The Sword in the Tree
By Clyde Robert Bulla and Bruce Bowles
5/5
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About this ebook
Best-selling author Clyde Robert Bulla's classic, finely-crafted Arthurian tale with its sword fights, dark and dangerous dungeon, roguish knaves, action-packed showdowns and tales of dangerous feats, will appeal to emerging readers who are ready for chapter books and reluctant tween readers alike.
In the days of King Arthur there stood a mighty oak tree within the walls of a castle. Peace reigned in the castle until the fearsome night when Lionel, long-lost brother of Lord Weldon, returned to cause trouble and unhappiness.
It was then that Shan, the son of Lord Weldon, took on the duties of a knight and hid the sword in the hollow of the giant oak. The days that followed were filled with adventures that tried the courage of the young boy.
Shan was surprised by bearded robbers in the woods. He met noble knights in plumed helmets, and eventually he even made a trip to high-towered Camelot. His story is filled with the pageantry and color of England in King Arthur's time. It creates a vivid picture of the Knights of the Round Table and the wisdom of King Arthur himself.
Clyde Robert Bulla
Clyde Robert Bulla is the author of over fifty books for children, including The Secret Valley and The Story of Valentine’s Day. He has been writing since 1946, when he published his first book, The Donkey Cart. Mr. Bulla was the first recipient of the Southern California Council on Children’s Literature award for distinguished contribution to the field. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
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Book preview
The Sword in the Tree - Clyde Robert Bulla
WELDON CASTLE
1
The boy sat up in bed. A sound in the night had wakened him.
His room was so dark he could see nothing, but he could hear steps outside his door. He held his breath and listened.
Shan!
said a voice.
He let his breath go. It was his mother, calling his name.
Yes?
he said. What is it?
Lady Marian came into the room. She had a candle in her hand, and the light moved over the stone walls.
Shan, I’m glad to find you here,
she said. I was afraid you had gone with your father.
Where has my father gone?
asked Shan.
One of the servants just wakened him and they went away together,
she said. I heard them speak of a wounded knight.
"A wounded knight?" said Shan.
Yes,
said Lady Marian. Shan, what does it mean? Is someone making war on us? Are there enemy soldiers outside?
Don’t be afraid, Mother,
said Shan. "Our good King Arthur has beaten all our enemies. And even if there were enemies, we would be safe here. There is no stronger castle in England than ours."
He went to the window. A light was moving in the courtyard below.
Mother, I’m going down there,
he said.
I don’t think you should go,
said Lady Marian.
No one is fighting,
he said. There’s nothing to be afraid of.
He put on his clothes. He ran down the stairs and into the courtyard. There was a light near the castle gate. He went toward it.
At the gate he found his father. Some of the servants were there, too. One of them had a lighted torch in his hand.
Father—
Shan stopped. On the stones at his father’s feet lay a man. A long, black beard hid his face. Two of the servants were taking off his armor.
Who is he?
asked Shan.
No one knows,
said his father. He beat on the gate. We let him in, and he fell in a faint.
My lord, I have found his wound,
said one of the servants.
Shan’s father looked at the wound in the man’s side. Bring him into the castle at once,
he said.
The servants lifted the wounded man. They carried him into a bedroom in the castle.
Has he lost much blood?
asked Shan.
I think so,
said his father. The wound is deep.
Shall I bring Nappus?
asked Shan.
Nappus?
Yes. Nappus is a man of magic. He can make the knight well.
Poor Nappus.
Shan’s father shook his head. He knows no magic. But he was once the best of doctors.
He is still the best of doctors,
said Shan. Remember how he took the fishbone from your throat? Remember how he bound up my arm when it was broken?
Yes, yes,
said his father. Go and bring him if you wish.
Shan took a lighted torch from one of the servants and ran out across the courtyard. He opened a door in the castle wall. It was the door to Nappus’ room.
Nappus was sleeping, with his cloak over his head. Shan touched him. Nappus looked out from under the cloak.
He was a small man. His hair was white. He could neither hear nor speak, but his eyes were keen and bright.
There is a wounded knight in the castle,
said Shan. Come and dress his wound.
Nappus watched Shan’s lips, reading the words. He nodded to show that he understood. From a box in a corner he took some jars and bottles. He tied them up in a cloth.
Shan led the way to the castle. Nappus knelt by the wounded man. He washed the wound and dressed it. He opened the man’s mouth and poured a little