The Once And Future King

Chatpers 1&2

Characters that are introduced are: Sir Ector, his son Kay, "Wart", and the king in the woods. Sir Ector in these chapters wants to look for a tutor for the boys. Then we learn that Kay doesn't get beaten or punished because of his status and Wart does. The two boys go hawking and the hawk flies into a tree. Kay gets mad and leaves while Wart stays true and tries to get the hawk back. While trying to get the hawk he follows it into the woods where he gets lost and meets King Pellinore.
Traits: Kay seems like the person who is stuck up and likes to show that he is better then wart and make him feel useless. Wart is a follower and he cares about other people and wants to do the right thing. Pellinore is worried about finding the beast and he uses a dog so he seems dedicated but a little out of his mind to me.

Chapters 3&4

Merlyn is the newest character introduced and his owl Archimedes. Wart falls asleep in the woods and when he wakes up he is hungry. He looks for food and finds a cottage with an older man living in it. He finds out that this man is Merlyn a magician. Merlyn invites him in for breakfast and shows him all of the things he has ( mice, worms, horns, tail) that a magician would. Then they eat and Wart talks to Archimedes the owl . Merlyn tells Wart that he will be his tutor and the set back for Sir Ector's castle. They get there and bring back Hod's Hawk and share the news that Merlyn the magician will tutor them. Sir Ector makes Merlyn prove himself so Merlyn makes it snow, shows testimonials, and makes a mulberry tree grow. Sir Ector decides Merlyn is good enough to be the boys tutor.

Chapters 5&6

The chapter starts by describing the castles defense system, ( having holes to pour hot liquid, where the people go when invaded, how the church always got destroyed) then it talked about having a boy to take care of the hounds in the castle and he would ( feed,clean, nurse, play) do everything to take care of all of them. Then Wart complains it is hot out and wishes he was a fish so Merlyn makes it happen and they both become fish. Merlyn shows him being a fish isn't east and take him to see the king of the moat fish. He is obsessed with power and talks about how having the biggest body and a strong mind will get u lots of power. Thus showing Wart that having to much power isn't a good thing and it ruins people. After this Merlyn falls asleep near a tree well the boys are practicing archery. They decide to go off and hunt for rabbits. Kay get the first rabbit they have ever killed. They release and arrow in the air and then a gore-crow takes off with the arrow and Kay tells Wart it was a witch.

Chapters 7&8

It is all about violence and how Wart wants to become a knight. Merlyn gets mad because he thinks that fighting messes up learning and that people who can fight consider themselves educated when they are not. Wart wants to see a real joust so King Pellinore and Sir Grummore fight. Neither of them win and they both end up hitting a tree. Merlyn tells Wart when they wake up they will be best of friends. So Wart learns that fighting doesn't solve anything and it doesn't really have a point. I also noticed and liked how the authors shows us examples from today so we understand what it was like back then. He uses that the horse would have to be able to hold heavy weight because of all the armor and he compares them to modern work horses today. Then he is bored on a rainy day so he goes to Merlyn and asks to be a hawk. Merlyn tells him that he is not ready to be a hawk then agrees to make him a merlin and let him go visit the birds for a night. There he is asked questions that he must think and try to guess the right answer. He gets about 90% right and must face a challenge of standing next to Cully for three rings before Cully eats him. He escapes safely and learns that even in a tough situation if you think hard and put your mind to it you can get out of that situation.

Chapters 9&10

Kay and Wart get into a fight because Kay is mad and jealous that Merlyn does stuff for Wart and not himself. Wart confronts Merlyn about the situation and Merlyn says that he can only do magic for Him and not Kay unless he uses his own magic. They go into the woods on an adventure where they meet Little John. He brings them to Robin Wood, who would like the boys to help him find Wat, the dog boy, and Tuck. He tells them they were captured by a fairy and they are in Morgan Le Faye's castle.

Chapters 11&12

Robin Wood and Marian explain to the boys that they are the only ones who can do the job and lead them towards the castle. They give them swords that are made from iron because Morgan Fay hates iron. They are told never let go of the sword and never eat anything while they are in the castle. The Queen frees the people and Wart breaks his collar bone. Kay shoots the griffin in the head and kills him. They all say goodbye and head there own ways. When the boys get back to Sir Ector's castle he is proud of them. Wart brought Wat along in hopes Merlyn could fix him. Merlyn does his best and Wat and the Dog Boy become good friends.

