to the kings. "If you take a
wise man's advice you will withdraw, for I tell you that you shall not
prevail here, were you ten times as many."

"We are not the men to be advised by a dream-reader," answered King Lot.
"If you are the wise man you say, you will take yourself away." At this
reply Merlin magically vanished from among them, and immediately
appeared to King Arthur in the tower, bidding him boldly to sally forth
and attack his enemies, and trust to fortune and valor for success.
Meanwhile three hundred of the best knights of the kings had deserted
their ranks and come to join him, much to his comfort, for he had been
greatly outnumbered.

"Sir," said Merlin, "fight not with the sword that you had by miracle,
till you see things go to the worst; then draw it out and strike
shrewdly for your throne."

These words said, Arthur sallied from the tower at the head of all his
knights, and fell fiercely on the besiegers in their camp. All went down
before his bold assault, the hosts of the hostile kings retreating in
dismay. Great deeds were done that day, Sir Kay and other knights
slaying all before them, while Arthur laid on nobly, and did such
marvellous feats of arms that all who saw him wondered greatly, for
until now he had been an untried youth. While the combat thus went on in
Arthur's favor in front, King Lot and others of the kings made a detour
and set fiercely upon his force from the rear, causing momentary dismay
in his ranks. But Arthur wheeled alertly with his knigh