April 17, 2025 • 27 mins
A retelling of the classic Arthurian legends, this collection of twelve tales captures the grandeur, mystery, and moral depth of King Arthur’s court and the quest for the Holy Grail. Designed for young readers and educators, it brings timeless ideals to life.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
In twelve Tales by Winona Caroline Martin Tail four Gareth
the kitchen Knave, and Gareth said, full pardon, but I
follow up the quest, despite of day and night and
death and hell Tennyson's Gareth and Lynette, Mother, when will
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you let me go to King Arthur's court? Queen Bellicant,
the wife of King Lot of Orkney, raised her troubled
eyes to meet the pleading gaze of her youngest son, Gareth. Oh, Gareth, Gareth,
she replied, in a voice from which tears were not
far distant. You are still a child, and have you
no pity for my loneliness? Both your brothers are in
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Arthur's halls, unless one or both of them is at
this very moment lying dead, pierced by a dozen wounds.
You do not know what it means to be a
night and daily risk your life in brain stunning shocks
and turnifalls. Ah mother, mother, cried the young man with
king eyes. Is for that very reason that I longed
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to go. No, no, my son, said Bellicin, and shook
her head. Sadly, stay awhile longer follow the deer in
your own father's forests, and so make your manhood mightier
day by day follow the deer, Mother, I must follow
the Christ and the King, or else why was I born? Mother?
What can I do to prove to you that I
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am no longer a child but a man ready to
take a man's part in life? Do well? What would
you do to prove it? You who have never felt
a finger ache or a pain? Do? Ah? Mother? I
would walk through fire. You would walk through fire, you say,
And Bellicent smiled a strange smile. In that case, you
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surely would not mind a little smoke. A little smoke. Ah,
surely not, mother, exclaimed the boy in surprise. Then I
will let you go, truly, mother, on one condition. Yes, anything, anything,
only then listen, carefully, said Queen Bellicent. Slowly, you may
go if you will go disguised and hire yourself out
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to serve meats and drinks for a year and a
day among Arthur's scullions and kitchen knaves. Having said this,
the queen smiled to herself, for she believed that her
princely son was far too proud to submit himself to
so humiliating a test. The boy was silent for a while.
Then he replied, gravely, even though my body were in bondage. Mother,
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I should still be free in soul, and I should
see the jousts and hear the talk of the brave knights,
and see the face of the King now and then, yes, Mother,
I will do as you say. Then Bellicent realized that
her son was in earnest indeed, and she made no
more attempt to prevent his going. One morning a few
days later, therefore, while the anxious mother was still asleep,
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Gareth quietly arose, and, taking with him two faithful serving
men who had waited on him since his birth, set
out for Camelot. The three, dressed like tillers of the soil,
journeyed southward for two days until one fair morning they
saw the spires and turrets of the mystic city pricking
through the mist. Presently they came to the wonderful gate,
upon whose keystone stood an image of the Lady of
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the Lake, who had given Excalibur to Arthur. Her garments
seemed to be sweeping from her sides like water flowing away,
and in the space to left and right of her,
the young King's wars were shown in weird devices. Gareth
and his companions stood staring at this curious gate so
long that at last it seemed to them that the
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pictured dragons upon it began to move and seethe, and
twine and curl, as if the whole portal were alive,
while from within came a sound of weird music, so
that the two serving men would gladly have turned back,
fearing enchantment. But Gareth pressed right on until he stood
in the long vaulted hall of the royal palace itself,
where the king sat upon his throne delivering judgment. While
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Gareth waited, he saw one person after another, having a
complaint to make or a boon to ask, brought before Arthur, who,
after listening carefully to the story, would assign the righting
of the wrong, if such he deemed it to be
to one of the tall knights that ranged themselves about
his throne, so that every now and then one of
these would ride away upon his appointed quest. At last
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it came Gareth's turn to make his plea stepping forward, therefore,
leaning upon the shoulders of his two servitors, as if
needing support, he approached and said, a boon, Sir King. Then,
as Arthur bent forward graciously to listen, grant that I
may serve among your kitchen knaves for a year and
a day. Then, having grown strong with meats and drinks
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from your table, I shall be able to fight. The
King looked at the boy in surprise, for neither his
face nor his stalwart young body showed any sign of
weakness or starvation. Presently, he said, you appear to be
a goodly youth and worth a goodlier boon. Still, as
this is what you ask, let it be. So I
therefore hand you over to the care of my senisile
Sir Kay. Gareth turned and looked into the eyes of
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the man who was henceforth to be his master, and
certainly the sight was not at all reassuring, for Kay
was the surliest and most unpleasant looking of all the
knights at Arthur's court. Humph, he now said, crossly, a
good for nothing fellow, no doubt, who has run away
from some abbey where he's been too lazy to earn
his food. But he shall work now, I'll see to that.
Never fear. It chanced, however, that Launcelot, the most illustrious
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of all the knights in Arthur's dearest friend, was standing
by and overheard Kay's remark. Kay Kay, he said, after
having taken a good look at the lad. You may
know a great deal about dogs and horses, but not
much I fear about men. I advise you to treat
that boy kindly, for if he is not noble natured,
I am much mistaken, and you may someday discover that
he is also of noble blood. Tut replied Kay scornfully.
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If he were noble, would he not have asked the
King for horse and armor instead of food and drink? Yes,
I see that his brow is smooth and his hand
is white, but I will soon alter that when I
get him among the pots and pans. Then, turning to Gareth,
come along, sir fair hands, come along with me. So
Gareth passed with Sir Kay from the bright glory of
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Arthur's Hall down into the smut and grime of the kitchens,
where he submitted day after day to being hustled and
harried by a master who had no love for him.
Thus the first long month of his servitude wore away. Then,
one day, when the Lad was scrubbing away as usual
at his pots and pans, seeing how brilliantly he could
make them shine, and pretending to himself that he was
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burnishing his armor. Sir Kay strode into the room and said, gruffly, Ho, Ho, sir,
fair hands, we shall see what is about to happen
to you now. The King himself has sent for you,
doubtless to reprimand you for some villainy which you have
succeeded in concealing even from me. Go along at once. Now.
