ir armor shining, and their falcons
perched upon their wrists.

All day long, too, bands of musicians played on flutes and
timbrels and tabors and harps; bands of young men and women sang
songs in praise of the king; story-tellers went about relating
old tales of famous heroes. The young men showed their strength
by tumbling and wrestling, and their grace by dancing; the young
women also danced.

The wise Merlin often passed along the streets, walking silently
among the merry throngs of people. Sometimes the little Dagonet
danced at his side, Dagonet the king's jester, a tiny man who
made merriment for the Court with his witty sayings. He always
wore a tight-fitting red blouse and a peaked cap ornamented with
bells, and he carried a mock scepter in the shape of a carved
ivory stick.

Whenever Arthur appeared before his people, church-bells were
joyously rung and trumpets were sounded. The king, as he rode,
distributed presents to the poor people:--capes, coats, and
mantles of serge, and bushels of pence. In a dining-hall at the
palace, feasts were held on those days for them, and they were
also open for all the people who might come.

When the weather was beautiful, tables were placed on the sward
outside the palace, and those who cared to, ate under the shade
of the trees, listening to the music of the blackbirds, whose
singing was almost as loud as that of the chorus of damsels who
sang in the palace. Every hour the servants carried in and out
great quarters of venison, roasted pheasants and herons, and
young hawks, ducks, and geese, all on silver platters. Curries
and stews and tarts were innumerable. In the midst of the sward a
silver fountain had been set from which flowed sweet wine. Even
the great feasts of the year, which were held at Christmas, upon
the day of the Passover, at Pentecost, upon Ascension day, and
upon St. John's day, were not as wonderful as these feasts, when
the king held holiday with his people.

On these days of merriment, when the people were not eating or
drinking or marching in processions, they were at the tournament
field, watching the combats. Here the best of Arthur's knights,
mounted on strong horses and wearing heavy armor, were ranged on
two sides of the field. Behind each row was a pavilion filled
with ladies. Four heralds stood ready to blow the trumpets which
gave the signal for the combats. Each herald wore crimson silk
stockings and crimson velvet kirtles, tight at the