"Sir King," said the lady of the lake, "that sword is mine, and if thou
wilt give me in return a gift whenever I shall ask it of thee, thou shalt
have it."

"By my faith," said he, "I will give thee any gift that thou shalt ask."

"Well," said the damsel, "go into yonder barge, and row thyself unto the
sword, and take it and the scabbard with thee, and I will ask my gift of
thee when I see my time."

So King Arthur and Merlin alighted, and tied their horses to two trees,
and went into the barge; and when they came to the sword that the hand
held, King Arthur took it by the handle and bore it with him, and the arm
and hand went down under the water; and so they came back to land, and
rode again to Caerleon.

On the morrow Merlin bade King Arthur to set fiercely on the enemy; and in
the meanwhile three hundred good knights went over to King Arthur from the
rebels' side. Then at the spring of day, when they had scarce left their
tents, he fell on them with might and main, and Sir Badewaine, Sir Key,
and Sir Brastias slew on the right hand and on the left marvellously; and
ever in the thickest of the fight King Arthur raged like a young lion, and
laid on with his sword, and did wondrous deeds of arms, to the joy and
admiration of the knights and barons who beheld him.

Then King Lot, King Carados, and the King of the Hundred Knights--who also
rode with them--going round to the rear, set on King Arthur fiercely from
behind; but Arthur, turning to his knights, fought ever in the foremost
press until his horse was slain beneath him. At that, King Lot rode
furiously at him, and smote him down; but rising straightway, and being