other, encountered with the noise of thunder, and so great was the
shock that each knight was borne from the saddle. Swiftly they
gained their feet, and, drawing their swords, dealt each other
great blows; and thus they contended fiercely for some while. But
as he fought, a great wonder came upon Arthur, for it seemed to him
that his sword, that never before had failed him, bit not upon the
armour of the other, while every stroke of his enemy drew blood,
till the ground on which he fought was slippery beneath his feet;
and at the last almost his heart failed within him, knowing that he
was betrayed, and that the brand with which he fought was not
Excalibur. Yet would he not show aught of what he suffered, but
struggled on, faint as he was and spent; so that they that watched
the fight and saw how he was sore wounded, marvelled at his great
courage and endurance. But presently, the stranger knight dealt the
King a blow which fell upon Arthur's sword, and so fierce was the
stroke that the blade broke off at the pommel. "Knight," said the
other, "thou must yield thee recreant to my mercy." "That may I not
do with mine honour," answered the King, "for I am sworn to fight
in this quarrel to the death." "But weaponless thou must needs be
slain." "Slay me an ye will, but think not to win glory by slaying
a weaponless man."

Then was the other wroth to find himself still withstood and, in
his anger, he dealt Arthur a great blow; but this the King shunned,
and rushing upon his foe, smote him so fiercely on the head with
the pommel of his broken sword that the knight swayed and let slip
his own weapon. With a bound, Arthur was upon the sword, and no
sooner had he it within his grasp than he knew it, of a truth, to
be his own sword Excalibur. Then he scanned more closely his enemy,
and saw the scabbard that he wore was none other than the magic