[shimmering tones]
[dramatic music]
[hooves thundering]
[gong crashing]
[adventurous music]
- Hey!
Stop thief!
Thief!
Stop thief!
[quick music]
[branches rustling]
[bodies crashing]
- All right, Sir Knight, you win.
- What's your name?
- Piggott, my lord; Piggott.
Alias, The Beak.
- I suppose you were hungry.
- Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
No, I'm a bread fancier
by nature, my lord.
At your service.
I collect bread the
same as your King Arthur
collects valuable gems.
To me a bit of bread,
why, it's as beautiful
as a ruby is to him.
Only with more reason; I'm starving!
- Well, pay for it in future!
- Simple, isn't it?
The problem is solved,
except what do I do when
the purse gives out?
- Get work.
- This isn't a birthmark, you know.
I've been branded for stealing.
With this badge of a thief
hardly no one will give me work.
- [Lancelot] How do I know
you're telling the truth?
- There are plenty of us come to Camelot
from the plague and famine of the north
and we can't get work.
And your king crams us
into dungeons like vermin.
- Enough of that.
Now you go and pay for that loaf.
Now be off with you.
- Thank you, my lord.
Thank you.
Anytime you want a service
done, you send for me.
I'll be with the rest of the vermin.
And if you wanna know where
they are, ask your king.
[somber music]
- And then he said,
"When the purse is gone, what shall I do?"
I must confess, sire, that
I had no answer for him.
- It is true, sire, that I have
received increasing reports
of bondsmen who have been
driven from the north by famine.
- What about this, Sir Kay?
As [indistinct], you should
keep me fully informed.
- As usual, sire, Master Merlin is wrong.
These men are nothing but
thieves and cutthroats,
and they are being dealt
with as they deserve.
- Does it occur to you, Sir Kay,
that these men are not born thieves?
They steal simply because
they are starving.
- Ha! Thieves don't work from choice.
They are murdering vermin!
[door thuds]
- And does it occur to you, Sir Lancelot,
that your thief is a lazy man?
He wants to live rich
and well without effort.
- But this man is destitute, sire.
He has nothing.
Any work would be better
than living the way he does.
- Oh, don't be simple, Lancelot.
He loves it.
It's exciting.
You must admit that to some men
a life of crime is far more
adventurous than milking a cow.
- Even with the consequences
that face a thief?
If he's caught, the
possible loss of a limb
or even his life?
[laughs ruefully] I
find it hard to believe.
- You are indulging in
sentiment, Lancelot.
With men such as these,
what will be will be.
- So that's the answer?
We must be complacent.
The kingdom is infested with thieves
and the answer is what will be will be.
- It's up to every one of my subjects.
Individually each can have
a good life if he wants to.
The thief wants to be a
thief; it can be proved.
- Can it, sire?
Give a dog a bad name and it sticks.
Put a thief's brand on
King Arthur himself,
and he'd be turned away
from the lowliest cottage in this land.
- Nonsense.
If I were a thief I could
stop stealing tomorrow
and start life anew.
It's simply a matter of
willingness and decision.
- Do you care to prove that, sire?
- Gladly.
- Go amongst the people as a common thief
and try to earn an honest living?
- Would you have me do that?
Your king?
- Your suggestion, sire.
[curious music]
- [sighs] Very well.
Merlin, I shall need a disguise.
And would it be possible to make a mark
like a thief's brand?
Here?
- Possible, but is it desirable?
Has not this argument gone too far?
- By no means far enough.
We shall require two brands.
One for myself and one for Lancelot.
- But my lord-
- If I am to be a thief,
I obviously cannot be
trusted to prove my point.
Therefore, you are going
with me, fellow thief.
[dramatic musical flourish]
Well, we've hunted a good part of the day
for a band of thieves, and
it would appear my kingdom
is not as infested as you say.
Oh Lancelot, my feet are very, very sore.
- Comes from riding
horses too much, my lord.
My lord, I don't think it'd be wise
for us to call each
other by our real names.
- Naturally, of course, of course.
[inquisitive music]
- You know, this may be a good
place to find some thieves.
Shall we try?
- Right.
