work." If the word done is used, some other word is needed with it to complete its meaning, as has, have, is, was.

I have done my work.

He has done his work.

Her work was done.

Written Exercise.-I. Supply the word did or done in the following sentences:

II. Write five sentences of your own, using did properly. Write five, using done with one of the words given above.

32

KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS

[None of the old hero stories is more beautiful than the famous tale of Arthur, who, so the legend ran, was king of Britain before ever the English came into it, and who, in a time of great disaster and many wars, restored peace, subdued bands of robbers and evil men, drove back the enemies of his country, and banded together good and noble men to serve him as his knights. There was such

a chief in ancient days. We find dim records of him in history, but the tales that are told of him are not true, any more than are the other hero tales which we have been reading. They are the songs and the dreams and the legends that have clustered about a chief who was the people's ideal of goodness and bravery.

It is true, however, that in old days each country had its knights, strong men who were fond of adventure and lived by fighting. A knight bound himself by oath to reverence the king and the church, to fight against the enemies of the king and the church, to right human wrongs, to speak no slander, to tell the truth, to

lead a pure life, to protect the weak, and, particularly, to honor women and to protect them. The knight-errant, or wandering, knight, rode out in search of adventures, mounted on his huge war horse and clad in heavy armor, bearing his lance and sword and shield, ready to do battle with all who opposed him.

The stories about King Arthur and his knights in this and the following lessons are based upon a famous English book, the Morte d'Arthur, or death of Arthur, written many centuries ago by Sir Thomas Malory. They are retold for young readers by Mr. Church in his Heroes of Chivalry and Romance.]

ARTHUR, So the legend ran, was as a child not aware that he was of royal birth, for he had been brought up by Merlin, a great wizard, and under the protection of a certain Sir Hector, whose son he thought himself to be. 5 When his real father, King Uther, had been dead for many years and Arthur was grown to manhood, the kingdom was in great confusion, for princes were warring against each other, and each thought he should be king. Then Merlin brought all the lords of England together in the 10.great church in London on Christmas morn, before it was dawn, to see if God would not show by some miracle who should be king. And suddenly there was seen in the church, close to the high altar, a great square stone, and in the midst was an anvil of steel a foot high, and therein 15 stuck a fair sword, and on the sword was written in letters of gold, "Whoso pulleth out this sword from the stone and the anvil is rightful king of England." And when the lords saw the writing, each tried to pluck out the sword, but none could move it. "The man is not yet

here," said the Archbishop, "who shall draw forth the sword, but I doubt not that God will make him known to us shortly."

And upon New Year's Day the lords made a tournament; for the Archbishop hoped that he who should be 5 king of England would then reveal himself. And Sir Hector rode to the tournament, and with him Sir Kay, his son, and young Arthur. Arthur. Kay had left his sword at his father's lodging, and so he prayed young Arthur to ride back for it. And when Arthur came to the house, 10 all therein had gone out to see the tournament. Then said Arthur to himself, "I will ride to the church and take the sword that sticketh in the stone, for my brother, Sir Kay, shall not be without a sword this day." And when he came to the church, Arthur alighted, tied his 15 horse to the stile, and grasping the sword by the handle quickly pulled it out of the stone, and took his horse and rode his way till he came to his brother, Sir Kay, and delivered him the sword. As soon as Sir Kay saw the sword he knew well that it was the sword of the stone, and 20 so he rode to his father, Sir Hector, and said, "Lo, here is the sword of the stone. I must be king of this land." And when Sir Hector beheld the sword, he turned to Sir Kay and asked him how he came by it. "Sir," said Sir Kay, "by my brother Arthur, for he brought it to me." "How 25 got you this sword?" said Sir Hector to Arthur. "Sir, I will tell you. When I came home for my brother's

66

10

sword, I found no one there, and lest my brother Kay should be swordless, I came to the church and plucked it from the stone." "Now," said Sir Hector to Arthur, "I understand that you must be king of this land." And 5 therewith Sir Hector kneeled to the earth before him, and so did Sir Kay. Then was King Arthur crowned in the great church by the Archbishop, and he swore to the lords and people to be a true king, and rule justly from thenceforth all the days of his life.

Once, when King Arthur, disguised as a knighterrant and accompanied by Merlin, was seeking adventures, it chanced that in a battle with a strange knight his sword was broken, and as Arthur and Merlin rode on, Arthur said, "I have no sword." "No matter," said 15 Merlin, “hard by is a sword that shall be yours." So they rode till they came to a fair and broad lake, and in the midst of the lake King Arthur saw an arm, clothed in white, that held a fair sword in the hand. "Lo," said Merlin, "yonder is the sword of which I spoke." There20 upon they saw a damsel near by. "What damsel is that?" said Arthur. "That is the Lady of the Lake,” said Merlin, "and soon shall she come to you." Then came the damsel unto Arthur and saluted him. "Damsel,"

said Arthur, "what sword is that which the arm holdeth 25 above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no

sword." "Sir King," said the damsel, "that sword is