The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck

the king’s forces prevailed and drove the enemy from the field and destroyed Nero’s power.
    A messenger rode to King Lot and reported the battle lost and Nero killed while Lot had listened to Merlin’s tales. King Lot said, “I have been bewitched by this Merlin. If I had been there Arthur could not have won the day. This magician has fooled me and held me like a child listening to stories.”
    Merlin said, “I know that today one king must die, and much as I regret it, I would rather it were you than King Arthur,” and Merlin vanished in the air.
    Then King Lot gathered his leaders. “What should I do?” he asked. “Is it better to sue for peace or to fight? If Nero is defeated, half our army is gone.”
    A knight said, “King Arthur’s men are weary with battle and their horses exhausted, while we are fresh. If we attack him now we have the advantage.”
    â€œIf you all agree, we will fight,” said King Lot. “I hope that you will do as well as I will try to do.”
    Then King Lot galloped to the field and charged Arthur’s men, but they held firm and did not give ground.
    King Lot, out of shame for his failure, held the forefront of his knights and fought like a devil raging, for he hated Arthur above all men. Once he had been the king’s friend wedded to Arthur’s half-sister. But when Arthur in ignorance seduced his friend’s wife and got her with the child Mordred, King Lot’s loyalty turned to hatred and he strove desperately to overcome his once friend.
    As Merlin had foretold, Sir Pellinore, who once overthrew Arthur at the Fountain in the Forest, had become the king’s loyal friend and fought in the first line of his knights. Sir Pellinore forced his horse through the press around King Lot and aimed a great swinging sword stroke at him. The blade glanced off and killed Lot’s horse, and as he went down Pellinore struck him on the helm and drove him to the ground.
    When King Lot’s men saw him fallen, they gave up the fight and tried to flee, and many were taken and more were killed in flight.
    When the bodies of the dead were gathered together, twelve great lords were found who had died serving Nero and King Lot. These were carried to St. Stephen’s Church in Camelot for burial, while the lesser knights were interred nearby under a huge stone.
    King Arthur buried Lot in a rich tomb separately, but the twelve great lords he placed together and raised a triumphal monument over them. Merlin by his arts made figures of the twelve lords in gilded copper and brass, in attitudes of defeat, and each figure held a candle which burned night and day. Above these effigies, Merlin placed a statue of King Arthur with a drawn sword held over his enemies’ heads. And Merlin prophesied that the candles would burn until Arthur’s death and at that moment would go out; and he made other prophecies that day of things to come.
    Soon after this, Arthur, wearied with campaigns and governing and sick of the dark, deep-walled rooms of castles, ordered his pavilion set up in a green meadow outside the walls where he might rest and recover his strength in the quiet and the sweet air. He laid himself down on a camp bed to sleep, but he had not closed his eyes when he heard a horse approaching and saw a knight riding near who spoke words of complaint and sorrow to himself.
    As he passed the pavilion, the king called out to him, saying, “Come to me, good knight, and tell me the reason for your sadness.”
    The knight answered, “What good could that do? You cannot help me.” And he rode on toward the castle of Meliot.
    Then the king tried to sleep again, but his curiosity had risen to keep him awake, and as he pondered, Sir Balin rode near, and when he saw King Arthur he dismounted and saluted his lord.
    â€œYou are always welcome,” said the king. “But particularly now. A short time ago a knight went past and