Though Gareth's conscience was clear, he could not but help
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being seriously disturbed by this unexpected summons. When, therefore, having
hastily washed off the grime and made himself as presentable
as possible, he found himself once again in the presence
of the great King. He was much surprised to read
in Arthur's smiling countenance no sign of anger or disapproval.
Gareth said he when the two were alone, I know
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your secret. Your mother has repented of the hard promise
she made you give. She has therefore sent me a
message explaining all and releasing you. A man is sometimes knighted,
Gareth on the field of battle for some deed of
special bravery. I am about to knight you now, my boy,
for the same reason. But my lord, cried Gareth, in astonishment,
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I have as yet done no brave deed. That is
a question of which I will be. The judge replied
Arthur gravely. A man on the battlefield or in the
tourney has the encouragement of the plaudits of his fellows,
and is spurred on by excitement and the hope of
winning glory. But you have toiled nobly in humiliation and obscurity. Therefore, kneel, Gareth,
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and receive the order of knighthood. At those words of
praise from the lips of whom the Lad honored, as
he honored no other human being. Gareth's eyes filled with tears,
and he knelt humbly to take those vows, as is
a shame a man should not be bound by yet
the which no man can keep. Then the King gave
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him three strokes with the flat of his sword, and
Gareth arose a kitchen knave no longer, now, said Arthur,
still smiling. Is there another boon that I can grant you,
Sir Gareth? The lad pondered for a while. Then he said,
I am now a knight, Sir King, but I am
not yet proven. Grant therefore that I may wear my
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disguise a while longer, and give me the next quest,
So shall I spring like flame from ashes? I will
grant that, boon, replied the King gravely, on condition that
my friend, Sir Launcelot may share the secret to this.
Gareth agreed readily enough, so he returned to the kitchen
to await impatiently the King's next audience day, And he
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had not long to wait for Arthur held himself ready
whenever possible to hear the complaints of his subjects. It happened, therefore,
one fine morning in early summer, that a maiden of
haughty bearing and high lineage passed into Arthur's hall, and,
scarcely waiting to do obeissance, burst out with her grievance.
Sir King, you have truly driven the heathen from the land,
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as you promise, but bandits and robbers still infest many
a bridge and ford. If I were king, I should
not rest until the loneliest spot in the realm were
as free from bloodshed as your altar cloth. Fair maiden,
replied the king, courteously, ignoring her lack of courtesy, rest
assured that I and my knights will never lay aside
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our arms while there is one lonely moorland that is
not as safe as the center of my hall. Pray
tell us your name and your particular need. My name,
said the damsel, proudly, is Linett. My need is a
knight to do battle for my sister, the lady Lioner's,
who lives in Castle Perilous, about which a broad river
winds in three loops. Spanning these loops are three bridges
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guarded by three bandit knights, while a fourth, the most
terrible of all, keeps her prisoner in her own castle,
and besieges her there, endeavoring to break her will and
force her to wed him. Therefore, have I come to you,
Sir King, for your very best knight, who is Sir Launcelot,
as every one knows, send us no other, I pray you,
for already fifty of your knights have given their lives
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in this cause, as their shields testify for the hang
as trophies about the black tent of that fourth knight,
whose face no man has ever seen, and whose voice
no man has ever heard. When she had finished speaking,
there was silence in the hall save for the clinking
sound of weapons about to be withdrawn from their scabbards. Then,
in another moment, every sword in the room was being
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pointed forward and upward, while the cry rang through the
whole castle, the quest Sir King for the instant Arthur
so absorbed had he been in the Maiden's story, had
he forgotten Gareth and the promise he had made him.
He was smiling now as he paused before assigning the
adventure to Launcelot, to look down upon that forest of
swords which spoke to him so eloquently of the valor
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of his knights. Suddenly his eye fell upon something that
was truly an amazing sight. This was a great iron spit,
raised as high as any sword by the begrimed hand
of one of the kitchen knaves. Then the king remembered,
his face first flushed and then paled, for he knew
that Gareth, though of royal blood, was nevertheless but a boy,
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as yet unproved. And he knew too that this was
a quest in which many a full grown man had failed.
Yet he had given his word, and the word of
a king may not be broken. Therefore, turning to the
poorly clad's scullion, he bent his head, saying, sir, fair hands,
the quest is yours. Up to that moment, in the
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general excitement, none of the knights had noticed the entrance
of this intruder in their midst. Now, however, every in
the room was turned upon the spot where poor Gareth stood,
with his spit still in his hand. It was a
rule at Arthur's court that there should be no murmuring
when a quest was assigned, But never before had the
self control of the knights been put to such a
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test as this. For a while there was a dead silence,
which was broken presently by Sir Kay, who could not
repress a deep grunt. Then the maiden, having at last
realized what had happened, burst forth, Shame on you, sir King,
and shame forever on your boasted order of the round table. I,
a maiden of gentle birth, have asked you for your
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best knight, and you have given me your kitchen knave,
your kitchen knave. Then, before anyone could stop her, she
turned her back on the king, fled from the room,
and was on her horse and away. Gareth, however, had
no idea of losing his opportunity loosening a string. Therefore,
he allowed his kitchen garb to fall off, revealing the
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fact to the amazement of all present, that he was
clothed underneath in a full suit of glittering jeweled armor. Then,
throwing aside his spit, he seized spear and shield, gifts
from the King, and leaping upon a war horse, another
gift was after the fleeing maiden, before the spectators had
had time to recover from their surprise. Just beyond the
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gates of the city, he overtook her and saw, to
his dismay that despite his transformation, the flush of anger
deepened in her cheeks at the sight of him. Nevertheless,
he addressed her most courteously. Fair damsel said he the
quest is mine, ride and I follow. At this, the
maiden drew herself to her full height and answered, while
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her black eyes flashed scorn upon her would be champion,
Sir Scullion, I have but one request to make of you,
and that is that you leave me this instant. Far
Rather would I fall a prey to abandons or wild
beasts than be protected by such as you leave me.
