Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK I CHAPTER XXV

CHAPTER XXV

How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword of the
Lady of the Lake.

RIGHT SO the king and he departed, and went unto an hermit that
was a good man and a great leech.  So the hermit searched all his
wounds and gave him good salves; so the king was there three
days, and then were his wounds well amended that he might ride
and go, and so departed.  And as they rode, Arthur said, I have
no sword.  No force, said Merlin, hereby is a sword that shall be
yours, an I may.  So they rode till they came to a lake, the
which <45>was a fair water and broad, and in the midst of the
lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite, that held
a fair sword in that hand.  Lo! said Merlin, yonder is that sword
that I spake of.  With that they saw a damosel going upon the
lake.  What damosel is that? said Arthur.  That is the Lady of
the Lake, said Merlin; and within that lake is a rock, and
therein is as fair a place as any on earth, and richly beseen;
and this damosel will come to you anon, and then speak ye fair to
her that she will give you that sword.  Anon withal came the
damosel unto Arthur, and saluted him, and he her again.  Damosel,
said Arthur, what sword is that, that yonder the arm holdeth
above the water?  I would it were mine, for I have no sword.  Sir
Arthur, king, said the damosel, that sword is mine, and if ye
will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it.  By my
faith, said Arthur, I will give you what gift ye will ask.  Well!
said the damosel, go ye into yonder barge, and row yourself to
the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you, and I will ask
my gift when I see my time.  So Sir Arthur and Merlin alighted
and tied their horses to two trees, and so they went into the
ship, and when they came to the sword that the hand held, Sir
Arthur took it up by the handles, and took it with him, and the
arm and the hand went under the water.  And so [they] came unto
the land and rode forth, and then Sir Arthur saw a rich pavilion. 
What signifieth yonder pavilion?  It is the knight's pavilion,
said Merlin, that ye fought with last, Sir Pellinore; but he is
out, he is not there.  He hath ado with a knight of yours that
hight Egglame, and they have foughten together, but at the last
Egglame fled, and else he had been dead, and he hath chased him
even to Carlion, and we shall meet with him anon in the highway. 
That is well said, said Arthur, now have I a sword, now will I
wage battle with him, and be avenged on him.  Sir, you shall not
so, said Merlin, for the knight is weary of fighting and chasing,
so that ye shall have no worship to have ado with him; also he
will not be lightly matched of one knight living, and therefore
it is my counsel, let him pass, for he shall do you good service
in short time, and his sons after <46>his days.  Also ye shall
see that day in short space, you shall be right glad to give him
your sister to wed.  When I see him, I will do as ye advise, said
Arthur.

Then Sir Arthur looked on the sword, and liked it passing well. 
Whether liketh you better, said Merlin, the sword or the
scabbard?  Me liketh better the sword, said Arthur.  Ye are more
unwise, said Merlin, for the scabbard is worth ten of the swords,
for whiles ye have the scabbard upon you, ye shall never lose no
blood, be ye never so sore wounded; therefore keep well the
scabbard always with you.  So they rode unto Carlion, and by the
way they met with Sir Pellinore; but Merlin had done such a
craft, that Pellinore saw not Arthur, and he passed by without
any words.  I marvel, said Arthur, that the knight would not
speak.  Sir, said Merlin, he saw you not, for an he had seen you,
ye had not lightly departed.  So they came unto Carlion, whereof
his knights were passing glad.  And when they heard of his
adventures, they marvelled that he would jeopard his person so,
alone.  But all men of worship said it was merry to be under such
a chieftain, that would put his person in adventure as other poor
knights did.