вторник, 22 января 2018

 King Arthur and Excalibur

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Merlin: I am a Magician. My name is Merlin. I have a great power. I can see and hear everything that happens around. Now I hear the voice of Uther, the king of England.(holding his magic crystal ball)Oh, my magic crystal ball, let me see Uther an talk to him.
Uther: “I have won enough battles to rule a thousand countries, yet England stands divided. What else must I do? (Merlin enters the room)Merlin? Why do you appear now, when I wish to be alone?”
Merlin: “Don’t be surprised, Uther. I’ve come here to help you.
Uther: “Can you help me?”
Merlin: “I believe I can.”
Uther: “How? No one can stop our people fighting each other.”
Merlin: “Excalibur can.”
Uther: “Excalibur? What is Excalibur?”
Merlin: “Excalibur is the most powerful sword in the world. Whoever owns it cannot be killed or lose a battle.”
Uther: “Give it to me! Imusthaveit!”
Merlin: “It doesn’t belong to me, but to the lady of the Lake. She must feel that you deserve it. But before we go you must promise me something.”
Uther: “Say it and it is yours.”
Merlin: “I want your first-born child.”
Uther: “But I have no children. It doesn’t seem a great deal to ask. OK. I give you my word of honour. You’ll get everything you want.” (A woman's hand appeared from the water, holding the gold handle of the silver  sword called Excalibur.)
Merlin: “Take it, Uther. It is yours if you want it.”
Uther: “Oh, it’s great! I’m filled with a strange energy.”
Merlin: “You’ve made a promise Uther. Do not forget what it is.”
Uther: “Promise? (looking at the sword) What promise? Oh! How strong and powerful I will become!

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Merlin: “Several years have passed.(looking through his crystal ball)The Queen has got a son. And what about Uther? Oh! He has completely forgotten his promise. Well, it’s time to go.”(entering the room) “I’ve come to claim what is mine.” (He entered the chamber  where the Queen was playing with her baby son. Uther followed behind.)
Queen:(raising from her seat) “What is it Uther? You do not look well. You are deathly pale. Has anything terrible happened?”
Uther:My word of honour! The king’sword! I’ve promised to give our son for this sword.
Queen: “You fool! You would give up your own child for the price of a sword?”
Uther: “Please Merlin, I beg you, don't take our child! I'll give you anything else you ask.”
Merlin: “You gave me your word of honour. The child is mine.” (He took the baby from Igraine’s arms. She screamed for the King to take the child back, but Uther was weak against Merlin’s powers. Merlin cast a spell over the King and Queen, which kept them from moving and left them with the child in his hands.)
Uther: I’ll take Excalibur and go to the forest to find Merlin and my son. (shouting loudly) Merlin! Merlin! Give me back my son! (kneeling and dying) Oh, Merlin! I have kept my promise. But I’m dying. I will leave Excalibur in this rock, but you must make my son a king. (Uther rose up with all his strength and pushed Excalibur into the rock right up  to the handle. The King fell down on the ground and died next to that rock. Merlin appeared beside Uther.)
Merlin: “No man shall pull this sword from this rock unless he is the next king of England.”

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Merlin:“For many years after Uther's death, knights from all over the country tried to pull Excalibur from the stone, but none succeeded. Theycompetedtosee who was the strongest knight. When these competitions ended, the winner would go to the rock, with a crowd of people watching, to see if he would be the next king of England.”
Kay: “Arthur! Where is my sword? The games are about to begin.”
Arthur: Oh, Master, Knight Kay! I… I don’t know. Perhaps, I’ve misplaced your sword.
Kay: I want you to find my sword immediately. Bring it to me for the next round of games. 
Arthur: OK. I’ll try to find another sword for you, master. (Arthur ran away and soon came back happy to have found a sword. Arthur handed it to Kay, who stood admiring its magnificence.)
Kay: “Arthur! Where did you get this?”
Arthur: “I pulled it from the rock just behind the trees and ran to you, master.”(The crowd around them held their breath.)
Man 1: “The boy. He’s pulled the sword from the rock.” (Arthur became uneasy, not knowing what he had done. Merlin appeared beside the boyand placed a hand on his shoulder.)
Merlin: “This boy is the son of Uther, the last king of England. He is the heir to the throne.”
Man 2: “This servant boy cannot be a king.”
Merlin: “This young man is your king. I know it because I am Merlin, a Magician. It’s me who had made Arthur a servant to teach him what it is like to be ruled by other men.
Man 3:But he has to prove to the people that he is truly the King's son.”
Merlin:(to Arthur) “Put Excalibur back into the rock, Arthur. And now you, Kay, and any others who think you are worthy of the sword, try to pull it out.” (They tried but no one could.) “If this boy, Arthur, pulls the sword from the rock he is the true king of England and you must do as he says.” (Arthur pulled Excalibur from the rock and held it up for all the crowd to see. The people knelt with respect.)
Arthur: “With this sword, I will unite England into a land of peace and prosperity.”