The heroic legends of King Arthur and his brave Knights of the Round Table is now available in an unabridged, illustrated cloth hardcover edition in Union Square and Co.’s Children's Signature Clothbound Classics series. Although the folklore of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is centuries old, their spirited adventures continue to capture the hearts of young readers today. Camelot, Merlin, Morgana, the Holy Grail—all originating from Arthurian legend—have been widely adapted in media and modern fantasy world-building. This Children's Signature Clothbound Classics edition of The Story of King Arthur and His Knights is the only widely available edition of Howard Pyle’s version, which was written specifically for children.
Arthurian expert Sir James Knowles brings together fourteen tales of King Arthur and his knights, inspired by Alfred, Lord Tennyson's first four 'Idylls of the King'. Here is a fascinating journey through the land of ancient England where magic, mystery and warring factions come together in cataclysmic fashion. Beginning with the finding of the wizard Merlin, Sir James recounts the discovery of the legendary sword Excalibur, King Arthur's victory over the Saxons and his marriage to the beautiful Guinevere, as well as his battles against armies from Europe and his evasion of Queen Morgan's attempts to kill him with a magic garment. Tales include: • The Prophecies of Merlin and the Birth of Arthur • The Miracle of the Sword and Stone • The Lady of the Lake • The Founding of the Round Table • The Adventures of Sir Gawain Revealing the escapades of the Knights of the Round Table, such as Lancelot, Bedivere, Bors, Modred, Tristram and Galahad, as they seek to protect Arthur's kingdom, we discover how these fabled figures found their destiny. ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus Classic Myths and Legends brings together beautiful retellings of mythologies from different traditions, from Celtic to Native American.
King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians.[2] The sparse historical background of Arthur is gleaned from various sources, including the Annales Cambriae, the Historia Brittonum, and the writings of Gildas. Arthur's name also occurs in early poetic sources such as Y Gododdin.[3] Arthur is a central figure in the legends making up the Matter of Britain. The legendary Arthur developed as a figure of international interest largely through the popularity of Geoffrey of Monmouth's fanciful and imaginative 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain).[4] In some Welsh and Breton tales and poems that date from before this work, Arthur appears either as a great warrior defending Britain from human and supernatural enemies or as a magical figure of folklore, sometimes associated with the Welsh otherworld Annwn.[5] How much of Geoffrey's Historia (completed in 1138) was adapted from such earlier sources, rather than invented by Geoffrey himself, is unknown.
Foreword by Neil Gaiman The world’s leading Arthurian authority reimagines one of the most beloved and influential legends—the story of King Arthur and his Knights—for a new century in this gorgeous keepsake edition, illustrated with luminous full-color paintings and drawings by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe. The stories of King Arthur and Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, Galahad, Gawain, Tristan and the rest of the Knights of the Roundtable, and the search for the Holy Grail have been beloved for centuries and are the inspiration of many modern fantasy novels, films, and shows. These legends began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur stepped on to the stage of history sometime in the sixth century, generating a host of oral tales that would be inscribed some 900 years later by Thomas Malory in his classic Morte D’Arthur (The Death of Arthur). The Great Book of King Arthur brings these legends into the modern age, using accessible prose for contemporary readers for the first time. In addition to the stories in Morte D’Arthur, John Matthews includes many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written in other languages, such as the story of Avenable, the girl brought up as a boy who becomes a famous knight; Morien, whose adventures are as fantastic and exciting as any found in Malory’s work; and a retelling of the life of Round Table favorite Gawain, from his strange birth to his upbringing among the poor to his ascension to the highest position—Emperor of Rome. In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. The epic hero is represented in such powerful stories as “The Adventures of Eagle-boy” and “The Coming of Merlin,” which is based on the early medieval text Vita Merlini and tells a completely new version of the great enchanter’s story. The Great Book of King Arthur includes 15 full-color paintings and 25 pencil drawings.
King Arthur is one of the greatest legends of all time. From the magical moment when Arthur releases the sword in the stone to the quest for the Holy Grail and the final tragedy of the Last Battle, Roger Lancelyn Green brings the enchanting world of King Arthur stunningly to life. One of the greatest legends of all time, with an inspiring introduction by David Almond, award-winning author of Clay, Skellig, Kit's Wilderness and The Fire-Eaters.
In the children's classic King Arthur and his Knights, Howard Pyle retells the legendary adventures of King Arthur. Pyle's version of the tales, published in 1903, are embellished with his illustrations and his imagination.Pyle divides the book into two main parts: "The Book of King Arthur" and "The Book of Three Worthies." Each part is further divided into tales and chapters.In "The Book of King Arthur," the first tale is "The Winning of Kinghood." In this tale, we learn how a young Arthur pulls a sword out of the anvil. In doing so, the unknown youth establishes his right to the throne and becomes king.In "The Winning of a Sword," King Arthur loses to and is wounded by King Pellinore, the king of "the Isles." King Pellinore breaks the sword that Arthur had withdrew from the stone. The wizard Merlin advises Arthur to go in search of the Excalibur, a famous and beautiful sword. The Lady of the Lake, who is the ruler of Avalon, teaches King Arthur what he must do to earn Excalibur. King Arthur follows her instructions and secures Excalibur. He battles King Pellinore again and with the assistance of Excalibur's magic, defeats him. After this battle, King Pellinore and King Arthur forgive each other and become friends.In "The Winning of a Queen," King Arthur becomes besotted with Lady Guinevere, the daughter of King Leodegrance. He goes to visit the King and his daughter at their residence in Cameliard. Using Merlin's wizardry, the disguised King Arthur goes to work as a gardener beneath the castle tower to be close to the lady he loves. While in Cameliard, disguised as a peasant, he battles and defeats the Duke of North Umber. To win the hand of Lady Guinevere, King Arthur travels and defeats the knights Sir Geraint, Sir Gawaine, Sir Ewaine, and Sir Pellias. King Arthur, back in his peasant costume, demands these knights help him battle the Duke of North Umber again. King Arthur and his knights defeat the Duke. Arthur reveals his true identity. He asks King Leodegrance for Lady Guinevere's hand in marriage.
