CSD THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR CO’CD ‘The story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table isthe greatest national myth in English. There probably was a real King Arthur somewhere in south-west England ‘round the year $00; he may have died in a battle against the Saxons in 537. About 200 _years later the story begins to appear inthe spoken tradition in Wales. Characters such as the magician Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, and features like the sword in the stone (Excalibur, which only the hero can pull out) begin to appear. Later, other myths, like the Holy Grail a religious symbol of perfection, became part of the Arthurian legend. The ‘myth returns again and again in English literature, especially in times of crisis or war. Arthur and his court appear in the fourteenth-century manuscript ofan earlier Welsh story from the spoken tradition: Kullwch and Olwen, This was later included in The Mabinogion (oineteeth century). 13D eee nn ls ES restonanes Se teonutriericore odzesn 1590-96 Bint seaeeie =e on conc ot we fe A et 1170-90 Dts Jet Mit, wising © 1170-90 ccm 1660 vie en engine ce, famously considered King Arthur before Holy Grail. Welsh versions of scenes from y ee ea ee é choosing the Biblical story of Adam and his works were als collected in The Bape ay Mabinogion — €.1200 werrenet, 1842 eon fo airport Seno Oe — several books. eee John Cowper Powys's novel A 1300s mearimaonn 1932 Siemymm eo ne casually the most heroic knight, asin the The Sword in the Stone (Gimed ost famous of fourteenth-century bby Walt Disney); this was republished in romances, Sir Gamain and the Green 1958, with the addition of three more Knight. Two romances, however, placed Arthurian stores, as The Once and Future Lancelot atthe ceamefthe story. “King. This became the stage and film trol Comite 980 Aaner C1430 eee eel tm bur ing Ar, ty Teena Chenee baat Diliur followed in he ery 1980 ‘nan earlier telling ofthe story. COED GHD GS-Gd GH-Ed cH-ED CHED