“Arthur, I beg you to ride back and bring me my sword,” said Sir Kay.

[Illustration:  ARTHUR DRAWS THE SWORD]

Arthur willingly rode back, but when he came to the lodging he could not enter, because every one had gone out to see the jousting.  Arthur loved Sir Kay dearly, and could not bear to think of his brother being kept out of the tourney because he had no sword.  And so, as he rode by the churchyard and saw the magic sword unguarded in the stone, he thought how fine a weapon it would be for Sir Kay.

“How fortunate that the guards have gone to see the tourney.  I’ll take this sword to Kay,” he said.

When Arthur laid his hand on the jewelled hilt the sword came free from its resting place, and the boy bore it joyously to his brother.

As soon as Sir Kay saw the sword he knew it was the one that had been in the magic stone.  Hastily riding to Sir Ector he said, “See, here is the sword of the stone.  It must be that I am to be king.”

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.”