Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Group Member Maria wanted to open a Buddy Read for King Arthur and His Knights

Maria, The one you had chosen is by Maude L. Radford Warren

Please join in with Maria to read this wonderful book of Twenty-one stories from the Arthurian legends specially selected and adapted for children and told in simple well-written prose. The stirring tales of these chivalrous knights awaken the reader's admiration for courage and gentleness and high sense of honor essential in all ages. Suitable for ages 9 and up.

Thanks for setting up this thread,Lesle! So does anyone have the book so they can buddy read with me? :)

Maria wrote: "Thanks for setting up this thread,Lesle! So does anyone have the book so they can buddy read with me? :)"

Your more than Welcome Maria!

I do not but was thinking about trying to find it this weekend! I will let you know.

Lesle, have you bought your copy yet? I'm so sorry I won't be joining the buddy read until mid-May,I have exams starting late April :( I hope you understand.

Maria wrote: "Lesle, have you bought your copy yet? I'm so sorry I won't be joining the buddy read until mid-May,I have exams starting late April :( I hope you understand."

Great! It might take me that long to locate one! Thanks for the heads up Maria!

Lesle wrote: "Maria wrote: "Lesle, have you bought your copy yet? I'm so sorry I won't be joining the buddy read until mid-May,I have exams starting late April :( I hope you understand."

Great! It might take me..."

Hi Leslie:
I would be interested in participating in a Buddy Read for "Gulliver's Travels" during the month of April 15th-May 15th. After reading "Alice in Wonderland", I sense a tread of demising size then growing again.

Karen
I think that would be a great book to add to the Poll for a Group Read! So putting it there!

I'm finally done with my exams! :) Did you get your copy,Lesle?

Lesle, can you read it with me yet? :)

Maria wrote: "Lesle, can you read it with me yet? :)"

Yes! I got my copy! So excited!
When do you want to start?

Here is the edition I found:
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

The one I have is by Maude L. Radford though :/

And I could start around 21st. Fine by you?

Thanks for the reminder. I should be able to finish "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Saturday and purchase the correct edition. So, yes, count me in starting Saturday!

Maria wrote: "The one I have is by Maude L. Radford though :/"

It might be good to compare?!

Im in for Saturday too!

It is the only version I could find, Sorry!

Author Howard Pyle has written a lot of these types of books including the version of Robin Hood I have.

I found Howard Plye as well.

Karen wrote: "I found Howard Plye as well."

I think he has several books on King Arthur and Others like The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur
Men of Iron The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

I always enjoyed the Howard Pyle versions of legends fun to read, with wonderful illustrations.

Rosemarie wrote: "I always enjoyed the Howard Pyle versions of legends fun to read, with wonderful illustrations."

Your more than Welcome to join in!

(by Maude L. Radford)
Chapter 1: How He Became King

(view spoiler)[ So Arthur was actually the son of Uther of Whales--the last ruler of England. And in the beginning of the chapter it says Arthur became king a thousand years before Columbus discovered America, so Arthurian period started at least from 492? (hide spoiler)]

Maria wrote: "(by Maude L. Rumford)
Chapter 1: How He Became King

[spoilers removed]"

Very interesting Maria!
Im so sorry had Brayden and Landen (Grandsons 6 and 7)Friday night and all day today, just left about 45 minutes ago. Will start tomorrow I promise!

Hope you had fun with your grandsons! :)
And the book is really interesting. (view spoiler)[ Arthur was brought up by a knight ( as his father who was king had died) and the first chapter is all about how he watched the nobles and the knights down the road with their velvet robes trimmed with ermine, their silver or gold armour, and their ruby - studded helmets,etc. And how hard he practised to be a knight himself. The descriptions are nice. Since England had not had a king since the death of Uther of Whales, they decided that whoever pulled the sword out of the square stone in the churchyard would be the king. Arthur pulled it out once by accident, when there was a council of Lords and knights in the church and his brother asked him to fetch his sword that he'd forgotten at home. He gave him the one from the square stone. Then he put it back and his father and brother told everyone that he could pull it. And in front of everyone, he pulled it out. There was disagreement and doubt so they made him pull it out two times more, in two different sessions before they accepted him as king. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 2: The Good Sword Excalibur
(view spoiler)[ He was once invited to a duel not long after he had proven himself by pulling the sword. He won, but was severely wounded and lost a lot of blood. Merlin took him to a lake where he met the Lady of the Lake who gave him a beautiful sword and a scabbard. Merlin told him the scabbard would never let him get wounded as long as he had it with him in any battle. There was gold writing on the sword: Take me one side and cast me away on the other. Merlin knew when it would be time for the king to cast way the sword, but he assured him it was not any time soon. (hide spoiler)]

Maria, So I decided last night to sit in my cozy little library (see group photos!) in my new wing back recliner chair and start our read.

