‘That sword is mine, King Arthur,’ answered she, ‘and I will give it to you, if you in return will give me a gift when I ask you.’
‘By my faith,’ said the King, ‘I will give you whatever gift you ask.’ ‘Well,’ said the maiden, ‘get into the barge yonder, and row yourself to the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you.’ For this was the sword Excalibur. ‘As for my gift, I will ask it in my own time.’ Then King Arthur and Merlin dismounted from their horses and tied them up safely, and went into the barge, and when they came to the place where the arm was holding the sword Arthur took it by the handle, and the arm disappeared. And they brought the sword back to land. As they rode the King looked lovingly on his sword, which Merlin saw, and, smiling, said, ‘Which do you like best, the sword or the scabbard?’ ‘I like the sword,’ answered Arthur. ‘You are not wise to say that,’ replied Merlin, ‘for the scabbard is worth ten of the sword, and as long as it is buckled on you you will lose no blood, however sorely you may be wounded.’ So they rode into the town of Carlion, and Arthur’s Knights gave them a glad welcome, and said it was a joy to serve under a King who risked his life as much as any common man.
The Story of Sir Balin
In those days many Kings reigned in the Islands of the Sea, and they constantly waged war upon each other, and on their liege lord, and news came to Arthur that Ryons, King of North Wales, had collected a large host and had ravaged his lands and slain some of his people. When he heard this, Arthur rose in anger, and commanded that all lords, Knights, and gentlemen of arms should meet him at Camelot, where he would call a council, and hold a tourney.
From every part the Knights flocked to Camelot, and the town was full to overflowing of armed men and their horses. And when they were all assembled, there rode in a damsel, who said she had come with a message from the great Lady Lile of Avelion, and begged that they would bring her before King Arthur. When she was led into his presence she let her mantle of fur slip off her shoulders, and they saw that by her side a richly wrought sword was buckled. The King was silent with wonder at the strange sight, but at last he said, ‘Damsel, why do you wear this sword? for swords are not the ornaments of women.’ ‘Oh, my lord,’ answered she, ‘I would I could find some Knight to rid me of this sword, which weighs me down and causes me much sorrow. But the man who will deliver me of it must be one who is mighty of his hands, and pure in his deeds, without villainy, or treason. If I find a Knight such as this, he will draw this sword out of its sheath, and he only. For I have been at the Court of King Ryons, and he and his Knights tried with all their strength to draw the sword and they could not.’
‘Let me see if I can draw it,’ said Arthur, ‘not because I think myself the best Knight, for well I know how far I am outdone by others, but to set them an example that they may follow me.’ With that the King took the sword by the sheath and by the girdle, and pulled at it with all his force, but the sword stuck fast. ‘Sir,’ said the damsel, ‘you need not pull half so hard, for he that shall pull it out shall do it with little strength.’ ‘It is not for me,’ answered Arthur, ‘and now, my Barons, let each man try his fortune.’ So most of the Knights of the Round Table there present pulled, one after another, at the sword, but none could stir it from its sheath. ‘Alas! alas!’ cried the damsel in great grief, ‘I thought to find in this Court Knights that were blameless and true of heart, and now I know not where to look for them.’ ‘By my faith,’ said Arthur, ‘there are no better Knights in the world than these of mine, but I am sore displeased that they cannot help me in this matter.’
Now at that time there was a poor Knight at Arthur’s Court who had been kept prisoner for a year and a half because he had slain the King’s cousin. He was of high birth and his name was Balin, and after he had suffered eighteen months the punishment of his misdeed the Barons prayed the King to set him free, which Arthur did willingly. When Balin, standing apart beheld the Knights one by one try the sword, and fail to draw it, his heart beat fast, yet he shrank from taking his turn, for he was meanly dressed, and could not compare with the other Barons. But after the damsel had bid farewell to Arthur and his Court, and was setting out on her journey homewards, he called to her and said, ‘Damsel, I pray you to suffer me to try your sword, as well as these lords, for though I am so poorly clothed, my heart is as high as theirs.’ The damsel stopped and looked at him, and answered, ‘Sir, it is not needful to put you to such trouble, for where so many have failed it is hardly likely that you will succeed.’ ‘Ah! fair damsel,’ said Balin, ‘it is not fine clothes that make good deeds.’ ‘You speak truly,’ replied the damsel, ‘therefore do what you can.’ Then Balin took the sword by the girdle and sheath, and pulled it out easily, and when he looked at the sword he was greatly pleased with it. The King and the Knights were dumb with surprise that it was Balin who had triumphed over them, and many of them envied him and felt anger towards him. ‘In truth,’ said the damsel, ‘this is the best Knight that I ever found, but, Sir, I pray you give me the sword again.’
‘No,’ answered Balin, ‘I will keep it till it is taken from me by force.’ ‘It is for your sake, not mine, that I ask for it,’ said the damsel, ‘for with that sword you shall slay the man you love best, and it shall bring about your own ruin.’ ‘I will take what befalls me,’ replied Balin, ‘but the sword I will not give up, by the faith of my body.’ So the damsel departed in great sorrow. The next day Sir Balin left the Court, and, armed with his sword, set forth in search of adventures, which he found in many places where he had not thought to meet with them. In all the fights that he fought, Sir Balin was the victor, and Arthur, and Merlin his friend, knew that there was no Knight living of greater deeds, or more worthy of worship. And he was known to all as Sir Balin le Savage, the Knight of the two swords.
One day he was riding forth when at the turning of a road he saw a cross, and on it was written in letters of gold, ‘Let no Knight ride towards this castle.’ Sir Balin was still reading the writing when there came towards him an old man with white hair, who said, ‘Sir Balin le Savage, this is not the way for you, so turn again and choose some other path.’ And so he vanished, and a horn blew loudly, as a horn is blown at the death of a beast. ‘That blast,’ said Balin, ‘is for me, but I am still alive,’ and he rode to the castle, where a great company of knights and ladies met him and welcomed him, and made him a feast. Then the lady of the castle said to him, ‘Knight with the two swords, you must now fight a Knight that guards an island, for it is our law that no man may leave us without he first fight a tourney.’
‘That is a bad custom,’ said Balin, ‘but if I must I am ready; for though my horse is weary my heart is strong.’
‘Sir,’ said a Knight to him, ‘your shield does not look whole to me; I will lend you another’; so Balin listened to him and took the shield that was offered, and left his own with his own coat of arms behind him. He rode down to the shore, and led his horse into a boat, which took them across. When he reached the other side, a damsel came to him crying, ‘O Knight Balin, why have you left your own shield behind you? Alas! you have put yourself in great danger, for by your shield you should have been known. I grieve over your doom, for there is no man living that can rival you for courage and bold deeds.’
‘I repent,’ answered Balin, ‘ever having come into this country, but for very shame I must go on. Whatever befalls me, either for life or death, I am ready to take it.’ Then he examined his armour, and saw that it was whole, and mounted his horse.
As he went along the path he beheld a Knight come out of a castle in front, clothed in red, riding a horse with red trappings. When this red Knight looked on the two swords, he thought for a moment it was Balin, but the shield did not bear Balin’s device. So they rode at each
