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23 - Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table by Andrew Lang · Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table

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  Speaker 1: Section twenty two of Tales of King Arthur and the
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  Speaker 1: Round Table. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
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  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
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  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Tales of King Arthur and
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  Speaker 1: the Round Table by Andrew Lang The end of it
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  Speaker 1: all Now, When King Arthur left England to fight with
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  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot, he ordered his nephew, Sir Mordred, to govern
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  Speaker 1: the land, which that false knight did gladly, and as
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  Speaker 1: soon as he thought he might safely do so, he
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  Speaker 1: caused some letters to be written saying that King Arthur
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  Speaker 1: had been slain in battle, and he had himself crowned
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  Speaker 1: king at Canterbury, where he made a great feast, which
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  Speaker 1: lasted fifteen days. After it was over, he went to
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  Speaker 1: Winchester and summoned Queen Guenevere and told her that on
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  Speaker 1: a certain day he would wed her, and that she
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  Speaker 1: should make herself. Queen Guenevere's soul grew cold and heavy
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  Speaker 1: as she heard these words of Sir Mordred's, for she
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  Speaker 1: hated him with all her might as he hated her.
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  Speaker 1: But she dared, showed nothing, and answered softly that she
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  Speaker 1: would do his bidding. Only she desired that first she
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  Speaker 1: might go to London to buy all manner of things
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  Speaker 1: for her wedding. Sir Mordred trusted her because of her
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  Speaker 1: fair speech, and let her go. Then the queen rode
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  Speaker 1: to London with all speed and went straight to the tower,
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  Speaker 1: which she filled in haste with food, and called her
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  Speaker 1: men at arms round her. When Sir Mordred knew how
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  Speaker 1: she had beguiled him, he was wroth out of measure,
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  Speaker 1: and besieged the tower and assaulted it many times with
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  Speaker 1: battering rams and great engines, but could prevail nothing, for
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  Speaker 1: the Queen would never, for fair speech, nor for foul,
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  Speaker 1: give herself into his hands again. The Bishop of Canterbury
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  Speaker 1: hastened unto Sir Mordred and rebuked him for wishing to
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  Speaker 1: marry his uncle's wife. Leave such desires, said the Bishop,
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  Speaker 1: or else I shall curse you with bell, book and candle. Also,
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  Speaker 1: you noise abroad that my Lord Arthur is slain, and
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  Speaker 1: that is not so, and therefore you will make ill
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  Speaker 1: work in the land. At this Sir Mordred waxed very wroth,
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  Speaker 1: and would have killed the Bishop had he not fled
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  Speaker 1: to Glastonbury, where he became a hermit and lived in
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  Speaker 1: poverty and prayed all day long for the realm, for
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  Speaker 1: he knew that a fierce war was at hand. Soon
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  Speaker 1: word came to Sir Mordred that King Arthur was hurrying
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  Speaker 1: home across the seas to be avenged on his nephew,
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  Speaker 1: who had proved traitor. Wherefore Sir Mordred sent letters to
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  Speaker 1: all the people throughout the kingdom, and many followed after him,
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  Speaker 1: for he had cunningly sown among them that with him
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  Speaker 1: was great joy and softness of life, while King Arthur
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  Speaker 1: would bring war and strife with him. So Sir Mordred
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  Speaker 1: drew with a great host to Dover and waited for
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  Speaker 1: the king. Before King Arthur and his men could land
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  Speaker 1: from the boats and ships that had brought them over
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  Speaker 1: the sea, Sir Mordred set upon them, and there was
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  Speaker 1: heavy slaughter, but in the end he and his men
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  Speaker 1: were driven back, and he fled and his people with him.
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  Speaker 1: After the fight was over, the King ordered the dead
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  Speaker 1: to be buried, and there came a man and told
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  Speaker 1: him that he had found Sir Gawaine lying in a boat,
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  Speaker 1: and that he was sore wounded, and the King went
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  Speaker 1: to him and made moan over him. You were ever
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  Speaker 1: the man in the world that I loved most, said
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  Speaker 1: he you, and Sir Launcelot, mine uncle. King Arthur answered
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  Speaker 1: Sir Gawaine, my death day has come, and all through
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  Speaker 1: my own fault. Had Sir Launcelot been with you as
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  Speaker 1: he used to be, this unhappy war had never begun.
