The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

In this enchanting version of the story of King Arthur, the renowned American illustrator and storyteller Howard Pyle displays his unique talent for capturing and stimulating the imaginations of the young. Inventively retold and vividly illustrated, these stories describe the perilous and thrilling adventures of King Arthur and his knights in that glorious age of chivalry and honor. – After showing how Arthur established his right to the throne by drawing the sword from the anvil, the author then relates the story of Arthur’s battle with the Sable Knight and his securing the sword Excalibur ― “the most beautiful and the most famous sword in all the world.” He tells of Arthur’s confrontations with the Duke of North Umber and Sir Pellias, describes King Arthur’s wooing and wedding the Lady Guinevere, and tells of the establishment of the Round Table. Tales are told, too, of Arthur’s knights, including Merlin the Wise, Sir Pellias (or the Gentle Knight) and of course, Sir Gawaine. One of the key points in the book is Arthur’s search for the answer to the riddle “What is it that a woman most desires?” with his life at stake.

This is the definitive children’s version of the Arthurian legend, for generations a special favorite with youngsters of all ages. Its reputation, richly deserved, rests as much upon the illustrations as on the delightful tales themselves. And no wonder, for as an illustrator of children’s books, Pyle had no peer. Bold and unforgettable as only Pyle’s skilled hand could make them, these drawings convey at a glance the whole aura of that splendid age and help to make this a book that boys and girls will cherish for years to come.

About the Author

Howard Pyle was born on March 5, 1853 in Wilmington, Delaware. From the time he was a very small boy he loved pictures, especially the pictures in storybooks. Among his favorites were Grimm’s German Fairy Tales and Arabian Nights. At the age of twenty-one, Pyle began to contribute illustrations and fables to St. Nicholas magazine and later went on to write and illustrate books for children. His first was The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood in 1883. Many more books followed, including Pepper and Salt; or, Seasoning for Young Folk, Otto of the Silver Hand, Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates, and The Story of King Arthur and His Knights. He also taught illustration at the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia and later set up his own art school in Wilmington. He died on November 9, 1911, in Florence, Italy.