Maude L. Radford

King Arthur and His Knights Maude L. Radford

"She is the Lady of the Lake," says Merlin. "She lives in a rock in the middle of the lake. See, she is coming toward us. And look at what is rising beyond her from the water!"

Arthur, wounded from his battle with the knight and holding the pieces of his broken sword, looks out onto the waters where Merlin points, and sees an arm clothed in pure white, holding a huge, cross-hilted sword, so brilliant that his eyes are dazzled.

"'Take me,' the writing says, on one side of the sword," said Arthur when he takes the blade into his hands. "And 'Cast me away,' on the other. I'm glad to take the sword, but it saddens me to think of casting it away."

Merlin's face grows sad, too. He knows what is to pass in the future -- and is well aware that when the time comes to cast the sword away, much evil will have befallen the young king at his side.