Sir Ector answered, "Give me the weapon and come with me to the church." Together with Arthur they rode to the church, and all three alighted from their horses and saw that the sword was gone from the stone. "Now, my son, swear by the holy book to tell me honestly how you got the sword." "My brother Arthur brought it to me--this I swear," said Sir Kay. "How did you get this sword?" said Sir Ector, turning to Arthur. "Sir," said Arthur, "when I could not find my brother's sword and returned by this place I saw the sword sticking in the stone. So I came and pulled at it and it yielded easily, and I took it to Sir Kay, for I would not have my brother sword-less." "Were there any knights about the stone?" asked Sir Ector. "None," said Arthur. "Now I understand," said Sir Ector; "you, Arthur, are to be king of Britain." [Illustration: KING ARTHUR _Statue by Peter Vischer, in the Hofkirche, Innsbruck_] "Why should I be king of Britain?" asked the boy. "I know not why, except that God wills it so, for it has been ordained that the man who should draw the sword from the stone is the true-born king of Britain. Now let me see whether you can put the sword where it was and draw it forth again." "That is not difficult," said Arthur, as he thrust the sword back into the stone. Sir Ector tried to pull it out again, but he could not move it. "Now you try," he said to Sir Kay. Although Sir Kay pulled with all his might the sword remained immovable. "Now you try it," said Sir Ector to Arthur. "I will," said Arthur, as he grasped the hilt and drew the sword out without any difficulty. Then Sir Ector and Sir Kay knelt down before Arthur and said, "Now we know you for our king and swear allegiance to you." "Now my own dear father, and Kay, my brother, do not kneel to me." "Arthur," said Sir Ector, "I must now tell you that you are not my son, nor is Sir Kay your brother. I do not know who you are, but I did not think you were of kingly lineage." Then Arthur wept, for he loved Ector and Kay as though they were father and brother to him. "When you are king," asked Sir Ector, "will you be kind to me and my family?" "Indeed I will," said Arthur, "or I shall be much to blame, for I am more deeply in debt to you than to any other man in all the world, and to your wife, whom I have always thought my mother and who has cared for me as for her own son. If it ever is the will of God that I be king of Britain, ask what you desire and it will be my pleasure to accord it." The three then went to the Archbishop and told him all that had happened. He counseled them to remain quiet till after the tournament, when Arthur should make the trial in public. At that time, after all had struggled madly to pull out the sword and had failed, Arthur drew it out easily before the astonished eyes of the onlookers. The barons and knights laughed in derision and said, "Shall Britain be ruled over by a boy? Let us have another trial at Twelfth Day."