[suspenseful music]
[woman crying]
I didn't order this.
I'm in the habit of choosing what I drink!
- Beer, ale, mead,
they're all the same here.
Don't matter what you order, you get this.
Come on, simpleton; your money.
- What's the matter with our
unhappy friends over there?
- Fella by the name of Piggott, dead.
- Piggott?
The one they call The Beak?
- [Bartender] The same.
Did you know him?
- I saw him only yesterday.
How did he die?
- How do you think?
- So, you were a friend of Piggott's, eh?
- I knew him, yes.
- Where are you from?
- Up north.
- How do I know you knew Piggott?
- You don't.
- So you saw Piggott yesterday?
- As a matter of fact, I did.
- When he was caught,
they say he had a purse.
- Huh.
- Do you know where he got it from?
- He got it from a knight.
- Why should a Knight give him a purse?
- Sounds strange, I know,
but the knight said it
was to tide him over
until he found work.
- Yeah, that fits.
But the king's men caught him.
- Yeah.
- They k*lled him.
[tense music]
- Psst.
- If I were you, I'd get out of here.
There's gonna be a raid.
Soon the king's men will be everywhere.
- It's the first I've heard of it.
- Does the king consult you?
- Uh, no.
If you put it like that,
I suppose he doesn't.
- Quick, follow me.
[suspenseful music]
[footsteps crunching]
[king's man grunting]
[Kn*fe slicing]
- You don't need to have done that!
- Shut up, you fool. You
want us to be caught?
Go on, come on.
- Look out!
- Rufus, Meloch, after them!
[exciting music]
[lookout whistling]
- All right.
You know it's a wonder to me
that you got out of the north.
With an idiot like that round your neck.
It's a wonder
you're not spending the rest
of your lives in a dungeon.
What were you trying to do back there?
Get us caught?
- Certainly not.
We'd done nothing wrong till
you hit that lad on the head.
Why should we be arrested?
- You don't have to steal to
get jailed in these parts.
- That's not true.
Everybody in this country
enjoys complete freedom
unless he breaks the law.
[all laughing]
- This man's so simple
that he ought not to
be let out by himself.
- Just the same, he's very dangerous.
Why, where we come from up north
he's known as Artie,
King of the Cutthroats.
- He may look like a cutthroat,
but he don't act like one.
Here, listen lads, I've heard
there's some Spanish wine
on the way for King Arthur himself.
Now if we could get a hold of that
we could drink hearty for a month.
You boys can come in and
join us; you're welcome.
- No, thank you.
- Oh, a contrary one.
Well, no one is forcing you.
- I'm sick of this kind of life
and I'm going to give it up.
[all laughing]
And I can only advise you to do the same.
- Right.
You find a way out, let us
know, and we'll join you.
- You don't think it can be done?
- I know it can't.
- We'll see.
Coming Lancelot?
- Lancelot?
[thieves laughing]
Lancelot; who does he
think he is, King Arthur?
- Poor fellow, he's like this at times.
- What, touched?
- Not always.
- Oh, poor lad.
b*at on the head too much, I suppose.
Take good care of him,
but don't go hungry.
You come to us.
- Thanks.
I'll remember that.
We've been walking a long time, my lord.
We ought to try and get some sleep.
- Where, here?
- Good as anywhere.
- There are no beds.
But uh, now we're not very far
from the castle of the Duke of Alcorn.
And I thought, uh, well,
I mean, he wouldn't want
us to spend the night
in the open, now would he?
- Would the duke take in a thief, my lord?
- No, of course not.
I didn't mean that-
- Your plan was to be a thief,
no matter how difficult it is.
[Arthur groaning]
[dramatic music]
[birds singing]
- This is the place.
That is Lord Vanton there.
I've heard he's a hard man, but fair,
and let's put it to the test.
- Don't forget to disguise
your voice, my lord.
- Of course not.
Good morning to you, sir.
My friend and I have come a long way.
We're looking for work.
- Spent the night in
Thieves' Forest, I'll wager.
- Even if I have, it doesn't
mean that I am a thief.
- Just as I thought: the thieves' brand.
And you want work?
Ha!
