Король Артур и рыцари Круглого стола
Chapter I
Anontheking,makingmanyjourneystoandfro,restoringruinedchurchesand,creatingorder,cametothemonasterynearSalisbury,whereallthoseBritishknightslayburiedwhohadbeenslaintherebythetreacheryofHengist.ForwheninformertimesHengisthadmadeasolemntrucewithVortigern,tomeetinpeaceandsettleterms,wherebyhimselfandallhisSaxonsshoulddepartfromBritain,theSaxonsoldierscarriedeveryoneofthembeneathhisgarmentalongdagger,and,atagivensignal,fellupontheBritons,andslewthem,tothenumberofnearlyfivehundred.
ThesightoftheplacewherethedeadlaymovedAureliustogreatsorrow,andhecastaboutinhismindhowtomakeaworthytomboversomanynoblemartyrs,whohaddiedtherefortheircountry.
Whenhehadinvainconsultedmanycraftsmenandbuilders,hesent,bytheadviceofthearchbishop,forMerlin,andaskedhimwhattodo.“Ifyouwouldhonourtheburying-placeofthesemen,”saidMerlin,“withaneverlastingmonument,sendfortheGiants’DancewhichisinKillaraus,amountaininIreland;forthereisastructureofstonetherewhichnoneofthisagecouldraisewithoutaperfectknowledgeofthearts.Theyarestonesofavastsizeandwondrousnature,andiftheycanbeplacedhereastheyarethere,roundthisspotofground,theywillstandforever.