I pray you for you smell of the kitchen, damsel
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replied Garret, still as courteously as ever, Say what you
please to me, but whatever you say, rest assured I
will never leave you till I achieve the quest, or
die in the attempt. Ride and I follow. Upon hearing
this without another word, the maiden spurred her poll free
in a vain attempt to outdistance her protector, and so
they rode through deep woods until the shades of night
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overtook them, and they were obliged to seek shelter at
a neighboring castle. The next morning, however, the two were
early on their way once more, and Gareth had begun
to think that the fair linette would never deign to
speak to him again, when suddenly she reined her horse,
thus allowing him to come up with her, and said,
Sir Scullion, we shall soon reach the first loop of
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the river, which is guarded, as I told the King,
by a bandit knight. He calls himself morning Star, and
I advise you to turn back, for no kitchen knave
could ever hope to do battle successfully with such as he.
Madam said Gareth firmly, as I have told you before,
this quest is mine. I pray you ride on and
I follow. She said no more, but scornfully obeyed his command,
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and it was not long before they came to a
bridge which spanned a narrow but deep stream. On the
farther side, Gareth beheld a silk pavilion, gay with golden
streaks and rays of the lent lily, except where the
dome rose high and purple. From the top there floated
a crimson banner, and beneath an unarmed warrior was pacing
to and fro At sight of the maiden's champion. The
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Knight gave a strange call, whereupon three beautiful, silken clad maidens,
the daughters of the Dawn, whose golden tresses were begemmed
with drops of morning dew, came forward and clad the
warrior in light blue armor, and placed in his hand
a blue shield, in the center of which shone a
morning star. Then the Knight leaped upon his horse, and
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with fiery speed, he and Gareth shocked together in the
center of the bridge, so that both their spears were bent.
Then each hurled a stone from his catapult, after which Gareth,
recovering himself, lashed so fiercely with his brand that he
drove his enemy backward down the bridge until his own
shield was broken. But the morning Star lay groveling at
his feet. Spare my life, Sir Knight, I yield the
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great warrior was now crying. I will spare it, replied Gareth,
on condition that this maiden asks me to do so. Insolin,
Scullion cried the damsel, flushing. Must I stoop so low
as to ask a favor of you? I will not.
Then he shall die, said Gareth quietly. Stop. Rascal, cried Linet,
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as Gareth began to unlace the warrior's helmet. It would
be a shame for me to allow a knight to
be slain by a kitchen knave. Therefore I ask you,
Sir Scullion, to spare his life. Rise, then said Gareth
to his fallen enemy. But give me your shield in
place of my broken one, and ride to Arthur's hall,
and there tell the king that his kitchen knave has
achieved one fourth part of his quest. Then to the maiden,
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he said, ride, damsel, and I follow on. They went,
those two strange companions, reviler and reviled, while the sun
gradually rose higher in the heavens and the heat grew
more and more oppressive. Toward noon, Lynett slowed her palfrey
once again, and turning to her champion, said, Sir Nave,
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by some evil chance, you have managed to overcome a knight.
Think not, however, that you will be able to stand
against him whom you are now about to encounter. He
calls himself Noonday's Sun, and his strength as far exceeds
that of his brother morning Star, as the light of
the sun at noon exceeds that of the star that
fades in the blue of dawn. I warn you for
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the second time to flee, But Gareth's only answer was, Maiden,
the quest is mine, Ride and I follow. Within a
few more moments they had reached the second bend of
the river, where they beheld sitting astride a huge red
horse the terrible noonday sun. This man's armor and shield
were so brightly burnished that they seemed to cast off barks,
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so that Gareth was nearly blinded by their splendor. At
sight of the boy, this mighty warrior gave an angry
cry and plunged into the foaming stream, where Gareth met
him half way. Four mighty strokes they gave each other
with their swords. Then, because there was no room in
the whirling waters for any turny skill, Gareth feared that
he would be overcome and put to shame before the Maiden.
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Just then, However, the knight raised his ponderous arm for
a fifth stroke, whereupon his horse slipped in the stream,
and the waters extinguished the light of the noonday sun. Gareth, however,
was too true a knight to take such an advantage
of his enemy. He put his lance across the ford therefore,
and with great difficulty, managed to bring him to shore.
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But the warrior was no longer willing to continue the contest,
So Gareth spared his life at the request of the Maiden,
upon the condition that he ride to Arthur's court and
informed the king that one half of the Kitchen Knave's
quest was now achieved. Then the two rode on once
more through the lay long hours of the sultry afternoon.
Toward evening, the Maiden reined her horse again and began
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to speak in a voice that seemed to Gareth just
a trifle less scornful. Sir Scullion, said she, for Kitchen Knave,
you have truly done well. Nevertheless, if the noonday's sun
horse had not slipped, you certainly would not have been
the victor. Therefore, I advise you to leave this quest,
for the man that you are now to meet as
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an opponent is an old and seasoned warrior who calls
himself Evening Star. You'll have little chance to stand against him.
I assure you be wise and flee for your life
while there is yet time. Maiden, said Gareth, as courteously
as ever. The quest is mine. Ride and I follow.
So they rode and presently reached the third loop of
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the river, which was spanned by a bridge of treble bow.
Beyond this bridge, outlined against the rose red of the
western sky, stood a huge figure wrapped in hardened skins
that fit him like his own. See, whispered the Maiden
in a frightened voice. If you should succeed in cleaving
his armor, those skins would turn the blade of your sword.
Oh Gareth, Gareth, be careful. At that new tone, the
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Lad's heart leapt within him for joy, but he had
not long to consider its meaning, for the Evening Star
was now calling to him from the bridge. O, brother Star,
why do you shine here so low? Your ward is
higher up? But tell me have you slain the Maiden's champion?
