King Arthur and His Knights (1953)

I got this book because the author came highly recommended and I thought it would be a fun addition to our homeschool resources.

Then I started reading it aloud to my kids.

It was fine for the first few chapters, very familiar stuff related to Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, blah, blah, blah. The knights of the round table were assembled, the prose was really wonderful, and then everyone started going out on their adventures. It didn’t take very long for things to get really tedious - there tended to be repeating themes of some mix of chivalrous, if overly naive and trusting knights, knights who had no business representing chivalrous character or manners (but were never really called on it or had to deal with consequences for their idiocy/greed/rudeness/cowardice), and women who were either perfect, ideal, virtuous saints or wicked terrible sorceresses (the only exception being Guinevere, who, because of her choice which brought ruin to the kingdom, actually had a little depth to her character). The best part of the quest stories might have been that a lot of them reminded me of their counterparts in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Well done to the Python boys for staying relatively true to the source material.

The overall experience of the stories were a disappointment. I have seen/read lots of stories including King Arthur and his knights that were thrilling and full of heart. Because of that, I was looking forward to experiencing these classic stories themselves. Instead, I really had a hard time reading through all the stories (don’t tell my kids, I skipped a couple chapters before the quest for the Grail started) and I didn’t want to finish.

I don’t fault Roger Lancelyn Green, his writing was the best part of the book. And I’m not against reading other retellings of the stories, but I might just need a break to spend some time watching Merlin or maybe Monty Python again to help motivate me. ( )

Il ciclo della Tavola Rotonda rielaborato dall'autore, con illustrazioni in bianco e nero ( )

Se trata de la historia del rey Arturo reescrita por el autor del siglo XX Roger L. Green a partir de 23 leyendas que él recoge y organiza en una novela completa, especialmente dirigida a niños y jóvenes. Pero quizás el más destacable valor de esta edición sean los magníficos grabados del influyente dibujante modernista Aubrey Beardsley, xilografías especialmente resaltadas en una hermosa edición de gran formato. ( )

This is a very readable account of the story of King Arthur. Years ago, I wasn't able to get into T.H. White, but this was very enjoyable. ( )

KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS OF THE TOUND TABLE

CHAPTER I

HOW THE KING WAS CHOSEN

IN THE great days of chivalry in England, long, long years ago,
a child was born to King Uther Pendragon and Queen Igraine.
Those times were very hard, fierce and unsettled, with bickerings
between the knights and wars between the kings.

The King's wise counsellor, Merlin, came to him in the great
tapestried chamber where he sat. The cold east wind sifted in
through the unglazed windows and harried the flames up the
stone chimney, so that smoke puffed out into the room.

"This court is no place in which to bring up your son," Merlin
said. "Let some brave knight of yours take him and teach him,
as befits a man, all the noble deeds of arms that he must do l'"
"But whom can I trust?" said the King

"Sir Ector, lord of wide lands in England and in Wales, shall
take him-he is faithful and true !"

"As you will," said King Uther, and he sighed, for he knew
in his secret heart that he himself would never live to see his boy,
Arthur, mount his first horse or splinter his first lance

So through the echoing passages they carried the baby boy, all
dressed in cloth-of-gold, to the postern gate of the castle. There
Sir Ector was waiting as he had been told to do, and he took
charge of the small bundle.

During the next two years the unrest in the kingdom grew
worse, and King Uther was a sick man and could not hold the
people together. Battles broke out, great castles were besieged
and taken, and men died by sword and lance.

King Uther fought his last battle on the grassy fields at St.
Albans and won a last victory over his enemies. But after a
triumphal entry into the frowning city of London, he lay down
to die, heedless of the cheering people and fluttering banners...