The Death of King Arthur Read Free Page A

magic.’
    â€˜Well met then.’
    â€˜Tell Uther Pendragon that I will cure him of his sickness. There is one condition. He must grant me whatever I wish, without reluctance or hesitation. If he agrees, then I will fulfil all of his desires.’
    â€˜I will tell him this as soon as I return to him. I am sure that he will keep any promise he makes to you.’
    â€˜Good. The king will gain the object of his desire. I guarantee that. Now ride back to him. I will not be far behind you. I will never be far away.’
    In good spirits Ulfius galloped off and made his way to the king’s pavilion, which had been erected in the field in front of Castle Terrible. He walked in and made reverence to Pendragon, who was still lying in his bed sick at heart. ‘I have found Merlin, lord king.’
    â€˜Where is he?’
    â€˜He said that he will not be long, sir.’

Here we will tell of the birth of King Arthur
    There was a sound as of bird wings beating, and at that moment Merlin appeared at the entrance of the pavilion. Suddenly the magus was standing at the king’s bedside. ‘Sir,’ Merlin said, ‘I know what is in your heart. I know your secrets. If you will swear to me on the honour of a true and anointed king that you will fulfil my desire, then you will have your wish.’
    â€˜Bring me the Holy Book,’ Pendragon asked a courtier. Then he swore his oath upon it.
    â€˜This is my desire,’ Merlin said. ‘On the first night that you lie beside Igraine, you will conceive a child. I wish that child to be delivered to me the next day. I will raise it so that it will bring great worship and renown to you.’
    â€˜I swear to do this,’ the king replied. ‘The child is yours.’
    â€˜Then prepare yourself, sir king. This night you will lie with Igraine in the Castle of Tintagel. You will appear there in the shape of her husband, the duke; Sir Ulfius here will be changed into Sir Brastias, a knight of the duke’s retinue, and I will become Sir Jordanus. Do not speak much to her but say you are sick. Then take her to bed. Do not stir from her side until I come to you on the following morning. Let us go now. We will ride out. Tintagel is only ten miles off.’ So the three of them mounted their horses and rode away.
    The Duke of Cornwall, standing on the battlements, had seen them leaving; he had no idea where they were going, but he decided to take advantage of the king’s absence. He issued with his warriors from the postern gate of the castle and attacked the besieging army. In the ensuing struggle he was slain. He was brought down by an arrow in his left eye, like a later king. He fell dead to the ground even before Pendragon had reached the Castle of Tintagel.
    The scheme devised by Merlin worked. Uther Pendragon, in the shape of the Duke of Cornwall, lay that night with Igraine; three hours after the death of the duke, Pendragon begat upon her the babe that became known as Arthur. At the break of day Merlin came to the bedside and advised the king to depart; so the king kissed Igraine, and took his leave of her. When she learned later that her husband had died in battle, hours before the arrival of the one who had assumed his form, she wondered who had lain beside her in the likeness of her lord. But she mourned in private, and kept silent. She was discreet.
    The barons of the kingdom now agreed one with another that the king should reach an accord with the noble lady Igraine. Sir Ulfius was chosen to make a treaty between them. ‘This is a pact that will please all of us,’ Ulfius said. ‘She is a fair lady and our king is a fine warrior. Happiness and prosperity will spring from the union between them.’
    So they approached their sovereign with the plan, and of course he gave his assent at once. Secretly he was delighted. On a bright morning later that month, Uther Pendragon and Igraine were married with much mirth and