The Other Sword in the Stone
It was Arthur's custom never to break his fast at the feast of Pentecost until he had beheld a wonder, and fortunately before dinner a squire ran in to announce one. In the nearby river floated a block of red marble, and stuck in it a sword inscribed "Never shall man take me hence, but only he by whose side I ought to hang, and he shall be the best knight of the world". (This is, of course, the sword that Sir Balin received from the damosel of the Lady Lile of Avelion in book two, and which after his death Merlin set magically adrift.)Launcelot refused to pull it, Gawaine tried on Arthur's orders and failed and Percivale had a go "for to bear Sir Gawaine fellowship" (even though Gawaine had murdered Percivale's father and brother). Then they all went to eat at the Round Dinner Table
Suddenly all the doors and windows slammed shut and the lights went out, and an old knight appeared with Sir Galahad and sat him in the Siege Perilous next to his dad Launcelot. When the table cloth was lifted the lettering had changed again, this time to the name Galahad.
Arthur took him to the floating stone and Galahad drew the sword effortlessly.
Then a mysterious whingeing white palfrey-bourne maiden appeared, and castigated Launcelot for now only being second best, and on behalf of Nacien the long-dead hermit congratulated Arthur for "thee shall befall the greatest worship that ever befell king in Britain". Then she buggered off.
The Last Great Joust
For some reason Arthur assumed that there was now a holy quest to "achieve" the Sangreal, and figuring that he might never see the Round Table whole and together again he called one last huge joust right then, in the meadow of Camelot, so that Galahad could show off.
The Round Table Fellowship is Broken
That evening at dinner the Sangreal manifested in a peal of thunder and a ray of light, but hidden beneath a cloth of white samite, and supplied everyone with wonderful food. Inspired, Gawaine started the ball rolling by swearing to "labour in the quest of the Sangreal" for at least a year and a day, or until he saw it un-obscured.Arthur was displeased, knowing that all his other knights would follow suit, and many die in the quest, and the Round Table would never be the same, nor the world see its like again...
The next day all one hundred and fifty of his Round Table knights left on the quest, and Arthur wept.
Sir Galahad and the White Shield
The first casualty was King Bagdemagus. After four days he came to the White Abbey, where against advice he took from it Aramathie Joe's magic white shield marked with a red cross. Within hours he had been critically injured by a mysterious white knight, and was out of the quest.Bagdemagus' squire returned the shield and this time Galahad took it, and when he met with that same white knight he was congratulated and told the whole story of Aramathie Joe and his magic shield (see prologues).
After Galahad heard the story about his new shield the White Knight mysteriously vanished, so he pestered an unholy metaphorical fiend entombed in the abbey, and the next day he knighted his own squire Melias de Lile, a prince of Denmark, and they set off on the road again.
Within a week Galahad had to dump Sir Melias at an abbey to recover from the severe injuries he sustained trying to nick a golden crown after taking a wrong left turn, and after maiming the rightful owners (who may only have been metaphors for the sins of pride and greed) Galahad pressed on alone.
After hearing voices at an old deserted chapel in the mountains Galahad headed for the Castle of Maidens where he drove off the seven evil knights who had ruled it evily for seven evil years since killing the good Duke Lianour, and released all the prisoners held there, and delivered many ex-maidens from ravishment.
Sir Gawaine and the Seven Deadly Sins
Meanwhile Gawaine, Gareth and Uwaine all met up at the abbey where Melias was convalescing, and following in Galahad's wake encountered the evil seven (who may have been metaphors for the seven deadly sins) and killed them. Then they lost Galahad's trail and split up.Alone, Gawaine found himself at a hermitage where a good man explained the previous metaphor and told him he was too sinful and must do penance, but Gawaine said he was too busy and moved on, briefly meeting with Aglovale and Griflet before splitting up again.
Sir Launcelot's Trip
Launcelot and Percivale accidentally attacked a disguised Galahad in a forest after he left the Castle of Maidens, and he creamed them both and rode away, determined to be alone, just as a nearby recluse told them who he was. Percivale hung out with the recluse for a bit, but depressed, Launcelot carried on to a remote mysterious chapel, and unable to find a way in he dozed by its black marble cross.In this trance-state he saw another knight appear and be healed by the Sangreal, and then steal his horse, helm and sword, but paralysed by his own sin he could do nothing. When he fully awoke, horseless, he walked on through the forest to a hermit who explained how sinful he was for his adultery with Guenever, and for fighting for his own glory and not God's.
Launcelot repented and hung out with the hermit.
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