All the famous knights and nobles of Britain came to the tournament. One of the knights was Sir Kay. With him came his young foster brother Arthur.
During the tournament Sir Kay broke his sword. He sent young Arthur back to their pavilion to get another. But Arthur could not find one. Then he remembered seeing a sword in an anvil in front of the cathedral. He did not know that this sword was to decide the new king. He went to the anvil and drew out the sword easily. He took it to Sir Kay.
Sir Kay saw at once what sword it was. He sent Arthur to their father, Sir Ector. Sir Ector knew then that Arthur would be the next king. But he went with the boy to put the sword back where he had found it. A few days later, after all the great knights and nobles had tried to draw the sword from the anvil without success, young Arthur was given a chance. He drew it out again, this time in front of them all.
This story of how Arthur became king of Britain is only one of many stories told about him. He was, all the stories tell, a wonderfully wise and good ruler. He brought together a band of brave knights who went about righting wrongs. In Arthur's castle they sat for meals at a big round table, and so were called the Knights of the Round Table.
Lancelot was the bravest of all the Knights of the Round Table. Galahad was the most pure in heart. Other knights were Gawaine and Tristram, Pelleas and Percival, Gareth and Geraint. They all fought many battles for their king and had wonderful adventures.
Was there ever a King Arthur? No one knows for certain. Probably some of the tales are partly true. The first ones, it is thought, were told about a real king who ruled a part of Britain some 1,400 years ago. He was good, wise, and brave.
After the real king died, true stories were told about him. But many more were made up to show how great and good he was. In time no one knew which stories were true and which were not.
