Le Morte Darthur Book 4

1. Merlin falls in love with a woman and he wants to be with her for all the time. When she leaves Arthur’s court Merlin follows her, but before he goes away he talks to Arthur. In this conversation he warns Arthur to keep an eye on his sword Excalibur and the scabbard, because these things should be stolen soon. After Merlin and the woman have travelled around, Merlin asks her to marry him. The woman refuses to marry Merlin, because she thinks he is a son of the devil. In the end of this chapter the woman plays a trick on Merlin. From that time on Merlin is confined under some stones and he isn’t able to acquit himself of these stones.

2. Fife kings (the king of Denmark, the king of Ireland, the king of Soleise, the king of the isle of Longtainse and the king of Vale) attack Arthur’s realm. Their plan is to kill Arthur and his fellows. That’s why Arthur wants to fight against them. But he can’t prepare the battle in time, so he, Gwenever and only some of his knights and soldiers are leaving Camelot. They hide in a forest and wait for the troops of their friends. But one knight (the brother of one king out of the fife kings) betrays them and tells his brother about Arthur’s plans and the hiding place.