So I read the forward, the prologue (a wonderful explanation/set-up) and started on The Book of King Arthur chapter one. I do not think I got off the first page before I fell asleep! (it was me not the book!)

Will try again later today!

The same thing happened to me! Along with the prologue and the first chapter, I also read the Afterwards to gain a better understanding of the historical development of the Arthur legend. I had no idea that this is a story that has been in the works for over 1000 years!
I have to say that after reading "Don Quixote" of which the main character is motivated by Knights Errant, I have almost exhausted my fascination with knights.

Im so sorry Karen, I hate that myself. I think I have a good hour to relax and read and boom....

Book I Part I:
Well even then there was the lusting after anothers wife!
Uther Pendragon and Duchess Igraine have a son and Merlin gives him to a Sir to be raised. Arthur's father dies and a fight ensues amoung the Lords. The Kings (19) and Dukes (16) go to London to pull the Sword to see who will rule as King. At this time Arhtur is in his teens. He of course pulls the Sword from the stone and the Archbishop thinking fooled doubts Arthur's right. It is annouced that Uther and Igraine are his parents. Arthur is knighted and crowned King.

Why would the other Lords refuse to recognize Arthur's authority?

Okay, the book is very enjoyable (sometimes I have to reread a section) for me but it seems once a story is told a new story starts.

Book I Part II:
Merlin keeps throwing in a twist in each adventure for King Arthur.
The Sable (Black) Knight and King Arthur battle (blocking and killing cause Arthur to battle) till both are wounded quite severely. Merlin takes Arthur to a Holy place, which is where Lady Guinevere appears. After 3 days of healing Lady Guinevere is all he can think of.
Merlin tells Arthur the story of the sword.

Merlin is slightly causing me stress!

If you like the Arthur legends, the British author Mary Stewart wrote a set of novels in the 70's. They are not classics but they are a more modern adaptation, with Merlin as the main character.
The Crystal Cave and The Hollow Hills are the first two. I liked those two but did not like the sequels.

Thanks Rosemarie for the suggestions!

Excalbibur and the Sheath go hand and hand to protect the King. Arthur treasured both of them.

Book 2 Part III:
A peasant really King Arthur! You cant come up with a better entrance into Lady Guinevere's Garden! A Knight upon a steed?
They play in the Garden like young lovers already!

King Arthur met up with Sir Geraint and offered a battle for his Lady. Not knowing who he was Sir Geraint accepted. Kinda unfair battle when King Arthur knows he will not be hurt.

He meets up with two other Knights Sir Sawaine and Ewaine. Again he meets up with Sir Pellias. All four Knights are overthrown and returned to Cameliard to Lady Guinevere. Soon they found out who was the Knight that overtook them.

Lady Gunevere is given the ok by her father to Arthur for him to make her his Queen.

Merlin tells of the Round Table and how it seats 49 Knights and ask for it to be the dowery.

Book 3:
Your on your own! Meet Merlin and discover the Knights of the Round Table! Wonderful stories! Truly enjoyed the details.

Many of King Arthurs Knights have nicknames. Do you think they fit the Knight?

I have been trying to read both versions that are being used for this Buddy read. Well, needless to say that is better said than done. The versions are completely different and difficult to correlate. Maude L. Radford Warren's version is almost an abbreviation of the Howard Pyle version. Howard has stories that Radford-Warren does not or back information that lead up to situation's
(like how Arthur and Lady Guinevere meet).
Also, at the end of each chapter, Howard Pyle offers a word of encouragement to the reader to learn the good lessons from King Arthur and his adventures which can serve as examples to learn from and apply in their lives.
Maude Radford Warren brought forth a situation that, so far Howard Pyle has not, and that is the question of Arthur's birth. Although Merlin had the best intention by concealing Arthur's birth, it caused some speculation for those who had their own agendas.
As for Arthur disguising himself as a gardener's aid, why would he choose to bath out in the open instead of bathing in a concealed area where he would not be seen?
Lastly, as for the names of the Knight's, did they not have last names back then? Why do they have to nicknames at all?

A lot of the nobility at that time were named after the place where they lived, instead of a surname.

Nicknames were given for different reasons—sometimes they were - where the came from, or a sign of admiration, or acceptance, and sometimes they were a form of taunting. They could be obvious or ironic, but most of the time they would provide a window into understanding the Knight.

Like in the show Vikings they called Bjorn Lothbrok, Ironside, as he was never hurt in battle.

Merlin's main concern with Arthur was upon the Kings death that Arthur would be in grave danger. So protecting him for eventual Kinghood was his main goal. For 18 years the Kingdom was in constant turmoil and death. I believe Merlin had full control over the whole situation with Arthur and everything Merlin did was for the outcome of Arthur to be King.

In true life, if a situation came up in a vacancy of Leadership, everyone of cunning and power would try to assert their own agendas to be the Leader or someone they control, be the Leader.

This is why I believe Merlin had full reign of what was happening.

