will doubt whether he is dead or living." Dr. Sykes writes that, "The
sleep of Arthur associates the British story with the similar stories of
Charlemagne and Frederick Barbarossa of Germany, Brian in Ireland,
Boabdil el Chico in Spain, etc."

27. EXCALIBUR. Arthur's magical sword. It is described in _The Coming
of Arthur_, ll. 295 f., as:

the sword
That rose from out the bosom of the lake,
And Arthur rowed across and took it--rich
With jewels, elfin Urim, on the hilt,
Bewildering heart and eye--the blade so bright
That men are blinded by it--on one side,
Graven in the oldest tongue of all this world,
"Take me," but turn the blade and ye shall see,
And written in the speech ye speak yourself,
"Cast me away."

It has been variously held that Excalibur typifies temporal authority, or
spiritual power. The casting away of the sword, therefore, represents
the inevitable change in which human things are involved, and even faith
itself. Compare _Morte d'Arthur_, ll. 240-241.

Magical weapons and enchanted armour are a portion of the equipment of
almost all the great legendary heroes. Their swords and their horses
usually bear distinctive names. Roland's sword was _Durandal_, and
Charlemagne's was _Joyeuse_.

37. FLING HIM. The sword is viewed as possessing life.