After these affairs had been duly arranged, all the British lords and knights assembled in the presence of the King, and said to him: 

“Noble Emperor, now that, Heaven be thanked for it, this great war is over, and your enemies so utterly vanquished that henceforward, as we believe, no man, however great or mighty he may be, will dare to stand up against you, we beseech you to grant us leave to return to our wives and our homes, that there we may rest ourselves.”

This request King Arthur granted, saying that it would be wise, seeing they had met with such good fortune so far, to be content with it and to return home.  Also he gave orders that there should be no plundering or pillaging of the country through which they had to pass on their way back, but that they should, on pain of death, pay the full price for victuals or whatever else they took.

So King Arthur and his host set off from Rome and came over the sea and landed at Sandwich, where Queen Guinevere came to meet her lord.  And at Sandwich and throughout the land there were great festivities, and noble gifts were presented to the King; for his people rejoiced mightily both because he had returned safely home, and because of the great victories he had achieved.

SIR GALAHAD AND THE SACRED CUP

ADAPTED BY MARY MACGREGOR

  “My strength is as the strength of ten,
  Because my heart is pure,”

sang Galahad gladly.  He was only a boy, but he had just been made a knight by Sir Lancelot, and the old abbey, where he had lived all his life, rang with the echo of his song.

Sir Lancelot heard the boy’s clear voice singing in triumph.  As he stopped to listen, he caught the words,

  “My strength is as the strength of ten,
  Because my heart is pure,”

and the great knight wished he were a boy again, and could sing that song too.

[Illustration:  SIR GALAHAD.]

Twelve nuns lived in the quiet abbey, and they had taught Galahad lovingly and carefully, ever since he had come to them as a beautiful little child.  And the boy had dwelt happily with them there in the still old abbey, and he would be sorry to leave them, but he was a knight now.  He would fight for the King he reverenced so greatly, and for the country he loved so well.

Yet when Sir Lancelot left the abbey the next day, Galahad did not go with him.  He would stay in his old home a little longer, he thought.  He would not grieve the nuns by a hurried farewell.

Sir Lancelot left the abbey alone, but as he rode along he met two knights, and together they reached Camelot, where the King was holding a great festival.

King Arthur welcomed Sir Lancelot and the two knights.  “Now all the seats at our table will be filled,” he said gladly.  For it pleased the King when the circle of his knights was unbroken.