When my back is turned,
you'll rob and thieve.
- One mistake, my lord.
We have reformed.
We offer honest labor for a fair price.
Can you give it to us?
No, be off with you
before I warn the guard.
- But all we want is honest labor-
- Be off!
- But how can we live?
What can we do unless somebody helps us?
- Go into the town.
They're less particular there.
Now be off with you.
[inquisitive music]
- Well?
- "Nothing for the likes of you."
That's what he said.
As if I was scum.
- Very hard, my lord.
- It may be, but I haven't given up yet.
Are you quite certain
that we haven't got a few pennies left?
- We spent our last coppers at midday.
- Found no work yet?
- No, but we will.
- What makes you think so?
And where?
- We're willing, and we'll
do anything that's honest.
- A man who will do anything
is skilled at nothing.
Why don't you do what
you're qualified for?
- What's that?
- You did say you'd do anything?
- That's right, I did.
- Very well, then.
Soon a man will ride into
town wearing a red cockade.
He carries something in a pouch
that I want very particularly.
Waylay him, bring me the pouch,
and I will reward you handsomely.
- Why shouldn't we keep
the pouch for ourselves?
- That would be silly.
The king's men would
have you in the dungeons
before you'd traveled half a league.
No, no.
Come, come.
Do as I say.
Bring me the pouch and I will reward you.
I'll give you a job at my castle.
- So if we agree to be dishonest,
you'll give us a chance to be honest.
- Put it that way if you like.
You would be wise to accept my proposal.
- And if we don't accept?
- One word from me to the
king's man there, and...
- We'd find ourselves in a dungeon,
- Something like that.
And you'll-
- You, you, you scoundrel!
- Help, guard!
- Leave us!
Put it down!
What do you think you're doing?
- Guards!
- [Peddler] That's my fruit!
[all shouting]
- Never mind them.
- What do you think you're
doing? Let my fruit alone!
Hey!
[punch landing]
- Come on!
[dramatic musical flourish]
[adventurous music]
I think we've thrown them off, my lord.
- Good.
[Arthur breathing hard]
- You took an apple, my lord.
Yesterday you said, "If I was a thief."
Now you are one.
For that you could lose a hand.
- Yes, I could.
And you, you struck one of my men.
For that you could be put in jail for life
- Without trying, without thinking,
we're both criminals.
[inquisitive music]
- Lancelot.
- My lord?
- I'm terribly, terribly hungry.
- So am I, my lord.
Let's go and try and
find our fellow thieves.
- Buck up there, lad.
You look proper mournful.
- I am.
- Hmm, didn't find the world
as friendly as you expected, eh?
- No.
Out of all the places we asked for work,
we got just one offer
and that was dishonest.
- Well, you don't wanna
take it too hard, friend.
Here, drink up.
This is the king's wine, and the best.
- I know.
- Hey, wine!
More wine.
- And you?
- Me?
I were a woodsman by trade.
My master took all our axes
to [indistinct] to fight.
He lost.
It's the same with all of us.
Dispossessed, hunted, beaten.
So we all hang together
to try and help each other keep alive.
[rustling and crashing]
- Fell out the tree.
He drunk too much.
- Fine lookout he is.
Anyone coulda crept up on us.
[twig snapping]
Shh.
[suspenseful music]
What'll they have?
Put the fire out.
Come on, quick.
[lookout groaning]
Come on, get up.
- Scatter!
- Halt! Surrender in the name of the king!
- In the name of the
king I order you to stop!
[triumphant music]
[men shouting]
[weapons clacking]
[cask thudding]
[Lancelot grunting]
- Yes, he fits the description, all right.
Take him away!
- You are here before Lord Vanton,
the ruler of the district who
will hear of your offenses
and say what punishment you are to receive
as by custom established in the
laws of King Arthur provide.
Is this the man who att*cked you, my lord?
- He is the man.
- You deny it, rogue?
- No, I do not!
And how can such a scoundrel
as you dispense justice?
- Silence!
Are you aware of the
punishment proclaimed by law
for setting upon and
treating with insolence
a lord of the realm?
- I should be.
I wrote the law.
And at the first
opportunity, I'll amend it.
