Le Morte de Arthur - the Death of Arthur by Deran Wright
click Excalibur for a slideshow tour
"...here is Excalibur,
my good sword - never was a better blade seen.
Go, cast it into the sea and I think you shall see a wonderful thing..."
But Sir Bedivere hid the sword under a tree...
"Sire, I did as you bade me."
"What did you see there?"
"Nothing but deep water and dark waves."
"Ah, you have failed to do my bidding!"
Only on the third trial did Bedivere prove true.
...then he threw the sword as far into the water, as he might; and there came an arm and an hand above the water and met it, and caught it.
"Dear Sire, I saw a hand come all bare out of the water, and thrice it brandished that rich sword.
And then vanished away the hand with the sword in the water."
And they found a rich ship, full of ladies, fair and noble.
And Bedivere cried, "Lord, whither are you going from me?"
And the King replied, "Comfort yourself...for I will into the vale of Avalon, to heal me of my grievous wound; and if thou hear never more of me, pray for my soul..."
But Arthur's grave is nowhere seen, whence antiquity of fables still claim he will return...
The Once and Future King.
Overall dimensions: 18" long 11" wide 11.75 high Sword 7.5" long
After the final battle, Arthur was sore wounded in his struggle with Mordred, and he lay near death.
He instructed Bedivere to throw Excalibur into the lake... but Bedivere found he could not.
Upon questioning the knight, Arthur perceived that Bedivere had failed, and bade him more forcefully to fulfill his wishes. Only on the third time did Bedivere deliver the sword to it's destiny.
When he returned, he found the King being borne away on a small boat by the Ladies of the Lake to the enchanted Isle of Avalon.