elot went
forward alone to where was the slab of stone. And he looked down upon
the slab and beheld that it was very flat and wide and so big that three
men might hardly hope to lift it. Besides this, he beheld that it had
been sealed by magic as had been reported to him, for many strange
letters and figures had been engraved into the face of the stone.

Now you are to remember that it was aforetold of in the "Book of the
Champions of the Round Table" that Sir Launcelot wore upon his finger a
ring which the Lady of the Lake had given him when he quitted the Lake;
and you all remember that that ring was of such a sort that he who wore
it might dissolve all evil magic or enchantment against which he should
direct his efforts. Wherefore it was that Sir Launcelot was aware, as he
had already told the people outside of the walls of the town, that he
might lift that stone even if another, because of the magic that was
upon it, should not be able to stir it where it lay.

So Sir Launcelot put aside his sword and his shield and he went forward
to the slab and he seized the slab in both of his hands. And he bent his
back and lifted, and lo! the bands of enchantment that lay upon the
stone were snapped and the slab moved and stirred in the bed wherein it
lay.

[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot lifteth the stone._]

Then when the multitude of the people who gazed upon him beheld the slab
how it moved and stirred in its bed, a great shout went up from several
thousand lips like to one mighty voice of outcry. Therewith Sir
Launcelot bent again to the stone and heaved with all his might. And lo!
he lifted the stone and he raised it and he rolled it over upon the
earth.

Then he looked down into the hole that was beneath the stone and he was
aware that there lay something in the hole that moved. And anon he
beheld two green and glassy eyes that opened upon him and looked up at
him from out of the hole; and he beheld that those eyes were covered
over as with a thin film to shelter them from the dazzling light of the
daytime. And as Sir Launcelot gazed he beheld that that thing which lay
within the hole began to crawl out of the hole, and Sir Launcelot beheld
that it was a huge worm, covered all over with livid scales as hard as
flint. And the Worm lifted the fore part of its body to the height of a
tall man and gaped very dreadfully with a great mouth an ell wide, and
all glistening with three rows of white and shining teeth. And Sir
Lau