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  Speaker 1: And of that I am the cause, for I would
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  Speaker 1: not accord with him. And therefore I pray you give
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  Speaker 1: me paper, pen and ink, that I may write to him.
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  Speaker 1: So paper and ink were brought, and Sir Gawaine was
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  Speaker 1: held up by King Arthur, and a letter was writ
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  Speaker 1: wherein Sir Gawaine confessed that he was dying of an
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  Speaker 1: old wound given him by Sir Launcelot in the siege
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  Speaker 1: of one of the cities across the sea, and thus
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  Speaker 1: was fulfilled the prophecy of Merlin of a more noble man.
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  Speaker 1: Might I not be slain? Said he also, Sir Launcelot,
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  Speaker 1: make no tarrying, but come in haste to King Arthur,
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  Speaker 1: for sore bested is he with my brother, Sir Mordred,
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  Speaker 1: who has taken the crown and would have wedded my
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  Speaker 1: lady Queen Guenevere, had she not sought safety in the
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  Speaker 1: Tower of London, pray for my soul. I beseech you
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  Speaker 1: and visit my tomb. And after writing this letter, at
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  Speaker 1: the hour of noon, Sir Gawaine gave up his spirit
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  Speaker 1: and was buried by the King in the chapel within
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  Speaker 1: Dover Castle. Then was it told King Arthur that Sir
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  Speaker 1: Mordred had pitched a new field upon Baram Down, And
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  Speaker 1: the next morning the King rode hither to him, and
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  Speaker 1: there was a fierce battle between them, and many on
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  Speaker 1: both sides were slain, But at the last King Arthur's
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  Speaker 1: party stood best, and Sir Mordred and his men fled
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  Speaker 1: to Canterbury. After the knights which were dead had been buried,
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  Speaker 1: and those that were wounded tended with healing salves, King
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  Speaker 1: Arthur drew westwards towards Salisbury, and many of Sir Mordred's
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  Speaker 1: men followed after him. But they that loved Sir Launcelot
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  Speaker 1: went onto Sir Mordred, and a day was fixed between
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  Speaker 1: the King and Sir Mordred that they should meet upon
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  Speaker 1: a down near Salisbury and give battle once more. But
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  Speaker 1: the night before the battle Sir Gawaine appeared unto the
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  Speaker 1: King in a vision and warned him not to fight
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  Speaker 1: next day, which was Trinity Sunday, as he would be
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  Speaker 1: slain in many of his knights also, but to make
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  Speaker 1: a truce for a month, and at the end of
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  Speaker 1: that time Sir Launcelot would arrive and would slay Sir
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  Speaker 1: Mordred and all his knights with him as soon as
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  Speaker 1: he awoke. The King called the bishops and the wisest
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  Speaker 1: men of his army and told them of his vision,
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  Speaker 1: and took counsel what should be done, and it was
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  Speaker 1: agreed that the King should send an embassage of two
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  Speaker 1: knights and two bishops unto Sir Mordred and offer him
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  Speaker 1: as much goods and lands as they thought best if
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  Speaker 1: he would engage to make a treaty for a month
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  Speaker 1: with King Arthur. So they departed and came to Sir Mordred,
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  Speaker 1: where he had a grim host of one hundred thousand men.
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  Speaker 1: For a long time he would not suffer himself to
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  Speaker 1: be entreated, but at the last he agreed to have
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  Speaker 1: Cornwall and Kent in King Arthur's days and after all England. Furthermore,
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  Speaker 1: it was decided that King Arthur and Sir Mordred should
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  Speaker 1: meet in the plain between their hosts, each with fourteen persons.