Chapters 13&14

Wart wants to get turned into an ant so Merlyn lets him. He realizes that ants don't do much besides work and they only speak done and not done. So he doesn't like being an ant. He learns that letting everyone else say what happens is wrong and everyone should think individually most of the time. Sir Ector receives a letter stating that a man named William Twyti and his hunting dogs are going to be hunting in Sir Ectors forest. Sir Ector is responsible for the cost, cleaning and salting what William catches, and letting him stay in his castle. He isn't happy about this and thinks of bad things that could happen like the beast in the woods eating William.

Chapters 15&16

It is winter time and there is a description of the snow being 3 inches and that winter lasts two months. Sir Ector holds a feast for the holidays and invites everyone. There people sing and make speeches and toasts. William Twyti goes hunting in the woods with King Pellinore and other people. King Pellinore finds the beast very ill and its so upset. He wants to bring him back to Sir Ector's castle and make his health better so he can hunt him.

Comments : what is up with tally - ho? I mean what would it be for words today?

Chapter 17&18

Archimedes, Merlyn, and Wart all talk about birds and their language because Wart wants to fly and be a bird again. Wart learns birds have laws about marriage and everything. Archimedes takes Wart out to fly after Wart eats a mouse and turns into an owl. He learns how to fly then Archimedes takes him over to see geese. He talks about death and the geese don't like it, Then a goose talks to him about the fact that they fly and have no boundaries. She basically says there is no point in fighting, that they share and humans think fighting is fun and cool when its not.

Chapter 19&20

Wart's friend lyo lyok the girl goose, teaches him about rules of food and all about what they are like. Then he flys wiht them and they all sing songs. They end up crossing the North Sea. Then Kay tells Wart he was snoring and making a honking noise when he wakes up. I think Wart realizes that geese stick together and when they want to do something they try there hardest and don't back down. Six years pass and Wart has been changed into many different things.

Chapter 21&22

Sir Ector thinks that Wart sulks because Kay is going to become a knight. Wart gets turned into a badger and meets a hedge hog. He calls him Urchin and realizes they both know Merlyn. Before he knew that the hog knew Merlyn he was thinking about eating him. He is sent to see Mr. Badger. The badger talks about embryos and his theory on how people were made through his essay. Then he says that man is the top of the animal class and they kill there own people. he thinks it's horrible and that man isn't that great and that other species are better. At the end he asks Wart if he liked the geese or the ants best because they are to very opposite creatures; one good, smart, and likes peace, the other is all about war,fighting, and not thinking beyond done and not done. The king gets killed. Sir Ector and King Pellinore think about the sword and the stone to decide who is the next king. Then the person who pulls it out is the only right person for England. Kay wants a chance at the sword and he talks to it with is father and sir Grummore. Merlyn leaves and this really upsets Wart. They try to get him to stay but he goes back to the forest.

Chapter 23&24

Kay goes to fight but doesn't have his sword so Wart goes to get it. He sees the sword in Anvil and goes for it, not knowing what it was he just thinks its a quick way to get Kay a sword. As he goes to pull it out he (gets advice) or it seems like he does telling him about how to get the sword. He receives the sword and gives it to Kay. Kay knows it isn't his sword and asks Wart about it. Then Sir Ector hears abotu it and goes back to the churc. Kay told him that he got the sword but then says no Wart really got it. They don't believe him so he puts the sword back in the stone and pulls it out for the second time. Then they realize this is their new king and honor him. Wart breaks down crying. The coronation occurs and Wart receives a lot of presents. Merlyn comes back and explains to Wart that he knew all along about him becoming king and that he carried him to Sir Ector when he was a baby. Wart is now known as King Arthur.

Vocab: belligerent

Clementius

Comments/thoughts

I believe my favorite character is Merlyn. I like him because he seems wise and he helps Arthur as much as he can. I think it was interesting that Merlyn was able to teach him so much by (Wart) Arthur being transformed into other animals. Kay is uptight and likes to rub how special he is in peoples face. I don't like him very much. Arthur is smart but still has some learning to do and now he has to take on ruling as a king. I feel bad for him but I believe he wild o a good job. My favorite lesson or transformation was when he turned into a goose. He learned valuable information and it showed that some species are so kind and gentle then there are species like us humans who are violent, greedy, and mean. I think Arthur cries when he gets the sword because all he wanted to do was get Kay a sword because he admired him and the knights. All of a sudden he is in charge of being king when he has always been nothing so he isn't prepared for it. I don't blame him because it is such a responsibility that he didn't ask for. To me this book so far is really interesting and keeps me reading !! I can't wait to read more.