- You'll amend it, you say?
- And who are you?
- I am King Arthur.
[guards laughing]
- So you're King Arthur?
And who is this by your
side, Sir Lancelot?
- Of course, he is the
Lancelot of the Lake.
- Forgive him, my lord.
He, he raves like this at times.
- Lancelot!
I can prove who I am!
Send for Queen Guinevere!
She'll identify me!
- Enough of this nonsense!
Take him to the dungeons.
- My lord.
If it please you, I know this man.
I'd like to speak for him.
He wants to give up his
old life and turn honest.
As for thinking he's King Arthur,
well, he's been b*at
about the head so much,
he don't rightly know who he is.
I ask you to be merciful.
- Your honor, this is
the leader of the band
in the Thieves' Forest.
- We'll put an end to this
band once and for all, captain.
Tomorrow there will be a mass hanging.
[all murmuring]
Away with them!
[all chattering]
- Thanks.
As long as I live, I'll remember that.
- You won't have to remember long.
[somber music]
[carpenters hammering]
- I still don't understand
why you didn't identify me
in the room of justice.
- If the ordinary thief
could say to his judge,
"I am the king; let me go,"
we should have no problem.
- Well, what shall we say then?
Our lives are at stake.
- So is the life of any thief
under these circumstances.
- In that case, there's
only one thing to do,
and that's to try and break out.
Norrin.
Our only chance is to try
and break out of here.
- Yeah, that's right, Artie.
We've already made a plan.
Piggley.
Let's have it.
Now listen Artie,
we want you to pretend
to be the king again.
Put on all them fancy
airs like you did before.
Come on.
Call the jailer.
Shh.
- Jailer.
Jailer!
Jailer!
- What do you want?
- Would you like a purse of gold?
- That I would.
- Then come closer.
- What, so that you can get
up to one of your tricks?
- Well, friend, that's a
chance you'll have to take
if you want the gold.
Now look, you see this hand?
Notice the strange mark on the palm.
Now go to Camelot, ask
for Merlin the wizard.
Take a close look.
Remember the mark.
[jailer gasping]
- One sound outta you
and I'll put your shoulder
in the back of your head.
Open the door.
[key jingling]
[jailer choking]
- Right!
Listen, we won't all get out of here.
But anyone who does, organize the thieves
for a mass att*ck on this filthy place.
Come on.
[dramatic music]
[punches landing]
[swords clacking]
- Now!
- Hold!
- We yield!
- Drop your swords.
[men coughing and gasping]
- You know, if it weren't so daft,
I'd think you was Sir Lancelot.
[somber music]
[alarming music]
- My lord, what has happened?
Can I do anything?
- Yes, you can.
First bring Lord Vanton
before me as soon as possible.
- Yes.
- And second, issue writs of freedom
for the thieves in common jail.
Have them all in the
courtyard in the morning.
- Yes, my lord.
- The king will have you flogged for this.
- We shall see.
His Majesty, King Arthur.
- Your Majesty, a terrible
wrong has been done.
I've been dragged before you as a criminal
for dispensing your justice.
[all gasping]
- It's Artie!
The jiggers!
He was the king, I mean he is the king.
- Then you were Lancelot.
I thought nobody else
could fight like that.
[Lancelot chuckling]
- Lord Vanton, tomorrow you will leave
on a pilgrimage for Rome.
There you will learn humility.
Be grateful that I've been so lenient.
Now away with you!
[resolute music]
This is for you.
In future you will be overseer
of the Thieves' Forest.
Merlin.
- My lord.
- Prepare a proclamation
for all the men in Camelot
that there is work on the land,
whether they wear a thieves' brand or not.
- At once, my lord.
- And for the rest, my friends,
we have prepared a feast.
I uh, was hoping to have
some Spanish wine for you,
but unfortunately it did not arrive.
[all laughing]
[musical flourish]
[cheerful music]
♪ Now listen to my story ♪
♪ Yes, listen while I sing ♪
♪ Of days of old in England
when Arthur was the king ♪
♪ In days of old when knights were bold ♪
♪ The story's told of Lancelot ♪
[shimmering tones]