ing Bors, one of the best and
bravest kings in the world, and he is helping our enemy."

Then the other kings were astonished, for they did not know that
Arthur had sent outside his country for help.

"But we will fight on," they said, "no matter how powerful he
is."

While they were still fighting, but with great loss of courage,
they heard the loud sounds made by the hoofs of other tramping
horses, and King Ban rode down on them, followed by his men. His
black brows were frowning, and his green and gold colors
glittered in the sun.

"Alas, alas!" cried the King of Orkney, "now in truth are we
lost, for here is another king, no less great than his brother
Bors. But we must neither flee nor yield."

The eleven kings, being agreed to this, continued the battle,
though so many of their men were killed that the King of Orkney
wept. When he saw some of his men running away, he wept still
more, for he thought it was better to die than to be a coward.

Though they did not intend to run away, the eleven kings thought
it would be wise to retreat to a little copse near by. It was
late and they were tired and wished to rest before fighting
again. King Bors and King Ban could not help admiring these
rulers.

"In truth," said King Ban, "they are the bravest men I ever saw.
I would they were your friends."

"Indeed, so would I," replied Arthur; "but I have no hope of
that, for they are determined to destroy me, and so we must fight
on."

At this moment Merlin rode up on his great black horse.

"Have you not done enough?" he cried to Arthur. "Of their sixty
thousand men there are left but fifteen thousand. It is time to
stop, I say. If you fight on, they will win the day. The tide
will turn against you."

Arthur hesitated and Merlin said:

"The eleven kings have a great trouble coming of which they are
ignorant. The Saracens have landed in their countries to the
number of over forty thousand. So your enemies will have so much
fighting to do that they will not attack you again for three
years."

Then Arthur was glad, for it had grieved him deeply to fight so
long and to lose his good soldiers.

"We will fight no more," he said.

"That is well," replied Merlin. "Now give presents to your
soldiers, for to-day they have proved themselves equal to the
best fighters in the world."

"True, indeed!" exclaimed King Bors and King Ban.

So Arthur gave gifts to his own men; and a great deal of gold to
the brother kings