Those who love brave and knightly deeds, those who love the gorgeous trappings of mediæval romance, come to the story of Arthur and his Round Table, of Lancelot and Perceval and Galahad and Gawain, of Guinevere and Elaine, and of the Quest for the Holy Grail, and there shall be found the glories that you seek. The king and his knights ride out from Camelot. Here shall you join them on their great adventures! RUPERT S. HOLLAND. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION THE COMING OF ARTHUR AND THE FOUNDING OF THE ROUND TABLE I MERLIN FORETELLS THE BIRTH OF ARTHUR II THE CROWNING OF ARTHUR AND THE SWORD EXCALIBUR III ARTHUR DRIVES THE SAXONS FROM HIS REALM IV THE KING'S MANY AND GREAT ADVENTURES V SIR BALIN FIGHTS WITH HIS BROTHER, SIR BALAN VI THE MARRIAGE OF ARTHUR AND GUINEVERE AND THE FOUNDING OF THE ROUND TABLE VII THE ADVENTURE OF ARTHUR AND SIR ACCOLON OF GAUL VIII ARTHUR IS CROWNED EMPEROR AT ROME IX SIR GAWAIN AND THE MAID WITH THE NARROW SLEEVES THE CHAMPIONS OF THE ROUND TABLE X THE ADVENTURES OF SIR LANCELOT XI THE ADVENTURES OF SIR BEAUMAINS OR SIR GARETH XII THE ADVENTURES OF SIR TRISTRAM SIR GALAHAD AND THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL XIII THE KNIGHTS GO TO SEEK THE GRAIL THE PASSING OF ARTHUR XIV SIR LANCELOT AND THE FAIR ELAINE XV THE WAR BETWEEN ARTHUR AND LANCELOT AND THE PASSING OF ARTHUR KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE THE COMING OF ARTHUR AND THE FOUNDING OF THE ROUND TABLE I MERLIN FORETELLS THE BIRTH OF ARTHUR King Vortigern the usurper sat upon his throne in London, when, suddenly, upon a certain day, ran in a breathless messenger, and cried aloud-- "Arise, Lord King, for the enemy is come; even Ambrosius and Uther, upon whose throne thou sittest--and full twenty thousand with them--and they have sworn by a great oath, Lord, to slay thee, ere this year be done; and even now they march towards thee as the north wind of winter for bitterness and haste." At those words Vortigern's face grew white as ashes, and, rising in confusion and disorder, he sent for all the best artificers and craftsmen and mechanics, and commanded them vehemently to go and build him straightway in the furthest west of his lands a great and strong castle, where he might fly for refuge and escape the vengeance of his master's sons--"and, moreover," cried he, "let the work be done within a hundred days from now, or I will surely spare no life amongst you all."