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  Speaker 1: I am glad of this, said King Arthur, when he
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  Speaker 1: heard what had been done. But he warned his men
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  Speaker 1: that if they were to see a sword drawn, they
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  Speaker 1: were to come on swiftly and slay that traitor, Sir Mordred,
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  Speaker 1: for I in no wise trust him, and in likewise
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  Speaker 1: spake Sir Mordred unto his host. Then they two met
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  Speaker 1: and agreed on the truce, and wine was fetched, and
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  Speaker 1: they drank, and all was well. But while they were drinking,
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  Speaker 1: an adder crept out of a bush and stung one
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  Speaker 1: of the fourteen knights on his foot, and he drew
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  Speaker 1: his sword to slay the adder, not thinking of anything
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  Speaker 1: but his pain. And when the men of both armies
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  Speaker 1: beheld that drawn sword, they blew trumpets and horns and
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  Speaker 1: shouted grimly, and made them ready for battle. So King
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  Speaker 1: Arthur leaped on his horse, and Sir Mordred on his,
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  Speaker 1: and they went back to their own armies, and thus
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  Speaker 1: began the fight. And never was there seen one more
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  Speaker 1: doleful in any Christian land. For all day long there
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  Speaker 1: was rushing and riding, spearing and striking, and many a
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  Speaker 1: grim word was there spoken, and many a deadly stroke given.
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  Speaker 1: And at the end full one hundred thousand dead men
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  Speaker 1: lay upon the down, and King Arthur had but two
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  Speaker 1: knights left living, Sir Lucan and his brother, Sir Bedevere.
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  Speaker 1: Alas that I should have lived to see this day,
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  Speaker 1: cried the King. For now I am come to mine end.
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  Speaker 1: But would to God that I knew where were that traitor,
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  Speaker 1: Sir Mordred, that hath caused all this mischief. Then suddenly
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  Speaker 1: he saw Sir Mordred leaning on his sword among a
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  Speaker 1: great heap of dead men. Give me my spear, said
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  Speaker 1: King Arthur, unto se Lucan. Sir let him be, answered
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  Speaker 1: Sir Lucan, remember your dream and lee off by this,
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  Speaker 1: for blessed be God, you have won the field, and
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  Speaker 1: we three be alive, and of the others none is alive,
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  Speaker 1: save Sir Mordred himself. If you leave off now, the
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  Speaker 1: day of destiny is past. Tide me death, tide me life,
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  Speaker 1: said the king. He shall not escape my hands, for
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  Speaker 1: a better chance I shall never have. And he took
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  Speaker 1: his spear in both hands and ran towards Sir Mordred, crying, traitor,
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  Speaker 1: now is your death day? Come and smote him under
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  Speaker 1: the shield, so that the spear went through his body.
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  Speaker 1: And when Sir Mordred felt he had his death wound,
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  Speaker 1: he raised himself up and struck King Arthur such a
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  Speaker 1: blow that the sword clave his helmet, and then fell
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  Speaker 1: stark dead on the earth again. When Sir Lucan and
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  Speaker 1: Sir Bedivere saw that sight, they carried the king to
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  Speaker 1: a little chapel, but they hoped not to leave him
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  Speaker 1: there long, for Sir Lucan had noted that many people
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  Speaker 1: were stealing out to rob the slain of the ornaments
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  Speaker 1: on their armor, and those that were not dead already
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  Speaker 1: they slew. Would that I could quit this place to
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  Speaker 1: go to some large town, said the king when he
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  Speaker 1: had heard this. But I cannot stand. My head worked,
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  Speaker 1: so ah, Launcelot, sorely have I missed thee At that
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  Speaker 1: Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere tried to lift him, but
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  Speaker 1: Sir Lucan had been grievously wounded in the fight, and
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  Speaker 1: the blood burst forth again as he lifted Arthur, and
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  Speaker 1: he died and fell at the feet of the king alas,
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  Speaker 1: said the king. He has died for my sake, and
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  Speaker 1: he had more need of help than I, but he
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  Speaker 1: would not complain. His heart was so set to help me,
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  Speaker 1: and I should sorrow yet more if I were still
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  Speaker 1: to live long. But my time flieth fast. Therefore, Sir Bedivere,
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  Speaker 1: cease moaning and weeping, and take Excalibur, my good sword,
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  Speaker 1: and go with it to yonder water side. And when
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  Speaker 1: thou comest there, I charge thee throw my sword in
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  Speaker 1: that water, and come again and tell me what thou
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  Speaker 1: hast seen. My lord answered, Sir Bedivere, your commandment shall
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  Speaker 1: be done, and he departed. But when he looked at
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  Speaker 1: that noble sword and beheld the jewels and gold that
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  Speaker 1: covered the pommel and hilt, he said to himself, if
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  Speaker 1: I throw this rich sword into the water, no good
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  Speaker 1: will come of it, but only harm and loss. So
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  Speaker 1: he hid Excalibur under a tree and returned unto the
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  Speaker 1: King and told him his bidding was done. What did
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  Speaker 1: you see there, asked the king. Sir, answered Sir Bedivere,
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  Speaker 1: I saw nothing but the winds and the waves. You
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  Speaker 1: have not dealt truly with me, said the king. Go
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  Speaker 1: back and do my command. Spare not but throw it in.
