Growing up, I was a big fan of King Arthur, so I've chosen it as my unit for this week's reading diaries/storytelling post!
I couldn't start this unit off without covering the Drawing of the Sword. This is hands-down the most recognized story of King Arthur and his exploits. The summary is this for those who haven't heard of it.
Basically, Uther Pendragon died, and England had no king. Naturally, lots of knights wanted to become king, but Merlin made sure only the true king would rule. So he sealed a sword, Excalibur, in a stone which could only be drawn by the person who was destined to be king. So that everyone had a fair shot, they held a tournament to win a chance to pull the sword. Arthur's brother, Sir Kay, rode to the tournament to enter, but realized he had forgotten his sword. Arthur went back home to get it, but the door was locked. So his thought process was pretty much, "He doesn't have a sword, there's a free sword in the courtyard, I'll just take that one." He rode up casually, grabbed the sword, and rode off to take it to Kay.
I couldn't start this unit off without covering the Drawing of the Sword. This is hands-down the most recognized story of King Arthur and his exploits. The summary is this for those who haven't heard of it.
Basically, Uther Pendragon died, and England had no king. Naturally, lots of knights wanted to become king, but Merlin made sure only the true king would rule. So he sealed a sword, Excalibur, in a stone which could only be drawn by the person who was destined to be king. So that everyone had a fair shot, they held a tournament to win a chance to pull the sword. Arthur's brother, Sir Kay, rode to the tournament to enter, but realized he had forgotten his sword. Arthur went back home to get it, but the door was locked. So his thought process was pretty much, "He doesn't have a sword, there's a free sword in the courtyard, I'll just take that one." He rode up casually, grabbed the sword, and rode off to take it to Kay.
Excalibur in the stone.
Now Kay took the stone to their dad, Sir Ector, and claimed he drew the sword himself. But Ector made Kay swear on a holy book and say where he got it from, to which he responded that Arthur gave it to him. Ector went back with the two to where the stone was and tested the brothers. Kay strained, but couldn't get it. Arthur slid it out easily, even though he wasn't even a knight as Kay and Ector were.
After he drew it, Kay and Ector kneeled before him, which confused Arthur. Ector then told Arthur he wasn't really his son, but that he was the son of Uther Pendragon, and Merlin had simply brought him to Ector when he was born. Ector made Arthur promise that he would make Sir Kay his seneschal of the lands. Arthur assured that he would for as long as he was in power.
After this had happened, they went to the Archbishop to tell him what happened. Arthur drew the sword again in front of some of the knights, who were angry such a young boy should be king. He did it once again in front of everyone, and then he was declared the rightful king.
No comments:
Post a Comment