
Even though Arthur is, classically, ‘the matter of England’, I’d not really call this part of my ‘Celtica’ pieces. But I’ve sometimes wondered if Arthur really failed Merlin’s riddle all along – and Merlin just had to live with it.
Pendragon
I pulled me a sword from a stone, my love
And I took it in my hand
And I got me a table round my love
And I got me a loyal band
But a sword from a stone is a blade my love
And it cut me where I stand
We were bold, we were bright, we were doomed, my love
And we three were all the same
And he rode at my side and with you my love
And I give you two no blame
For a love is a sword, we were stones my love
And we fell upon its blade
I took me the sword, and I think my love
That I should have took the stone
And have pulled that stone from the blade my love
And have let that blade fall down
For a stone is a thing that will stay my love
And now I must pass alone
If you find you a sword in a stone my love
And you try to draw it free
Is the blade in the stone for a need my love
And the stone where it needs to be?
For a blade in a stone brings no wound my love
Like the ones it brought we three
I pulled me a sword from a stone, my love
And I got me a royal hand
And I got me a table round my love
And I got me a wounded friend
But a sword from a stone is a blade my love
And it cut us to our end