第 二十五 章 · How Merlin saved Arthur’s life, and threw an enchantment

. How Merlin saved Arthur’s life, and threw an enchantment

on King Pellinore and made him to sleep.

Therewithal came Merlin and said, Knight, hold thy hand, for an thou

slay that knight thou puttest this realm in the greatest damage that

ever was realm: for this knight is a man of more worship than thou

wotest of. Why, who is he? said the knight. It is King Arthur. Then

would he have slain him for dread of his wrath, and heaved up his

sword, and therewith Merlin cast an enchantment to the knight, that he

fell to the earth in a great sleep. Then Merlin took up King Arthur,

and rode forth on the knight’s horse. Alas! said Arthur, what hast thou

done, Merlin? hast thou slain this good knight by thy crafts? There

liveth not so worshipful a knight as he was; I had liefer than the

stint of my land a year that he were alive. Care ye not, said Merlin,

for he is wholer than ye; for he is but asleep, and will awake within

three hours. I told you, said Merlin, what a knight he was; here had ye

been slain had I not been. Also there liveth not a bigger knight than

he is one, and he shall hereafter do you right good service; and his

name is Pellinore, and he shall have two sons that shall be passing

good men; save one they shall have no fellow of prowess and of good

living, and their names shall be Percivale of Wales and Lamerake of

Wales, and he shall tell you the name of your own son, begotten of your

sister, that shall be the destruction of all this realm.