The Beginning
"Old man, where did you get this ball
from? It's really old, and it doesn't bounce very good. What does this
"A" mean?"
The old Merlin gently took the ball from the little boy and examined it. "First, this ball is older than your grandparents, so it bounces just fine for its age. Secondly, that ball belonged to one of the greatest kings in history, so consider yourself lucky to be touching it. Lastly, I have it because I helped raise him."
"Yeah, right, you're lying, you old fool. You didn't raise a king."
"You're right, because I HELPED raise him. You want to hear the story?"
"I got to hear this one," said the little boy with sarcasm in his voice.
"I remember it like it was yesterday....."
"Merlin, I have the most wonderful news!"
"What is it, King Uther? Has the circus finally come to town?"
"No, it's better than the circus. Gorlois is dead."
"How's that better than the circus? The circus has elephants, and lions, and cotton candy. How can the death of Gorlois be better than the circus?"
"Merlin, I can now marry Igrain. I have even heard that she is pregnant. Do you know what that means?"
"Of course.....she's going to get fat and moody."
"No, Merlin, don't you remember? After Gorlois left for war, you transformed me to look like him, so I could sleep with Igrain. Ringing any bells?"
"Yeah, I remember. That was one doozy of a spell, if I do say so myself. Did you know that if I had messed up one of those words I could have turned you inside out! How messy could that have been!"
"You're not understanding, Merlin! She is having my baby! I'm going to be a father!"
"Hang on, old man," the little boy interrupted. "What you're saying is that King Uther is the father of the baby , and that the mom was another man's wife! Good thing that Gorlois guy was dead, because he wouldn't have been very happy."
"Right, now let me finish. Where was I....oh yes. Now some time had passed, King Uther had married Gorlois' widow, Igrain, and she had just given birth to their new child."
"Merlin, can you believe it! I have a son!" said King Uther excitedly.
" Yes, I have heard the rumor. Now it is time for you to pay your debt to me."
"What are you talking about, Merlin?"
"Have you forgotten that quickly, my king? You promised me that if your affair resulted in a child, the child would belong to me." King Uther didn't know what to do. He tried to think of a way out of his agreement, but he couldn't. "I will make sure that he is well provided for and looked after. Now, bring the boy to me," I said with a serious and somewhat saddened tone.
"What will I tell Igrain?" Uther asked with tears running down his face.
"I would start with the truth, and go from there."
King Uther went into the room where Igrain and his new son were. After a long period of time Uther came out of the room, holding his son for the last time. Then he handed him over to me. "I'll be in touch," I said and with that I left with the baby boy, neither ever to be seen by King Uther again.
I took the newly born baby to a man named Sir Ector, who was to raise him. "What is his name, Merlin?" asked Sir Ector.
"Arthur."
"What happens to baby Arthur, old man?" asked the little boy excitedly, for he had grown very interested in the story.
"That's another story, but if you want to hear it, I'll tell it to you."
Merlin taking baby Arthur away from Uther and Igrain
Web Source: Arthurian Art
The old Merlin gently took the ball from the little boy and examined it. "First, this ball is older than your grandparents, so it bounces just fine for its age. Secondly, that ball belonged to one of the greatest kings in history, so consider yourself lucky to be touching it. Lastly, I have it because I helped raise him."
"Yeah, right, you're lying, you old fool. You didn't raise a king."
"You're right, because I HELPED raise him. You want to hear the story?"
"I got to hear this one," said the little boy with sarcasm in his voice.
"I remember it like it was yesterday....."
"Merlin, I have the most wonderful news!"
"What is it, King Uther? Has the circus finally come to town?"
"No, it's better than the circus. Gorlois is dead."
"How's that better than the circus? The circus has elephants, and lions, and cotton candy. How can the death of Gorlois be better than the circus?"
"Merlin, I can now marry Igrain. I have even heard that she is pregnant. Do you know what that means?"
"Of course.....she's going to get fat and moody."
"No, Merlin, don't you remember? After Gorlois left for war, you transformed me to look like him, so I could sleep with Igrain. Ringing any bells?"
"Yeah, I remember. That was one doozy of a spell, if I do say so myself. Did you know that if I had messed up one of those words I could have turned you inside out! How messy could that have been!"
"You're not understanding, Merlin! She is having my baby! I'm going to be a father!"
"Hang on, old man," the little boy interrupted. "What you're saying is that King Uther is the father of the baby , and that the mom was another man's wife! Good thing that Gorlois guy was dead, because he wouldn't have been very happy."
"Right, now let me finish. Where was I....oh yes. Now some time had passed, King Uther had married Gorlois' widow, Igrain, and she had just given birth to their new child."
"Merlin, can you believe it! I have a son!" said King Uther excitedly.
" Yes, I have heard the rumor. Now it is time for you to pay your debt to me."
"What are you talking about, Merlin?"
"Have you forgotten that quickly, my king? You promised me that if your affair resulted in a child, the child would belong to me." King Uther didn't know what to do. He tried to think of a way out of his agreement, but he couldn't. "I will make sure that he is well provided for and looked after. Now, bring the boy to me," I said with a serious and somewhat saddened tone.
"What will I tell Igrain?" Uther asked with tears running down his face.
"I would start with the truth, and go from there."
King Uther went into the room where Igrain and his new son were. After a long period of time Uther came out of the room, holding his son for the last time. Then he handed him over to me. "I'll be in touch," I said and with that I left with the baby boy, neither ever to be seen by King Uther again.
I took the newly born baby to a man named Sir Ector, who was to raise him. "What is his name, Merlin?" asked Sir Ector.
"Arthur."
"What happens to baby Arthur, old man?" asked the little boy excitedly, for he had grown very interested in the story.
"That's another story, but if you want to hear it, I'll tell it to you."
Merlin taking baby Arthur away from Uther and Igrain
Web Source: Arthurian Art
Author's Note: I told the story of
Arthur's birth through Merlin telling a little kid a story. I wrote it
in first person to give the reader a sense of being there as these
events unfolded. I tried to give Merlin a sense of humor. I tried to
make him look rather silly and simple-minded. I also tried to show his
more serious side at the end when he was taking Arthur away from Uther.
I had Uther forget about his promise to Merlin because of his
excitement in becoming a father. I also tried to make it sound like
Merlin was somewhat sad to be taking Arthur away from his parents. I
don't think that it was something that he really wanted to do, but it
was something that he had to do to help Arthur become the best king in
history. I also added an interruption by the little boy to maintain the
sense that Merlin was telling him a story, and to show how interested
the little boy had become in the story. I didn't really touch on Sir
Ector very much in this story. I am planning on him being a more
important character in the next story when I touch more on Arthur's
youth.
"Le Morte Darthur" by Sir Thomas Malory (1903)
"Le Morte Darthur" by Sir Thomas Malory (1903)