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  Speaker 1: But again Sir Bedivere's heart failed him, and he hid
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  Speaker 1: the sword and returned to tell the king he had
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  Speaker 1: seen nothing but the wan water. Ah traitor, cried King Arthur,
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  Speaker 1: this is twice you have betrayed me. If you do
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  Speaker 1: not now fulfill my bidding with mine own hands, will
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  Speaker 1: I slay you, for you would gladly see me dead
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  Speaker 1: for the sake of my sword. Then Sir Bedivere was
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  Speaker 1: shamed at having disobeyed the king, and drew forth the
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  Speaker 1: sword from its hiding place, and carried it to the
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  Speaker 1: water side, and with a mighty swing, threw it far
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  Speaker 1: into the water. And as it flew through the air,
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  Speaker 1: an arm and hand lifted itself out of the water
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  Speaker 1: and caught the hilt, and brandished the sword thrice, and
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  Speaker 1: vanished with it beneath the water. So Sir Bedivere came
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  Speaker 1: again unto the King and told him what he saw.
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  Speaker 1: Alas said the King, help me hence, for I have
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  Speaker 1: tarried over long. And Sir Bedivere took him on his
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  Speaker 1: back and bare him to the water side. And when
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  Speaker 1: they stood by the bank, a little barge containing many
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  Speaker 1: fair ladies and a queen, all in black hoods drew near,
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  Speaker 1: and they wept and shrieked when they beheld King Arthur.
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  Speaker 1: Now put me into the barge, said the King, And
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  Speaker 1: Sir Bedivere laid him softly down, and the ladies made
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  Speaker 1: great mourning, and the barge rode from the land. Ah,
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  Speaker 1: my Lord Arthur, cried, Sir Bedivere, What shall become of me?
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  Speaker 1: Now you go from me, and I am left here
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  Speaker 1: alone with my enemies. Comfort yourself, replied the King, and
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  Speaker 1: do as well as you may, for I go unto
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  Speaker 1: the valley of a Villian to be healed of my
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  Speaker 1: grievous wound. And if you never more hear of me,
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  Speaker 1: pray for my soul. But Sir Bedivere watched the barge
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  Speaker 1: till it was beyond his sight. Then he rode all
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  Speaker 1: night till he came to a hermitage. Now, when Queen
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  Speaker 1: Gwenevere heard of the battle and how that King Arthur
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  Speaker 1: was slain and Sir Mordred and all their knights, she
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  Speaker 1: stole away and five ladies with her, and rode to Amesbury.
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  Speaker 1: And there she put on clothes of black and white,
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  Speaker 1: and became a nun, and did great penance and many
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  Speaker 1: alms deeds, and people marveled at her and at her
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  Speaker 1: godly life, and ever she wept and moaned over the
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  Speaker 1: years that were passed and for King Arthur. As soon
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  Speaker 1: as the messenger whom the King had sent with Sir
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  Speaker 1: Gawaine's letter reached Sir Launcelot and he learned that Sir
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  Speaker 1: Mordred had taken for himself the crown of England. He
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  Speaker 1: rose up in wrath, and, calling Sir Bores, bid him
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  Speaker 1: collect their host that they should pass at once over
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  Speaker 1: the sea to avenge themselves. On that false night, a
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  Speaker 1: fair wind blew them to Dover, and there Sir Launcelot
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  Speaker 1: asked tidings of King Arthur. Then the people told him
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  Speaker 1: that the King was slain, and Sir Mordred and an
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  Speaker 1: hundred thousand men besides, and that the King had buried
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  Speaker 1: Sir Gawaine in the chapel at Dover Castle Fair. Sirs said,
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  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot, show me that tomb, and they showed it
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  Speaker 1: to him, and Sir Launcelot kneeled before it and wept
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  Speaker 1: and prayed. And this he did for two days, and
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  Speaker 1: on the third morning he summoned before him all the
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  Speaker 1: great lords and leaders of his host, and said to them,
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  Speaker 1: fair lords, I thank you all for coming here with me,
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  Speaker 1: but we come too late, and that will be bitter
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  Speaker 1: grief to me as long as I shall live. But
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  Speaker 1: since it is so, I will myself ride and seek
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  Speaker 1: my lady Gwenevere in the West country, where they say
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  Speaker 1: she has gone, and tarry you here. I entreat you
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  Speaker 1: for fifteen days, and if I should not return, take
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  Speaker 1: your ships and depart into your own country. Sir Bores
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  Speaker 1: strove to reason with him that the quest was fruitless
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  Speaker 1: and that in the West country he would find few friends.
