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10 - Part 2 Story 2 The Coming Of The Holy Graal · Tales Of King Arthur And The Round Table

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  Speaker 1: Part two, Story two of Tales of King Arthur and
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  Speaker 1: the Round Table by Andrew Lang. This LibriVox recording is
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  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Part two, Story two, The Coming
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  Speaker 1: of the Holy Grail. It was on the eve of
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  Speaker 1: Pentecost that all the knights of the Table Round met
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  Speaker 1: together at Camelot, and a great feast was made ready
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  Speaker 1: for them. And as they sat at supper, they heard
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  Speaker 1: a loud noise, as of the crashing of thunder, and
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  Speaker 1: it seemed as if the roof would fall on them.
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  Speaker 1: Then in the midst of the thunder, there entered a
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  Speaker 1: sunbeam brighter by seven times than the brightest day, and
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  Speaker 1: its brightness was not of this world. The knights held
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  Speaker 1: their peace, but every man looked at his neighbor, and
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  Speaker 1: his countenance shone fairer than ever it had done before.
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  Speaker 1: As they sat dumb, for their tongues felt as if
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  Speaker 1: they could speak nothing. There floated in the hall the
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  Speaker 1: Holy Grail, and over it a vale of white sami,
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  Speaker 1: so that none might see it, nor who bear it.
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  Speaker 1: But sweet odors filled the place, and every knight had
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  Speaker 1: set before him the food he loved best. And after
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  Speaker 1: that the Holy vessel departed. Suddenly they wist not where.
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  Speaker 1: When it had gone, their tongues were loosened, and the
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  Speaker 1: king gave thanks for the wonders that they had been
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  Speaker 1: permitted to see. After that he had finished, Sir Gawaine
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  Speaker 1: stood up and vowed to depart the next morning in
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  Speaker 1: quest of the Holy Graal, and not to return until
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  Speaker 1: he had seen it. But if after a year and
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  Speaker 1: a day I may not speed in my quest, said he,
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  Speaker 1: I shall come again, for I shall know that the
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  Speaker 1: sight of it is not for me. And many of
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  Speaker 1: the knights there sitting swore alike vou. But King Arthur,
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  Speaker 1: when he heard this, was sore displeased. Alas cried he
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  Speaker 1: unto Sir Gawaine, you have undone me by your vow,
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  Speaker 1: For through you is broken up the fairest fellowship and
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  Speaker 1: the truest of knighthood that ever the world world saw.
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  Speaker 1: And when they have once departed, they shall meet no
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  Speaker 1: more at the table round, for many shall die in
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  Speaker 1: the quest. It grieves me sore, for I have loved
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  Speaker 1: them as well as my own life. So he spoke
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  Speaker 1: and paused, and tears came into his eyes. Ah, Gawain, Gawain,
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  Speaker 1: you have set me in great sorrow, Comfort yourself, said
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  Speaker 1: Sir Launcelot, for we shall win for ourselves great honor,
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  Speaker 1: much more if we die in this wise than in
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  Speaker 1: any other, since die we must. But the King would
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  Speaker 1: not be comforted, and the Queen and all the court
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  Speaker 1: were troubled also for the love which they bore these knights.
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  Speaker 1: Now among the company sat a young knight whose name
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  Speaker 1: was Galahad. He had already achieved fame by his deeds
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  Speaker 1: in the field and tourney, and the Queen marveled at
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  Speaker 1: the likeness he bore to Sir Launcelot. She asked him
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  Speaker 1: whence he came, and of what country, and if he
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  Speaker 1: was the son of Sir Launcelot. And King Arthur did
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  Speaker 1: him great honor, and he rested him in his own bed.
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  Speaker 1: And next morning the King and Queen went into the Minster,
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  Speaker 1: and the knights followed them, dressed all in armor save
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  Speaker 1: only their shields and their helmets. When the service was finished,
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  Speaker 1: the king would know how many of the fellowship had
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  Speaker 1: sworn to undertake the quest of the Grail, and they
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  Speaker 1: were counted and found to number one hundred and fifty.
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  Speaker 1: They bade farewell and mounted their horses and rode through
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  Speaker 1: the streets of Camelot, and there was weeping, of both
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  Speaker 1: rich and poor, and the king could not speak for weeping.
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  Speaker 1: And at sunrise they all parted company with each other,
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  Speaker 1: and every knight took the way he liked best. End
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  Speaker 1: of Part two. Story two