Then the damsels saw that he was mistaking Gareth for
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his brother, because he bore the morning Star's shield, and
cried out to him, No, star of yours, but shot
from Arthur's heaven, with all disaster to you and yours.
Both your younger brothers have gone down before this youth,
And so will you, sir star, Are you not old? Yes? Old,
laughed the knight, both old and hard, with the might
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and breath of twenty such boys. Then he blew a
fierce blast on his horn whereat from out a storm,
beaten and many so dane pavilion, came a grizzled old woman,
who armed him in battered arms, and brought with the
helm and a drying evergreen for a crest, and a
shield whose emblem was a half tarnished evening star. Thus equipped,
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he leaped upon his horse, and he and Gareth hurled
madly together on the bridge. Three times in that terrible struggle,
the lad through his opponent, and three times he saw
him rise again, as strong as ever, until Gareth was
panting hard, and his heart, fearing that it would now
be overcome, labored within him. Just at this moment, however,
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above the din of clashing arms, he heard the voice
of Linnet, Well done, brave knight. She was crying, O
knave as noble as any knight. Shame me not, Oh
good knight, knave, strike you are worthy of the round table.
His arms are old, he trusts his hardened skin. Strike strike.
Then Gareth, encouraged by this unexpected praise, smote with such
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might that he hewed off great pieces of his enemy's armor,
and at last succeeded in hurling him headlong over the bridge.
Panting still, he turned to the maiden, saying, three fourths
of my quest is now achieved. Fair damsel, ride and
I follow. But Lynnett answered, very very gently, I lead
no longer. You are the kingliest of all kitchen knaves.
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Right at my side, I pray you. So the two
rode side by side as the long summer twilight deepened
about them. After a while, the maiden spoke again, and
all her former haughtiness had left her, so that her
voice was sweet and shy. Sir, she murmured, sir, whom
I would now call knight if I had not heard
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you call yourself a knave. I am ashamed to have
treated you so discourteously. I am of noble birth, and
I thought the King scorned me in mine when he
assigned the quest to you. But now I humbly ask
your pardon, for I know that, whatever may be your rank,
you have a princely heart. Damsel said Gareth gently. You
were not at all to blame except for mistrusting our
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good king. Know then that I am no kitchen knave,
but the son of King Lot and Queen Bellicent of Ortney.
And if I had any but a princely heart, I
should shame my birth. Then they wrote again for a
long time in silence. After a while Linet spoke once more,
Sir Prince, I feel that the time has come when
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I must warn you. But do not I pray you
think that I speak any longer in scorn. You have
fought valiantly. I doubt if Launcelot himself could have performed
greater feats. But now I plead with you to turn back.
You are wounded. I know although you have not told
me wonders you have done miracles. You cannot do this.
Knight who guards the castle is not a man, but
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a monster who calls himself Knight or Death. No mortal
has ever seen his face uncovered or heard his voice,
and his appearance is too terrible for me to describe.
I beg of you to turn back and leave the
achieving of this part of the cours to Launcelot, whom
the dreadful one challenged. But Gareth only shook his head
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and rode on, saying, this quest is mine, fair damsel,
in spite of day and night and death himself. And
now heavy clouds began to gather, hiding the friendly stars
from their gaze, while the air took on a strange
midnight chill. Presently, Linette leaned toward Gareth and whispered in
an odd voice. There and through the gloom, Gareth perceived
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standing beside what he guessed to be Castle Perilous, a
huge black pavilion with a black banner trailing from its peak.
In an instant before Lynette could prevent him, he had
seized a long black horn that hung nearby, and blown
a blast that sent a ghostly echo through the night.
Then he waited, but there was no response save from
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the castle windows, where lights began to twinkle and pale
faces were seen peering out. Again, he blew, and a
third time. Then at last the great black doors of
the pavilion were slowly drawn aside, and there issued forth
a hideous figure in coal black armor, seated upon a
huge black horse, and bearing a black shield, whose emblem
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was a white breastbone, barren ribs, and a grinning skull.
Through the dim light, this frightful apparition advanced, then paused,
speaking never a word, And now Gareth really believed that
his last hour had come, for all things seemed to
be enveloped in a cloud of nameless horror. Suddenly, the
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great black war horse gave an unexpected lunge forward, and
those that had not closed their eyes in terror saw
death reel in the saddle and dropped to the ground
with a mighty crash. In an instant, Gareth had leaped
from his own horse and with two mighty strokes, managed
to split open the enemy's armor. Then outpeeped the bright
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face of a blooming boy. Before Gareth could recover from
his astonishment, the child was kneeling before him and pleading,
do not slay me, sir knight. I beg of you.
My brother's morning star, noonday sun and evening star made
me dress up in this way to frighten other knights
away from the Lady Lioneer's. But my child asked Gareth kindly,
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what madness made you challenge Launcelot, the chief Knight of
Arthur's round Table. Fair, sir, they made me do that too,
the boy replied, for they hated Launcelot and hoped to
slay him somewhere on the stream. They never dreamed that
he could pass all three bridges. Then Gareth gently raised
the lad bidding him to have no fear, and the
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two followed Lynet into the castle, where the Lady Lioneers
stood waiting to welcome them, and where she speedily made
ready a great feast in honor of Gareth and the
overthrow of death. Now some say that Prince Gareth married
the Lady Lioneers, while others say that he married Lynet,
But however that may be. When he rode back to
Arthur's Hall with his bride, he found that one of
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the sieges of the mystic round Table glowed with the
letter of his name. End of Section four
In twelve Tales by Winona Caroline Martin Tail four Gareth
the kitchen Knave, and Gareth said, full pardon, but I
follow up the quest, despite of day and night and
death and hell Tennyson's Gareth and Lynette, Mother, when will
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you let me go to King Arthur's court? Queen Bellicant,
the wife of King Lot of Orkney, raised her troubled
eyes to meet the pleading gaze of her youngest son, Gareth. Oh, Gareth, Gareth,
she replied, in a voice from which tears were not
far distant. You are still a child, and have you
no pity for my loneliness? Both your brothers are in
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Arthur's halls, unless one or both of them is at
this very moment lying dead, pierced by a dozen wounds.