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  Speaker 1: But his words availed nothing. For seven days Sir Launcelot rode,
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  Speaker 1: and at last he came to a nunnery where Queen
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  Speaker 1: Guenevere was looking out from her lattice, and was aware
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  Speaker 1: of his presence as he walked in the cloister. And
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  Speaker 1: when she saw him, she swooned, and her ladies and
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  Speaker 1: gentlewomen tended her. When she was recovered, she spoke to
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  Speaker 1: them and said, you will marvel, fair ladies. Why I
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  Speaker 1: should swoon? It was caused by the sight of Yonder Knight,
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  Speaker 1: who stands there, And I pray you bring him to me.
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  Speaker 1: As soon as Sir Launcelot was brought, she said to
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  Speaker 1: her ladies through me and this man, has this war
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  Speaker 1: been wrought for which I repent me night and day. Therefore,
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  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot, I require and pray you never to see
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  Speaker 1: my face again. But go back to your own land
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  Speaker 1: and govern it and protect it, and take to yourself
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  Speaker 1: a wife, and pray that my soul may be made
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  Speaker 1: clean of its ill doing. Nay, Madam answered Sir Launcelot,
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  Speaker 1: that shall I never do. But the same life that
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  Speaker 1: you have taken upon you, will I take upon me. Likewise,
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  Speaker 1: if you will do so, said the Queen. It is well,
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  Speaker 1: but I may never believe but that you will turn
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  Speaker 1: to the world again. Well, Madam answered he. You speak
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  Speaker 1: as it pleases you, but you never knew me false
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  Speaker 1: to my promise. And I will forsake the world as
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  Speaker 1: you have done. For if in the quest of the
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  Speaker 1: Sangreal I had forsaken its vanities with all my heart
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  Speaker 1: and will, I had passed all nights in the quest
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  Speaker 1: except Sir Galahad my son. And therefore, Lady, since you
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  Speaker 1: have taken you to perfection, I must do so also.
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  Speaker 1: And if I may find a hermit that will receive me.
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  Speaker 1: I will pray and do penance while my life lasts. Wherefore,
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  Speaker 1: Madam I beseech you to kiss me once again. No,
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  Speaker 1: said the Queen, that I may not do. And Sir
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  Speaker 1: Launcelot took his horse and departed in great sorrow. All
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  Speaker 1: that day and the next night he rode through the
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  Speaker 1: forest till he beheld a hermitage and a chapel between
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  Speaker 1: two cliffs, and heard a little bell ring to mass,
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  Speaker 1: and he that sang mass was the Bishop of Kingantbury,
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  Speaker 1: and Sir Bedivere was with him. After Mass, Sir Bedivere
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  Speaker 1: told Sir Launcelot how King Arthur had thrown away his
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  Speaker 1: sword and had sailed to the valley of Avilion, and
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  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot's heart almost burst for grief. Then he kneeled
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  Speaker 1: down and besought the Bishop that he might be his brother.
