sought the love of the fair Igraine of Cornwall, she would have naught
to do with him, so that, from grief and disappointment, Uther fell
sick, and at last seemed like to die.

Now in those days, there lived a famous magician named Merlin, so
powerful that he could change his form at will, or even make himself
invisible; nor was there any place so remote that he could not reach
it at once, merely by wishing himself there. One day, suddenly he
stood at Uther's bedside, and said: "Sir king, I know thy grief, and
am ready to help thee. Only promise to give me, at his birth, the son
that shall be born to thee, and thou shalt have thy heart's desire."
To this the king agreed joyfully, and Merlin kept his word: for he
gave Uther the form of one whom Igraine had loved dearly, and so she
took him willingly for her husband.

When the time had come that a child should be born to the king and
queen, Merlin appeared before Uther to remind him of his promise; and
Uther swore it should be as he had said. Three days later, a prince
was born, and, with pomp and ceremony, was christened by the name of
Arthur; but immediately thereafter, the king commanded that the child
should be carried to the postern-gate, there to be given to the old
man who would be found waiting without.

Not long after, Uther fell sick, and he knew that his end was come;
so, by Merlin's advice, he called together his knights and barons, and
said to them: "My death draws near. I charge you, therefore, that ye
obey my son even as ye have obeyed me; and my curse upon him if he
claim not the crown when he is a man grown." Then the king turned his
face to the wall and died.