You do not know what it means to be a
night and daily risk your life in brain stunning shocks
and turnifalls. Ah mother, mother, cried the young man with
king eyes. Is for that very reason that I longed
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to go. No, no, my son, said Bellicin, and shook
her head. Sadly, stay awhile longer follow the deer in
your own father's forests, and so make your manhood mightier
day by day follow the deer, Mother, I must follow
the Christ and the King, or else why was I born? Mother?
What can I do to prove to you that I
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am no longer a child but a man ready to
take a man's part in life? Do well? What would
you do to prove it? You who have never felt
a finger ache or a pain? Do? Ah? Mother? I
would walk through fire. You would walk through fire, you say,
And Bellicent smiled a strange smile. In that case, you
(01:46):
surely would not mind a little smoke. A little smoke. Ah,
surely not, mother, exclaimed the boy in surprise. Then I
will let you go, truly, mother, on one condition. Yes, anything, anything,
only then listen, carefully, said Queen Bellicent. Slowly, you may
go if you will go disguised and hire yourself out
(02:09):
to serve meats and drinks for a year and a
day among Arthur's scullions and kitchen knaves. Having said this,
the queen smiled to herself, for she believed that her
princely son was far too proud to submit himself to
so humiliating a test. The boy was silent for a while.
Then he replied, gravely, even though my body were in bondage. Mother,
(02:31):
I should still be free in soul, and I should
see the jousts and hear the talk of the brave knights,
and see the face of the King now and then, yes, Mother,
I will do as you say. Then Bellicent realized that
her son was in earnest indeed, and she made no
more attempt to prevent his going. One morning a few
days later, therefore, while the anxious mother was still asleep,
(02:54):
Gareth quietly arose, and, taking with him two faithful serving
men who had waited on him since his birth, set
out for Camelot. The three, dressed like tillers of the soil,
journeyed southward for two days until one fair morning they
saw the spires and turrets of the mystic city pricking
through the mist. Presently they came to the wonderful gate,
upon whose keystone stood an image of the Lady of
(03:16):
the Lake, who had given Excalibur to Arthur. Her garments
seemed to be sweeping from her sides like water flowing away,
and in the space to left and right of her,
the young King's wars were shown in weird devices. Gareth
and his companions stood staring at this curious gate so
long that at last it seemed to them that the
(03:36):
pictured dragons upon it began to move and seethe, and
twine and curl, as if the whole portal were alive,
while from within came a sound of weird music, so
that the two serving men would gladly have turned back,
fearing enchantment. But Gareth pressed right on until he stood
in the long vaulted hall of the royal palace itself,
where the king sat upon his throne delivering judgment. While
(04:00):
Gareth waited, he saw one person after another, having a
complaint to make or a boon to ask, brought before Arthur, who,
after listening carefully to the story, would assign the righting
of the wrong, if such he deemed it to be
to one of the tall knights that ranged themselves about
his throne, so that every now and then one of
these would ride away upon his appointed quest. At last
(04:21):
it came Gareth's turn to make his plea stepping forward, therefore,
leaning upon the shoulders of his two servitors, as if
needing support, he approached and said, a boon, Sir King. Then,
as Arthur bent forward graciously to listen, grant that I
may serve among your kitchen knaves for a year and
a day. Then, having grown strong with meats and drinks
(04:42):
from your table, I shall be able to fight. The
King looked at the boy in surprise, for neither his
face nor his stalwart young body showed any sign of
weakness or starvation. Presently, he said, you appear to be
a goodly youth and worth a goodlier boon. Still, as
this is what you ask, let it be. So I
therefore hand you over to the care of my senisile
Sir Kay. Gareth turned and looked into the eyes of
(05:05):
the man who was henceforth to be his master, and
certainly the sight was not at all reassuring, for Kay
was the surliest and most unpleasant looking of all the
knights at Arthur's court. Humph, he now said, crossly, a
good for nothing fellow, no doubt, who has run away
from some abbey where he's been too lazy to earn
his food. But he shall work now, I'll see to that.
Never fear. It chanced, however, that Launcelot, the most illustrious
(05:28):
of all the knights in Arthur's dearest friend, was standing
by and overheard Kay's remark. Kay Kay, he said, after
having taken a good look at the lad. You may
know a great deal about dogs and horses, but not
much I fear about men. I advise you to treat
that boy kindly, for if he is not noble natured,
I am much mistaken, and you may someday discover that
he is also of noble blood. Tut replied Kay scornfully.
(05:51):
If he were noble, would he not have asked the
King for horse and armor instead of food and drink? Yes,
I see that his brow is smooth and his hand
is white, but I will soon alter that when I
get him among the pots and pans. Then, turning to Gareth,
come along, sir fair hands, come along with me. So
Gareth passed with Sir Kay from the bright glory of
(06:11):
Arthur's Hall down into the smut and grime of the kitchens,
where he submitted day after day to being hustled and
harried by a master who had no love for him.
Thus the first long month of his servitude wore away. Then,
one day, when the Lad was scrubbing away as usual
at his pots and pans, seeing how brilliantly he could
make them shine, and pretending to himself that he was
(06:32):
burnishing his armor. Sir Kay strode into the room and said, gruffly, Ho, Ho, sir,
fair hands, we shall see what is about to happen
to you now. The King himself has sent for you,
doubtless to reprimand you for some villainy which you have
succeeded in concealing even from me. Go along at once. Now.
Though Gareth's conscience was clear, he could not but help
(06:54):
being seriously disturbed by this unexpected summons. When, therefore, having
hastily washed off the grime and made himself as presentable
as possible, he found himself once again in the presence
of the great King. He was much surprised to read
in Arthur's smiling countenance no sign of anger or disapproval.
