HOW ARTHUR BECAME KING
The three returned to the great stone, and Arthur put back the sword. Sir Hector tried to take it out, but failed.
"Now, you try," he said to Sir Kay.
But Sir Kay, in spite of great efforts, also failed. Then Arthur, at Sir Hector's bidding, tried, and at once pulled forth the sword. At that Sir Hector and Sir Kay knelt before Arthur.
"Alas," said Arthur, raising them from the ground, "my own dear father and my brother, why do you kneel to me?"
"Nay, my lord Arthur," said Sir Hector, "I am not your father. You are of higher blood than I am. Long ago, when you were a little baby, Merlin brought you to me to take care of, telling me that you were to be the king."
"Then whose son am I?" cried Arthur.
"There are two stories: the one that Merlin tells, and the one that old Bleys, the master of Merlin, tells. Merlin brought you to me, saying that you were the son of King Uther and Yguerne his wife. But because the king was dead and the lords powerful and jealous, he told me to guard you in secrecy lest your life be taken. I did not know whether the story was true or false then, but you were a helpless child, and Merlin was a wise sage, and so I took you and brought you up as my own."
Arthur was so astonished that he did not ask to hear the tale that Bleys told. He stood gazing at Sir Hector, who said:
"And now, my gracious lord, will you be good to me and mine when you are king?"
"I will, indeed," replied Arthur, "for I am more beholden to you than to any one else in the world, and also to my good lady and foster mother, your wife, who has reared me as if I were her own
child. If it be God's will that I shall sometime become king, ask of me then what you will."
"Sir," said Sir Hector, "I ask that you make my son Sir Kay, your foster brother, the steward of all your lands."
"That shall be done," said Arthur, "and more. He shall have that
office as long as I live."
"Now, you try," he said to Sir Kay.
But Sir Kay, in spite of great efforts, also failed. Then Arthur, at Sir Hector's bidding, tried, and at once pulled forth the sword. At that Sir Hector and Sir Kay knelt before Arthur.
"Alas," said Arthur, raising them from the ground, "my own dear father and my brother, why do you kneel to me?"
"Nay, my lord Arthur," said Sir Hector, "I am not your father. You are of higher blood than I am. Long ago, when you were a little baby, Merlin brought you to me to take care of, telling me that you were to be the king."
"Then whose son am I?" cried Arthur.
"There are two stories: the one that Merlin tells, and the one that old Bleys, the master of Merlin, tells. Merlin brought you to me, saying that you were the son of King Uther and Yguerne his wife. But because the king was dead and the lords powerful and jealous, he told me to guard you in secrecy lest your life be taken. I did not know whether the story was true or false then, but you were a helpless child, and Merlin was a wise sage, and so I took you and brought you up as my own."
Arthur was so astonished that he did not ask to hear the tale that Bleys told. He stood gazing at Sir Hector, who said:
"And now, my gracious lord, will you be good to me and mine when you are king?"
"I will, indeed," replied Arthur, "for I am more beholden to you than to any one else in the world, and also to my good lady and foster mother, your wife, who has reared me as if I were her own
child. If it be God's will that I shall sometime become king, ask of me then what you will."
"Sir," said Sir Hector, "I ask that you make my son Sir Kay, your foster brother, the steward of all your lands."
"That shall be done," said Arthur, "and more. He shall have that
office as long as I live."
