"Who is he?" asked the knight.

"He is King Arthur."

Then would the knight have slain Arthur for fear of his wrath, and
raised his sword again to do so, but at that moment Merlin threw him
into an enchanted sleep.

"What have you done, Merlin?" cried Arthur. "God grant you have not
slain this worthy knight by your craft! I would yield a year of my
dominion to have him alive again."

"Do not fear," said Merlin. "He is asleep only, and will awake within
three hours. And this I shall tell you, there is not a stronger knight
in your kingdom than he, and hereafter he will do you good service. His
name is King Pellinore, and he shall have two noble sons, whose names
will be Percivale and Lamorak of Wales. And this brave knight shall, in
the time to come, tell you the name of that son of your sister who is
fated to be the destruction of all this land."

This being said, the king and the magician departed, leaving the knight
to his magic slumbers. Soon they reached the cell of a hermit who was a
noted leech, and who, with healing salves, in three days cured the
king's wounds so that he was able to ride again. As they now went
forward, through forest and over plain, Arthur said,--

"I have no sword. I shall be ill put to it should I meet a champion."

"Heed not that," said Merlin. "That loss will be soon repaired."

And so they rode till they came to a lake, a broad and fair sheet of
water, that stretched far before their eyes. As the king stood and
looked upon it, he saw in its midst, to his deep wonder, an arm clothed
in white samite lift itself above the water, and in the hand appeared a
glittering sword, that gleamed brightly in the sun's rays.

"Lo! yonder is the sword I spoke of," said Merlin.

Then another wonder met their eyes, for a woman came walking towards
them upon the surface of the lake.

"What damsel is that?" asked Arthur. "And what means all this wondrous
thing?"

"That is the Lady of the Lake," said Merlin. "Within that lake is a
great rock, and therein is a palace as fair as any on the earth, and
most richly adorned, wherein this lady dwells. When she comes to you ask
her in courtly phrase for the sword, for it is hers to give."

Soon came the damsel to them and saluted Arthur, who courteously
returned her salutation.

"Fair lady," he said, "what sword is it that yonder arm holds so
strangely above the water? I would it were mine, for I have lost my
weapon."

"King Arthur," replied the da