Gareth said he when the two were alone, I know
(07:16):
your secret. Your mother has repented of the hard promise
she made you give. She has therefore sent me a
message explaining all and releasing you. A man is sometimes knighted,
Gareth on the field of battle for some deed of
special bravery. I am about to knight you now, my boy,
for the same reason. But my lord, cried Gareth, in astonishment,
(07:37):
I have as yet done no brave deed. That is
a question of which I will be. The judge replied
Arthur gravely. A man on the battlefield or in the
tourney has the encouragement of the plaudits of his fellows,
and is spurred on by excitement and the hope of
winning glory. But you have toiled nobly in humiliation and obscurity. Therefore, kneel, Gareth,
(07:58):
and receive the order of knighthood. At those words of
praise from the lips of whom the Lad honored, as
he honored no other human being. Gareth's eyes filled with tears,
and he knelt humbly to take those vows, as is
a shame a man should not be bound by yet
the which no man can keep. Then the King gave
(08:18):
him three strokes with the flat of his sword, and
Gareth arose a kitchen knave no longer, now, said Arthur,
still smiling. Is there another boon that I can grant you,
Sir Gareth? The lad pondered for a while. Then he said,
I am now a knight, Sir King, but I am
not yet proven. Grant therefore that I may wear my
(08:39):
disguise a while longer, and give me the next quest,
So shall I spring like flame from ashes? I will
grant that, boon, replied the King gravely, on condition that
my friend, Sir Launcelot may share the secret to this.
Gareth agreed readily enough, so he returned to the kitchen
to await impatiently the King's next audience day, And he
(09:01):
had not long to wait for Arthur held himself ready
whenever possible to hear the complaints of his subjects. It happened, therefore,
one fine morning in early summer, that a maiden of
haughty bearing and high lineage passed into Arthur's hall, and,
scarcely waiting to do obeissance, burst out with her grievance.
Sir King, you have truly driven the heathen from the land,
(09:23):
as you promise, but bandits and robbers still infest many
a bridge and ford. If I were king, I should
not rest until the loneliest spot in the realm were
as free from bloodshed as your altar cloth. Fair maiden,
replied the king, courteously, ignoring her lack of courtesy, rest
assured that I and my knights will never lay aside
(09:43):
our arms while there is one lonely moorland that is
not as safe as the center of my hall. Pray
tell us your name and your particular need. My name,
said the damsel, proudly, is Linett. My need is a
knight to do battle for my sister, the lady Lioner's,
who lives in Castle Perilous, about which a broad river
winds in three loops. Spanning these loops are three bridges
(10:07):
guarded by three bandit knights, while a fourth, the most
terrible of all, keeps her prisoner in her own castle,
and besieges her there, endeavoring to break her will and
force her to wed him. Therefore, have I come to you,
Sir King, for your very best knight, who is Sir Launcelot,
as every one knows, send us no other, I pray you,
for already fifty of your knights have given their lives
(10:28):
in this cause, as their shields testify for the hang
as trophies about the black tent of that fourth knight,
whose face no man has ever seen, and whose voice
no man has ever heard. When she had finished speaking,
there was silence in the hall save for the clinking
sound of weapons about to be withdrawn from their scabbards. Then,
in another moment, every sword in the room was being
(10:49):
pointed forward and upward, while the cry rang through the
whole castle, the quest Sir King for the instant Arthur
so absorbed had he been in the Maiden's story, had
he forgotten Gareth and the promise he had made him.
He was smiling now as he paused before assigning the
adventure to Launcelot, to look down upon that forest of
swords which spoke to him so eloquently of the valor
(11:11):
of his knights. Suddenly his eye fell upon something that
was truly an amazing sight. This was a great iron spit,
raised as high as any sword by the begrimed hand
of one of the kitchen knaves. Then the king remembered,
his face first flushed and then paled, for he knew
that Gareth, though of royal blood, was nevertheless but a boy,
(11:33):
as yet unproved. And he knew too that this was
a quest in which many a full grown man had failed.
Yet he had given his word, and the word of
a king may not be broken. Therefore, turning to the
poorly clad's scullion, he bent his head, saying, sir, fair hands,
the quest is yours. Up to that moment, in the
(11:53):
general excitement, none of the knights had noticed the entrance
of this intruder in their midst. Now, however, every in
the room was turned upon the spot where poor Gareth stood,
with his spit still in his hand. It was a
rule at Arthur's court that there should be no murmuring
when a quest was assigned, But never before had the
self control of the knights been put to such a
(12:14):
test as this. For a while there was a dead silence,
which was broken presently by Sir Kay, who could not
repress a deep grunt. Then the maiden, having at last
realized what had happened, burst forth, Shame on you, sir King,
and shame forever on your boasted order of the round table. I,
a maiden of gentle birth, have asked you for your
(12:35):
best knight, and you have given me your kitchen knave,
your kitchen knave. Then, before anyone could stop her, she
turned her back on the king, fled from the room,
and was on her horse and away. Gareth, however, had
no idea of losing his opportunity loosening a string. Therefore,
he allowed his kitchen garb to fall off, revealing the
(12:56):
fact to the amazement of all present, that he was
clothed underneath in a full suit of glittering jeweled armor. Then,
throwing aside his spit, he seized spear and shield, gifts
from the King, and leaping upon a war horse, another
gift was after the fleeing maiden, before the spectators had
had time to recover from their surprise. Just beyond the
(13:17):
gates of the city, he overtook her and saw, to
his dismay that despite his transformation, the flush of anger
deepened in her cheeks at the sight of him. Nevertheless,
he addressed her most courteously. Fair damsel said he the
quest is mine, ride and I follow. At this, the
maiden drew herself to her full height and answered, while
(13:39):
her black eyes flashed scorn upon her would be champion,
Sir Scullion, I have but one request to make of you,
and that is that you leave me this instant. Far
Rather would I fall a prey to abandons or wild
beasts than be protected by such as you leave me.
