jousting among the knights, each man should
make the trial to find out whether or not he was to be king.

The brave youth Arthur did not know of the contest that was to be
made for the sword. Sir Hector told him that he was to go to a
tournament, but he did not tell him the reason for holding the
tournament. So Arthur rode to London with Sir Hector; and Sir
Kay, who was Sir Hector's oldest son, was with them.

Sir Hector and Sir Kay rode soberly in front. They were tall,
stalwart men and rode black horses, their dark figures making
shadows on the light snow that had fallen. Arthur, riding behind
them, felt exhilarated by the crisp winter air which caused the
blood to dance in his veins. Sometimes he stood up in his saddle
and flicked with his sword the dead leaves on the oaks. Again he
made his horse crush the thin crust of ice that had formed in
tiny pools on the road. He was so happy in the thought of the
tournament he was to see, that he could have sung for joy.

The road was not very wide, for few carts passed upon it, but it
had been well worn by riders. Sometimes it wound through a bit of
thick woods; again it rose up over a gently rolling hill. From
the hilltops the riders could see London far in the distance. It
looked at first like a gray haze; then, as the three came nearer,
the buildings, large and small, grew plain to the sight. The
castles and huts, barns and sheds, smithies, shops and mills,
stood out in the keen sunlight. A high wall surrounded them,
while on one side flowed the river Thames.

After they had entered the city, and had passed the churchyard,
and had almost reached London bridge, Sir Kay discovered that he
had left his sword at home.

"Will you go back for it?" he asked Arthur.

"That I will," said Arthur, glad of the chance to ride longer in
the delightful air.

But when he reached their dwelling, he could not get in. The
drawbridge was raised, and he could not make the warden hear his
calling. Then Arthur was disturbed and said to himself:

"I will hasten to the churchyard we passed, and take the
beautiful sword which I saw in the stone. It does not seem to
belong to anyone, and my brother Kay must have a weapon."

So he rode on till he reached the churchyard, dismounted, and
tied his horse to a sapling. The ten knights who guarded the
sword had gone away to see the combats in the tournament. Arthur
ran up and pulled lightly but eagerly at the sword. It came at
once from the