Lesson 24 Reading: The Sword and the Stone

The Sword and the Stone

For use after Lesson 24.

Sight Words to Know

after, over, other

all, want

one, of, from, none, to, who

the, they, been, you

said, against, again

his, is, was, as

could, would

when, know, knew

become, people, always, away

where, there

gone, have

something

are, were

Sight or Common Words Child Should Be Becoming Familiar With

year, hear, first

beautiful

read (past), ready

along, king

watch

told

many

Words above Instructional Level (From Context, Parent)

sword, knight

clear, sir, young, sure, church, son, won

Arthur, Uther, Merlin, older, younger, armor, brother, father

stupid, Ector

ladies, battle, able, although

England, angry, justly

fighting, jousting, looking, sticking

            After King Uther died, all of the lords and ladies of England started fighting over the crown. For years they made battle against each other. At last Merlin said, “I will put a stop to this.” He made a beautiful sword and put it in a stone. Then he showed it to the lords and ladies.

            “The one that pulls this sword from this stone,” read King Lot, “is true-born king of all England.”

            All of the lords wanted to try to pull it out, but Merlin made them wait and hear mass first. After the mass was over, all of the lords pulled and pulled on the hilt of the sword, but none could pull it from the stone.

            When it was clear that no one would be able to draw the sword, King Lot said, “I know! We will joust. The one who wins the fight will become king.”

            So the lords and ladies got ready for the match, and people came from all over the land to watch or to fight. Sir Ector rode to town with his two sons. The older one, Sir Kay, had just been made a knight, and he hoped to win and become king. The younger one, Arthur, was too young to be a knight, so he helped his brother put on his armor and tend to his horse.

            One of Arthur’s other jobs was to make sure Sir Kay always had a sword, and when they got to the match Kay saw that he had left his sword at the inn where they had slept that night. Arthur rode back to get it for him, but when he got there he found that the door was locked and that the lord and lady of the house had gone to the jousting match. Arthur rode along, looking for a sword for his brother. As he rode by the church, he saw one sticking out of a stone. He pulled it out and rode to the match.

            When Sir Kay saw the sword, he knew right away that it was the one from the stone. So he told his father, “Look! I drew the sword from the stone. Now I am king!”

            But Sir Ector was not stupid. He made Kay put the sword back in the stone and show him. Kay could not pull it out. Then Arthur did it again, with ease. Sir Ector bowed to his son.

            “Arthur,” he said, “I have something to tell you. Your father was King Uther. You are the true-born king of England.”

            Although Arthur had pulled out the sword, many of the lords and ladies were angry that they had not won the crown. For years Arthur had to fight them, but in the end he won. He ruled justly.