Long ago in England, a wise and just king ruled the land.  His name was King Uther. Times were good and the people lived well.  King Uther wanted a magician at court. And so he chose the famous Merlin the Magician.  Merlin could see into the future. And he knew those good days were not going to last.

I'm Author the King

I'm Merlin the Magician

King Uther and the Queen Guinevere had a child, a baby son.  At a castle party for the royal birth, Merlin the Magician took the King aside.The he said

Sire, there is something you must know. Soon a great darkness will fall over this land.  Your child is in great danger. Let me take the baby far away. I will be sure he stays safe.

the King in surprise said

You are a great magician.  And you are my friend. But there is no way we would let anyone take our child away!

Sadly, soon after the child’s birth the Queen died.  Not long after, King Uther was killed in battle. That very night, Merlin swept into the castle and took the child.  The next morning, the royal nurse went into the nursery. Alas, an empty crib! In fear, the nurse, the nobles and servants looked everywhere.  But the baby was gone!

For years, there was no king to sit on the throne.  No king to set the laws. Men of high rank fought each other to be king.  Darkness fell over the land. Robbers and bands of wild men ruled the streets of London.  Evil men broke into houses and took what they wanted. Travelers on the roads were jumped and robbed.  The people of England lived in fear.

Yet far away, there was a quiet place.  A good knight, Sir Ector, lived in peace with his two sons.  His first son was named Kay. His younger son Arthur had been adopted as a baby.  Years before, a stranger had come to Sir Ector with a baby. He asked if Sir Ector would raise the child.  The old knight took the baby in his arms, glad for a second child. He named the baby Arthur, and raised the child as his own.

When Arthur was ten years old, the same stranger returned to Sir Ector’s home.  He could read and write, and so Sir Ector hired him to teach his two sons. Kay could not sit still for lessons and he stopped coming.  But Arthur listened with wide eyes. He learned everything. I bet you have guessed by now who that stranger was – none other than Merlin the Magician!  

At the end of each day when Arthur finished his chores, that was time for the lessons.  Merlin would sit with Arthur for hours and teach him about the world. Arthur was a thin lad, not strong like his big brother Kay.  Merlin said not to worry about that. He said what mattered most was to have a heart that was big and strong. Merlin saw how the birds, foxes and deer followed Arthur.  He could see that the boy had a very big and strong heart.

I'm Author

Many years later when Author is grow up. when the nighttime was at its most dark, Merlin the Magician came to London’s market square.  He stood in the middle of the square. He held both his arms high. And pointed his wand to the stars.

The next morning at dawn, people started to arrive at the market.  There in front of them was something most odd. A block of white marble stood in the middle of the town square.  Resting on the block was a giant stone the size of a very large rock. At the very top of the stone there was a golden sword handle and a few inches of the blade, shining in the sun.  Yet – this was most odd – the rest of the blade was buried deep into the stone. None of this was there the day before!

What’s more, these words could be seen on the top of the blade:

“Whoever pulls out this sword from this stone is the true king of England!”