O.k. even as King, Arthur felt he needed some freedom of movement like everyone else, why would be continue to roam the country side by himself, without any insignia to identify himself? This guy should not be left to his own devises.

Probably because he was not raised as royalty he would have a hard time adjusting to people around him.
Being unaccompanied and dressing as a pauper would give him the anonymity he had always had.
Plus there is a side of being a challenge about accomplishing inconspicuousnesss and being invisibile to be able to watch others.

Karen not sure if that helped, but my thoughts. Maybe Rosemarie would have another thought on this.

Maybe I just need to go with the flow of the story! With that said, I have finished Part II where King Arthur and Lady Guinevere have wed and the Round Table has been established.
So, I figure Sir Lancelot will sit at the right hand of Arthur. Who will sit in "The Seat Perilous"? Mordred?

Perhaps he wandered the country side to think quietly and to observe what was really happening around him. A king was usually not told everything that was happening, or he might get a biased report, or the facts might have been distorted. This doesn't apply only to this story. Kings and queens had very little privacy.

The price of public service.

Exactly. There is also the chance of assassination by a fanatic or a crazy person, or hired assassins.

Finished The Story of Merlin. Pyle stresses this is a cautionary tale. Not to be a spoiler alert but... Merlin gets taken out by a sixteen year old girl! REALLY!!! Has anyone ever heard of Vivian?

Finished the story of Sir Pellias. The Woods of Adventure are rightly named!

Yes, I have heard of Vivian. She is quite a character.

I finished this past Friday. No spoiler alerts. Let me know what you all thought of the last story.

The Great Feast and What Followed (view spoiler)[ So there were still people who were not ready to accept Arthur as king yet, and he arranged a meal to see who were with him and who were the rebels.They thought him of low blood and thus undeserving of the crown. They did not believe Merlin when he told them he actually was a king's son, as he was brought up by a knight.
Now Merlin tells him there are eleven powerful kings in Britain wanting to fight him. He accepted their call to battle and went to fight them, and even though they outnumbered his army; he won with wise planning. (hide spoiler)]
Arthur's Court and the Order of the Round Table (view spoiler)[ After the battle he decided to establish a court on top of a hill. Merlin did it for him in a week with his magic. It sounds wonderful and is beautifully described. It was in Camelot in Wales. And there actually was a round marble table at the centre of the assembly hall he had put so all would be considered equal. The members of the court took their oaths and duties were distributed. (hide spoiler)]

What I found interesting regarding the round table were the chairs that would mysteriously imprint the knight's name that was to sit in it.

Karen wrote: "What I found interesting regarding the round table were the chairs that would mysteriously imprint the knight's name that was to sit in it."

That's interesting!
King Arthur and Princess Guinevere
(view spoiler)[ The king Leodogran of Cameliard (neighbour to Camelot) asked Arthur's help in battle. When he passed the castle he saw the king's daughter princess Guinevere and fell in love with her. After the battle he sent his knights for the princess' hand in marriage. Tye king and queen hesitated for a moment as they were not sure of he really was of noble birth. The Queen Bellicent told him about how Merlin claimed for Arthur to be King Uther's son. He agreed and Arthur and Guinevere were married in May in the Archbishop of Canterbury. (hide spoiler)]
Then there's the knighting of a young boy Gareth, and some adventures of Sir Ivaine.
Sir Balin
(view spoiler)[ A lady came into the castle carrying a sword. She said that it was to be taken away from a strong knight. So far, none had succeeded. King Arthur welcomed her and asked his knights to try one by one. At last, Sir Balin succeeded. The maiden told him not to take the sword for himself as with it he would kill his best friend. He did not believe her and asked King Arthur to prove himself to be knighted. So he set off and found a castle on a mountain where he could rest.There was a sign that said no knight should be let in the castle in because there is danger. An old man sat outside it and tried to stop Sir Balin, telling him he would die with a great regret, but he said he feared nothing. When he went I there, he was greeted by noble ladies and knights. They gave him a cloak and fed him food. The custom was that every knight to come in the castle must fight. He did not want to, but agreed as it was a custom. They made him wear the castle's black armour like everyone else. And he fought a very strong opponent, they wounded each other that were sure to be fatal wounds. It turned out the knight he was fighting was his own brother. They both hugged and wept as they died. They were buried together. (hide spoiler)]

Guys, I want to give a recommendation! is an awesome, awesome read! Though it's not directly about King Arthur, its story is related to it. It's a historical fiction novel, with mystery and fantasy blended in. It's extremely well - written, with a touch of humour.
And it's suitable for everyone; even people who don't read historical fiction much! You guys should definitely check not out!

What way did King Arthur truly get his sword, Excalibur? Was it from drawing it from the stone, or given by the Lady-Of-The-Lake?

In The Idylls of the King, by Tennyson, Arthur received his sword from The Lady of the Lake.