Король Артур и рыцари Круглого стола
Chapter III
Butwhenhesawhimcomeonfoot,helightedfromhishorse,thinkingitshametohavesogreatadvantage.
Andthenbegantheyastrongbattle,withmanygreatstrokesandgrievousblows,andsohewedwiththeirswordsthatthefragmentsoftheirarmourflewaboutthefields,andbothsobledthatallthegroundaroundwaslikeamarshofblood.Thustheyfoughtlongandmightily,andanon,afterbriefrestfelltoagain,andsohurtledtogetherliketwowildboarsthattheybothrolledtotheground.Atlasttheirswordsclashedfuriouslytogether,andtheknight’sswordshiveredtheking’sintwo.
Thensaidtheknight,“Nowartthouinmypower,tosavetheeortoslay.Yieldthereforeasdefeated,andarecreantknight,orthoushallsurelydie.”
“Asfordeath,”repliedKingArthur,“welcomebeitwhenitcometh;butasforyieldingmetotheeasarecreantbecauseofthispooraccidentuponmysword,Ihadfarlieferdiethanbesoshamed.”
Sosaying,hesprangontheknight,andtookhimbythemiddleandthrewhimdown,andtoreoffhishelm.Buttheknight,beingahugeman,wrestledandstruggledinafrenzywiththekinguntilhebroughthimunder,andtoreoffhishelminturn,andwouldhavesmittenoffhishead.
AtthatcameMerlinandsaid,“Knight,holdthyhand,forifthouslayestyonderknight,thouputtestallthisrealmtogreaterlossanddamagethaneverrealmwasin;forheisamanofgreaterworshipthanthoudreamestof.”
“Whothenishe?”criedtheknight.
“ArthurPendragon!”answeredMerlin
