By: A.B. Timothy
The Sword in the Stone is a well-known image from the Arthurian myth. Dating back to the 13th century, when a French poet penned a prophecy from Merlin, who said that only the true king of Britain could take the sword from an anvil in a churchyard in London.
When I first saw The Sword in the Stone as a boy in Disney’s movie of the same name, I was inspired. It reminded me that there are good stories to tell, important stories, and western stories. Arthur was a young boy, like I was when I saw that movie, and it reminded me that even the smallest among us can do great things.
I don’t recall who said this (I would quote them directly if I did remember), but someone once said that King Arthur is the King David of Britain. I find that concept fascinating, and I started drawing connections between the two stories. Both are usually young men who are appointed to be king before they are physically ready; they both take swords from impossible situations; they both (in certain versions of the Arthurian myth) receive eyre from the current king; and they both are chosen by God to lead their lands into golden ages.
These similarities are very easily explained as the Anglo-Saxon/European people wanting a hero they can relate to. It must have been hard, I imagine, as a European storyteller, to relate to a hero you’ve read about fighting battles and living life in Israel thousands of years ago. So, what better way to engage yourself and your readers than taking what you know and retelling that heroic tale in the plains of western Europe and the grasslands of England?
Have you considered adding legends and tales of heroism into the world-building of your story? Who did your young protagonist look up to? Who killed the dragon a hundred years ago and received the title “Dragon Slayer”? The Wheel of Time, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, does this flawlessly, in my mind. If you are wondering how to create deep world-lore, that series is an excellent case study.
The story of Arthur, the Sword in the Stone, the Lady of the Lake, the Green Knight, the Holy Grail, and the other myths and legends surrounding Britain’s Once and Future King played such a large part in inspiring me as a young reader and eventual writer. What inspired you? Let’s connect and chat about inspiration. You can click on either of the social media links below and leave a comment on the post with this article to continue the conversation, or leave a comment below if you have a WordPress account.
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