King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The story begins with Arthur, born the illegitimate son of the King of the Britons. He is raised in secret away from public view. While Arthur is still a boy, the old King dies. In the days before courts of law, a physical challenge called an ordeal was seen as a way to reveal God’s will. In the legend, to gain the throne, aspirants had to demonstrate that they had the right-to-rule by withdrawing a sword from a stone, in which it is deeply embedded. Many come forward to try, but all are thwarted in their attempts to withdraw the blade. Try as they might, no amount of force will wrest the sword from the stone’s vice-like hold.
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