The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights Read Free

of their going.
    When Uther discovered their flight he was filled with rage. He called the lords together and told them of the duke’s treachery. The noble council, seeing and fearing his anger, advised the king to send messengers ordering the duke and Igraine to return at once, for, they said, “If he should refuse your summons it will be your duty and your right to make war against him and destroy him.”
    And it was so done. The messengers galloped after the duke and came back with the curt reply that neither his wife nor he would return.
    Then the enraged Uther sent a second message advising the duke to defend himself, because within forty days the king would drag him from his strongest castle.
    Thus warned, the duke provisioned and armed his two best fortresses. He sent Igraine to the castle of Tintagel on the high cliffs above the sea, while he himself defended Terrabil, a thick-walled fort with many gates and secret doors.
    King Uther gathered an army and marched against the duke. He pitched his tents about the Castle Terrabil and laid siege to it. In the assault and fierce defense, many good men were killed, but neither side could gain the advantage until at last Uther fell sick from anger and frustration and from longing for the fair Igraine.
    Then the noble knight Sir Ulfius went to Uther’s tent and asked the nature of his illness.
    â€œI will tell you,” said the king. “I am sick from anger and from love and there are no medicines for those.”
    â€œMy lord,” Sir Ulfius said, “I shall go in search of Merlin the Wizard. That wise and clever man can brew a remedy to make your heart glad.” And Sir Ulfius rode out to look for Merlin.
    Now Merlin was a wise and subtle man with strange and secret powers of prophecy and those deceptions of the ordinary and the obvious which are called magic. Merlin knew the winding channels of the human mind, and also he was aware that a simple open man is most receptive when he is mystified, and Merlin delighted in mystery. Therefore, as if by chance, the searching knight Sir Ulfius came upon a ragged beggar in his path who asked him whom he sought.
    The knight was not accustomed to be questioned by such a one, and he did not deign to reply.
    Then the ragged man laughed and said, “There’s no need to tell me. I know. You are looking for Merlin. Look no further. I am Merlin.”
    â€œYou—? You are a beggar,” said Sir Ulfius.
    Merlin chuckled at his joke. “I am also Merlin,” he said. “And if King Uther will promise me the reward I wish, I shall give him what his heart desires. And the gift I wish will be more to his honor and profit than to mine.”
    Sir Ulfius was wonderstruck and he said, “If this is true and if your demand is reasonable, I can promise that you shall have it.”
    â€œRide back to the king then; I will follow you as quickly as I can.”
    Then Sir Ulfius was glad, and he turned about and put his horse to great speed until he came at last to the tent where Uther lay ill, and he told the king he had found Merlin.
    â€œWhere is he?” the king demanded.
    â€œMy lord,” said Ulfius, “he is afoot. He will come as soon as he can,” and at that moment he saw that Merlin was already standing in the entrance of the tent, and Merlin smiled, for he took joy in causing wonder.
    Uther saw him and welcomed him and Merlin said brusquely, “Sir, I know every corner of your heart and mind. And if you will swear by your anointed kingship to grant me my wish, you shall have what I know your heart desires.”
    And so great was Uther’s eagerness that he swore by the four Evangelists to keep his promise.
    Then Merlin said, “Sir, this is my desire. The first time you make love to Igraine she will conceive a child by you. When that child is born it must be given to me to do with as I wish. But I do promise that this will be to your honor and to the child’s