I pray you for you smell of the kitchen, damsel
(13:59):
replied Garret, still as courteously as ever, Say what you
please to me, but whatever you say, rest assured I
will never leave you till I achieve the quest, or
die in the attempt. Ride and I follow. Upon hearing
this without another word, the maiden spurred her poll free
in a vain attempt to outdistance her protector, and so
they rode through deep woods until the shades of night
(14:21):
overtook them, and they were obliged to seek shelter at
a neighboring castle. The next morning, however, the two were
early on their way once more, and Gareth had begun
to think that the fair linette would never deign to
speak to him again, when suddenly she reined her horse,
thus allowing him to come up with her, and said,
Sir Scullion, we shall soon reach the first loop of
(14:42):
the river, which is guarded, as I told the King,
by a bandit knight. He calls himself morning Star, and
I advise you to turn back, for no kitchen knave
could ever hope to do battle successfully with such as he.
Madam said Gareth firmly, as I have told you before,
this quest is mine. I pray you ride on and
I follow. She said no more, but scornfully obeyed his command,
(15:07):
and it was not long before they came to a
bridge which spanned a narrow but deep stream. On the
farther side, Gareth beheld a silk pavilion, gay with golden
streaks and rays of the lent lily, except where the
dome rose high and purple. From the top there floated
a crimson banner, and beneath an unarmed warrior was pacing
to and fro At sight of the maiden's champion. The
(15:30):
Knight gave a strange call, whereupon three beautiful, silken clad maidens,
the daughters of the Dawn, whose golden tresses were begemmed
with drops of morning dew, came forward and clad the
warrior in light blue armor, and placed in his hand
a blue shield, in the center of which shone a
morning star. Then the Knight leaped upon his horse, and
(15:50):
with fiery speed, he and Gareth shocked together in the
center of the bridge, so that both their spears were bent.
Then each hurled a stone from his catapult, after which Gareth,
recovering himself, lashed so fiercely with his brand that he
drove his enemy backward down the bridge until his own
shield was broken. But the morning Star lay groveling at
his feet. Spare my life, Sir Knight, I yield the
(16:13):
great warrior was now crying. I will spare it, replied Gareth,
on condition that this maiden asks me to do so. Insolin,
Scullion cried the damsel, flushing. Must I stoop so low
as to ask a favor of you? I will not.
Then he shall die, said Gareth quietly. Stop. Rascal, cried Linet,
(16:33):
as Gareth began to unlace the warrior's helmet. It would
be a shame for me to allow a knight to
be slain by a kitchen knave. Therefore I ask you,
Sir Scullion, to spare his life. Rise, then said Gareth
to his fallen enemy. But give me your shield in
place of my broken one, and ride to Arthur's hall,
and there tell the king that his kitchen knave has
achieved one fourth part of his quest. Then to the maiden,
(16:56):
he said, ride, damsel, and I follow on. They went,
those two strange companions, reviler and reviled, while the sun
gradually rose higher in the heavens and the heat grew
more and more oppressive. Toward noon, Lynett slowed her palfrey
once again, and turning to her champion, said, Sir Nave,
(17:17):
by some evil chance, you have managed to overcome a knight.
Think not, however, that you will be able to stand
against him whom you are now about to encounter. He
calls himself Noonday's Sun, and his strength as far exceeds
that of his brother morning Star, as the light of
the sun at noon exceeds that of the star that
fades in the blue of dawn. I warn you for
(17:37):
the second time to flee, But Gareth's only answer was, Maiden,
the quest is mine, Ride and I follow. Within a
few more moments they had reached the second bend of
the river, where they beheld sitting astride a huge red
horse the terrible noonday sun. This man's armor and shield
were so brightly burnished that they seemed to cast off barks,
(18:00):
so that Gareth was nearly blinded by their splendor. At
sight of the boy, this mighty warrior gave an angry
cry and plunged into the foaming stream, where Gareth met
him half way. Four mighty strokes they gave each other
with their swords. Then, because there was no room in
the whirling waters for any turny skill, Gareth feared that
he would be overcome and put to shame before the Maiden.
(18:23):
Just then, However, the knight raised his ponderous arm for
a fifth stroke, whereupon his horse slipped in the stream,
and the waters extinguished the light of the noonday sun. Gareth, however,
was too true a knight to take such an advantage
of his enemy. He put his lance across the ford therefore,
and with great difficulty, managed to bring him to shore.
(18:43):
But the warrior was no longer willing to continue the contest,
So Gareth spared his life at the request of the Maiden,
upon the condition that he ride to Arthur's court and
informed the king that one half of the Kitchen Knave's
quest was now achieved. Then the two rode on once
more through the lay long hours of the sultry afternoon.
Toward evening, the Maiden reined her horse again and began
(19:05):
to speak in a voice that seemed to Gareth just
a trifle less scornful. Sir Scullion, said she, for Kitchen Knave,
you have truly done well. Nevertheless, if the noonday's sun
horse had not slipped, you certainly would not have been
the victor. Therefore, I advise you to leave this quest,
for the man that you are now to meet as
(19:25):
an opponent is an old and seasoned warrior who calls
himself Evening Star. You'll have little chance to stand against him.
I assure you be wise and flee for your life
while there is yet time. Maiden, said Gareth, as courteously
as ever. The quest is mine. Ride and I follow.
So they rode and presently reached the third loop of
(19:46):
the river, which was spanned by a bridge of treble bow.
Beyond this bridge, outlined against the rose red of the
western sky, stood a huge figure wrapped in hardened skins
that fit him like his own. See, whispered the Maiden
in a frightened voice. If you should succeed in cleaving
his armor, those skins would turn the blade of your sword.