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  Speaker 1: That I will gladly, said the Bishop, and put a
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  Speaker 1: robe upon him. After the fifteen days were ended, and
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  Speaker 1: still Sir Launcelot did not return, Sir Bors made the
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  Speaker 1: great host go back across the sea, while he and
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: some of Sir Launcelot's kin set forth to seek all
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  Speaker 1: over England till they found Sir Launcelot. They rode different ways,
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  Speaker 1: and by fortune Sir Bors came one day to the
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  Speaker 1: chapel where Sir Launcelot was, and he prayed that he
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  Speaker 1: might stay and be one of their fellowship. And in
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  Speaker 1: six months six other knights were joined to them, and
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  Speaker 1: their horses went where they would. For the knights spent
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  Speaker 1: their lives in fasting and prayer, and kept no riches
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  Speaker 1: for themselves. In this wise, six years passed, and one
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: night a vision came to Sir Launcelot in his sleep,
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: charging him to hasten unto Amesbury. By the time that
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: thou come there, said the vision, thou shalt find Queen
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: Guenevere dead. Therefore take thy fellows with thee and fetch
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: her corpse and bury it by the side of her husband,
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: the noble King Arthur. Then Sir Launcelot rose up and
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: told the hermit, and the hermit ordered him to make
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: ready and to do all as the vision had commanded.
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: And Sir Launcelot and seven of the other knights went
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: on foot from Glastonbury to Amesbury. And it took them
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: two days to compass the distance, for it was far
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: and they were weak with fasting When they reached the nunnery,
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: Queen Gwenevere had been dead but half an hour, and
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: she had first summoned her ladies to her and told
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: them that Sir Launcelot had been a priest for near
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: a twelvemonth, and hither he cometh as fast as he may.
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: She said, to fetch my corpse and beside my Lord
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: King Arthur. He shall bury me. And I beseech Almighty God,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: that I may never have power to see Sir Launcelot
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: with my bodily eyes, Thus said the ladies. She prayed
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: for two days till she was dead. Then Sir Launcelot
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: looked upon her face and sighed, but wept little, and
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: next day he sang mass. After that the queen was
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: laid on a bier drawn by horses, and an hundred
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: torches were carried round her, and Sir Launcelot and his
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: fellows walked behind her, singing Holy Chance, and at times
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: one would come forward and throw incense on the dead.
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: So they came to Glastonbury, and the Bishop of Canterbury
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: sang a requiem mass over the queen, and she was
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: wrapped in cloth and placed first in a web of lead,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: and then in a coffin of marble, and when she
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: was put into the earth, Sir Launcelot swooned away. You
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: are to blame, said the hermit, when he awaked from
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: his swoon. You ought not make such manner of sorrow, truly,
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: answered Sir Launcelot. I trust I do not displease God.
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: But when I remember her beauty and her nobleness, and
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: that of the King, and when I saw his corpse
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: and her corpse lie together, my heart would not bear
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: up my body. And I remembered too that it was
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: through me and my pride that they both came to
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: their end. From that day, Sir Launcelot ate so little
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: food that he dwined away, and for the most part
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: was found kneeling by the tomb of King Arthur and
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: Queen Gwenevere. None could comfort him, and after six weeks
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: he was too weak to rise from his bed. Then
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: he sent for the hermit and to his fellows, and
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: asked in a weary voice that they would give him
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: the last rites of the church, and begged that when
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: he was dead, his body might be taken to joyous Guard,
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: which some say is Almwick and others Bambara. That night,
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: the hermit had a vision that he saw Sir Launcelot
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: being carried up to heaven by the angels. And he
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: waked Sir Bors and bade him go and see if
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: anything ailed Sir Launcelot. So Sir Bors went, and Sir
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: Launcelot lay on his bed, stark dead, and he smiled
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: as he lay. There. Then was there great weeping and
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: wringing of hands, more than had been made for any man.
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: But they placed him on the horse bier that had
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: carried Queen Guenevere, and lit a hundred torches, and in
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: fifteen days they reached Joyous Guard. There his body was
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: laid in the choir with his face uncovered, and many
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: prayers were said over him. And there in the midst
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: of their praying came Sir Ector de Maris, who for
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: seven years had sought Sir Launcelot through all the land.
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: Ah Launcelot, he said, when he stood looking beside his
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: dead body, thou wert head of all Christian knights. Thou
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: wert the courtliest knight that ever drew sword, and the
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: faithfulest friend that ever bestrode a horse. Thou wert the
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: goodliest knight that ever man has seen, and the truest
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: lover that ever loved a woman. End of Section twenty two,
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: end of Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: by Andrew Lang. Recording by Karen