King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table facts for kids
1953 edition
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| Author | Roger Lancelyn Green |
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| Illustrator | Lotte Reiniger |
| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Arthurian legend |
| Publisher | Puffin Books |
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Publication date
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1953 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 355 |
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table is a famous book by Roger Lancelyn Green. It tells the exciting stories of King Arthur and his brave knights. This book is a retelling of old legends, especially those found in Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory.
Green wrote this book especially for young readers. It was first published by Puffin Books in 1953. Since then, it has been printed many times. In 2008, it was reissued as a Puffin Classic. This edition included an introduction by David Almond and the original drawings by Lotte Reiniger.
Contents
How the Book Was Made
Roger Lancelyn Green wanted to bring the many tales of King Arthur together. He felt that older versions, like Malory's, were more like separate stories. Green aimed to create one big, flowing story. He wanted it to have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
He used many old sources from the Middle Ages. But he mostly relied on the stories written by Thomas Malory. Malory's work was very important for the last part of Green's book.
The Story of King Arthur
Arthur Becomes King
The story begins after Uther Pendragon, the King of the Britons, dies. He was a great defender of Britain against the Saxons. On Christmas Day, Merlin the magician gathers many knights. They meet outside a church.
Suddenly, a sword appears. It is stuck firmly in an anvil, which sits on a marble stone. Many strong knights try to pull the sword out. But no one can move it.
Years pass. Then, a young boy named Arthur arrives. He is secretly Uther Pendragon's son. Arthur easily pulls the sword from the stone. Because of this, he becomes the new king.
The Round Table
With Merlin's help, King Arthur builds a special round table. Only the bravest and best knights in England can sit at this table. More and more knights join this brotherhood. Each knight then goes on their own exciting adventures.
The Quest for the Holy Grail
Later, a holy knight named Galahad comes to Arthur's court. Galahad is the son of the famous Sir Lancelot. When Galahad arrives, all the knights set off on a grand quest. They ride across Europe searching for the Holy Grail of Jesus Christ.
Only a few knights are lucky enough to see the Grail. These include Sir Lancelot, Sir Percival, Sir Bors de Gaunnes, Sir Galahad, and Sir Gawain.
The Final Battle
After the Grail is found, the last great battle of the Knights of the Round Table takes place. Many brave knights die in this fight. King Arthur is also terribly wounded by his wicked son, Mordred. Arthur had struck the final blow to kill Mordred.
After the battle, King Arthur is taken away to Avalon. This is a secret, mystical island.