Oh Gareth, Gareth, be careful. At that new tone, the
(20:11):
Lad's heart leapt within him for joy, but he had
not long to consider its meaning, for the Evening Star
was now calling to him from the bridge. O, brother Star,
why do you shine here so low? Your ward is
higher up? But tell me have you slain the Maiden's champion?
Then the damsels saw that he was mistaking Gareth for
(20:31):
his brother, because he bore the morning Star's shield, and
cried out to him, No, star of yours, but shot
from Arthur's heaven, with all disaster to you and yours.
Both your younger brothers have gone down before this youth,
And so will you, sir star, Are you not old? Yes? Old,
laughed the knight, both old and hard, with the might
(20:52):
and breath of twenty such boys. Then he blew a
fierce blast on his horn whereat from out a storm,
beaten and many so dane pavilion, came a grizzled old woman,
who armed him in battered arms, and brought with the
helm and a drying evergreen for a crest, and a
shield whose emblem was a half tarnished evening star. Thus equipped,
(21:13):
he leaped upon his horse, and he and Gareth hurled
madly together on the bridge. Three times in that terrible struggle,
the lad through his opponent, and three times he saw
him rise again, as strong as ever, until Gareth was
panting hard, and his heart, fearing that it would now
be overcome, labored within him. Just at this moment, however,
(21:33):
above the din of clashing arms, he heard the voice
of Linnet, Well done, brave knight. She was crying, O
knave as noble as any knight. Shame me not, Oh
good knight, knave, strike you are worthy of the round table.
His arms are old, he trusts his hardened skin. Strike strike.
Then Gareth, encouraged by this unexpected praise, smote with such
(21:57):
might that he hewed off great pieces of his enemy's armor,
and at last succeeded in hurling him headlong over the bridge.
Panting still, he turned to the maiden, saying, three fourths
of my quest is now achieved. Fair damsel, ride and
I follow. But Lynnett answered, very very gently, I lead
no longer. You are the kingliest of all kitchen knaves.
(22:19):
Right at my side, I pray you. So the two
rode side by side as the long summer twilight deepened
about them. After a while, the maiden spoke again, and
all her former haughtiness had left her, so that her
voice was sweet and shy. Sir, she murmured, sir, whom
I would now call knight if I had not heard
(22:40):
you call yourself a knave. I am ashamed to have
treated you so discourteously. I am of noble birth, and
I thought the King scorned me in mine when he
assigned the quest to you. But now I humbly ask
your pardon, for I know that, whatever may be your rank,
you have a princely heart. Damsel said Gareth gently. You
were not at all to blame except for mistrusting our
(23:02):
good king. Know then that I am no kitchen knave,
but the son of King Lot and Queen Bellicent of Ortney.
And if I had any but a princely heart, I
should shame my birth. Then they wrote again for a
long time in silence. After a while Linet spoke once more,
Sir Prince, I feel that the time has come when
(23:23):
I must warn you. But do not I pray you
think that I speak any longer in scorn. You have
fought valiantly. I doubt if Launcelot himself could have performed
greater feats. But now I plead with you to turn back.
You are wounded. I know although you have not told
me wonders you have done miracles. You cannot do this.
Knight who guards the castle is not a man, but
(23:45):
a monster who calls himself Knight or Death. No mortal
has ever seen his face uncovered or heard his voice,
and his appearance is too terrible for me to describe.
I beg of you to turn back and leave the
achieving of this part of the cours to Launcelot, whom
the dreadful one challenged. But Gareth only shook his head
(24:05):
and rode on, saying, this quest is mine, fair damsel,
in spite of day and night and death himself. And
now heavy clouds began to gather, hiding the friendly stars
from their gaze, while the air took on a strange
midnight chill. Presently, Linette leaned toward Gareth and whispered in
an odd voice. There and through the gloom, Gareth perceived
(24:28):
standing beside what he guessed to be Castle Perilous, a
huge black pavilion with a black banner trailing from its peak.
In an instant before Lynette could prevent him, he had
seized a long black horn that hung nearby, and blown
a blast that sent a ghostly echo through the night.
Then he waited, but there was no response save from
(24:48):
the castle windows, where lights began to twinkle and pale
faces were seen peering out. Again, he blew, and a
third time. Then at last the great black doors of
the pavilion were slowly drawn aside, and there issued forth
a hideous figure in coal black armor, seated upon a
huge black horse, and bearing a black shield, whose emblem
(25:12):
was a white breastbone, barren ribs, and a grinning skull.
Through the dim light, this frightful apparition advanced, then paused,
speaking never a word, And now Gareth really believed that
his last hour had come, for all things seemed to
be enveloped in a cloud of nameless horror. Suddenly, the
(25:32):
great black war horse gave an unexpected lunge forward, and
those that had not closed their eyes in terror saw
death reel in the saddle and dropped to the ground
with a mighty crash. In an instant, Gareth had leaped
from his own horse and with two mighty strokes, managed
to split open the enemy's armor. Then outpeeped the bright
(25:52):
face of a blooming boy. Before Gareth could recover from
his astonishment, the child was kneeling before him and pleading,
do not slay me, sir knight. I beg of you.
My brother's morning star, noonday sun and evening star made
me dress up in this way to frighten other knights
away from the Lady Lioneer's. But my child asked Gareth kindly,
(26:14):
what madness made you challenge Launcelot, the chief Knight of
Arthur's round Table. Fair, sir, they made me do that too,
the boy replied, for they hated Launcelot and hoped to
slay him somewhere on the stream. They never dreamed that
he could pass all three bridges. Then Gareth gently raised
the lad bidding him to have no fear, and the
(26:35):
two followed Lynet into the castle, where the Lady Lioneers
stood waiting to welcome them, and where she speedily made
ready a great feast in honor of Gareth and the
overthrow of death. Now some say that Prince Gareth married
the Lady Lioneers, while others say that he married Lynet,
But however that may be. When he rode back to
Arthur's Hall with his bride, he found that one of
(26:56):
the sieges of the mystic round Table glowed with the
letter of his name. End of Section four
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