[ethereal music]
[grand trumpet music]
[horses hooves thumping]
[shield banging]
[dramatic music]
- Father, please!
- My Lord!
- I cannot understand why King Rolf
would imprison his own son.
- [Lancelot] Neither can I, my Lord.
- King Rolf is an old
friend of yours, isn't he?
- Yes, but this kind of
action is not like him.
- Sire, if I may?
- [Arthur] Yes.
- I've been Prince Damien's Squire
now for more than four years.
Until just recently, he and
his father were very close,
but now King Rolf seems
to think only of warfare.
- Warfare?
He was always a peaceful man.
- In the past several months,
he has att*cked and destroyed two
small kingdoms bordering on ours.
- This is very disturbing news.
Lancelot, perhaps you
should visit King Rolf.
Find out if what this lad says is true,
then come back to me and we'll
decide what action to take.
- I shall leave at once, my Lord.
[dramatic music]
[emotional music]
- You know this part
of the country, Brian?
- No, sir.
- I was here on a hunting
expedition with my father once.
Wasn't much of a hunter though.
I was afraid of the dark.
- You, sir?
- Yes.
And I was too weak to
hold a sword in one hand.
I remember the first wild
boar I tried to k*ll,
chased me up a tree.
But all that was long, long ago.
[dramatic music]
For a castle that's not besieged,
they're certainly well armed.
- Yes, and all these sentries.
And King Rolf is supposed
to be a peaceful man.
- Something very strange
is going on here, Brian.
- Oh, hold I say!
- Why do you challenge me?
I'm Sir Lancelot of The Lake
We are here on a peaceful
mission to see King Rolf.
- You will go under our escort.
- Are all strangers enemies?
- Until proven otherwise.
Come along.
- I am Hedrick, captain of the guard.
Welcome to Benicia, Sir Lancelot.
- I've already been welcomed.
Take me to your king.
- I'm afraid that may not be possible.
You see, his Majesty is not well.
- What's wrong with him?
- Hedrick!
[eerie music]
- This is Eunice of Ethelston.
She is to our kingdom
what Merlin is to yours.
- A post of high honor.
- I am certain his Majesty
will see Sir Lancelot.
Come with me, please.
- I hope your master isn't seriously ill?
- Not in body, sir,
but in spirit.
He is at prayer seeking the strength
to go through with an execution.
- Oh, who is to be ex*cuted?
- You may remember King
Rolf's son, Damien.
- Yes, indeed I do,
a fine, courageous boy.
- He's been found guilty of treason.
- I can't believe it.
- Follow me, please.
Your Majesty?
- Sire, I bring greetings of
friendship from my Lord Arthur.
- Greetings from Arthur?
- Is there anything you wish, Sire?
Shall I go and prepare
chambers for our guests?
- What?
Oh yes, please.
- Come with me, boy.
- Sit down.
- All is not well with you, Sire.
- Alas, my friend.
These are troubled days.
- So it appears, there are
many things I don't understand.
Your land's going to waste,
women and children tilling the fields,
all able-bodied men in uniform.
Why?
- We must be prepared, we
are on the brink of w*r.
- We haven't heard of this at Camelot.
Who is your enemy?
- They have not shown themselves yet,
but they will one day
and I shall be ready.
- My Lord, perhaps you have information
that is not available to me?
- I have more.
[suspenseful music]
I have a prophecy given me
by the remarkable insight
of that marvelous woman
who has just left us.
- Has she named the enemy yet?
- No, not yet.
But it is written in
the stars that powerful
forces are conspiring to
overthrow our kingdom.
- Eunice could be wrong.
- You do not know her powers.
One day she warned me not to go hunting
in the Black Forest
because danger threatened.
That day, a raging fire reduced
the whole of the forest to cinders.
Since then, she has
been my trusted advisor.
- I see.
I suppose it was she who brought
the charges against Damien.
- Everyone knows that he has
been speaking out against me,
spreading dissatisfaction.
Then came the day when he
spoke against me to my face.
Do you deny that this is treason?
- Treason is a word that we
should use carefully, my Lord.
I could judge better if I
could speak to the boy myself.
- You shall speak to him.
- Certainly, I spoke out.
I felt compelled to.
When my father struck at Sir Linton,
a weak, unarmed neighbor
and destroyed him,
I couldn't be silent.
- Isn't it a fact that you and Sir Linton
conspired to take your father's place?
- [Damien] No!
- Obsessed with power, you
sought to destroy your father
and take the kingdom for yourself?
- No, it's not true!
- Then what has happened?
What has changed this peaceful
king into a man of w*r?
- Eunice of Ethelston.
Ever since she predicted the forest fire,
my father has no will of his own.
And now she's contrived
to get me out the way
so she'll have father and
the kingdom to herself.
Haven't you seen the state of the lands,
the people starving?
If it's treason to speak out
against that, then I'm guilty.
Don't you believe me?
- Yes Damien, I do.
I want you to be sure.
- Lancelot?
Be careful, she's very clever.
- Have you ever seen anything like this?
- No.
- Sit down, boy.
If you look closely,
you can see yourself
in the polished silver.
[eerie music]
It makes you sleepy, doesn't it?
- Yes, very.
- You feel tired now,
but you can't take your eyes
from the flame, can you?
- No, I don't want to.
- That's right, don't try.
It's very pleasant.
You'll never remember any of this again.
Never remember.
- Never remember.
- And now you are going to
tell me about Sir Lancelot.
All about him.
- Well, you've seen him?
Did he speak against me?
- He spoke, but in such
a way as to convince me
that he has only your
real interests at heart.
- He has turned you against me.
- No, my Lord.
I am here on a mission of peace.
Lay down your arms, send your
people back to their fields.
- But Eunice clearly foresees invasion.
- And if the invasion does
not take place, what then?
Can your people eat the instruments
of w*r that you have fashioned?
This is not the way of a king, my Lord,
to live in fear, to be haunted by shadows.
- I suppose if there really
were no danger of w*r,
I could return my
soldiers to their fields.
- There is no danger.
- No, I must consult Eunice.
- My Lord, why must you always
let this woman make your decisions?
- I make the decisions.
Does your king refuse to accept
the council of his Merlin?
- Very well, let us speak to Eunice.
- My dear.
Sir Lancelot says he's been
traveling through the lands
of those who was conspiring against us,
and he sees no signs of w*r.
- Today.
Could he but read the future?
- Alas, that I cannot do.
But Merlin, the master wizard,
foresees a great peace
descending upon England.
- Forgive me, Sir Knight.
We must face the truth.
Your Merlin grows old.
He is past his prime.
- I had always thought that his great age
was the sort of his great wisdom.
- Let me look into your past and future,
and perhaps you will change your mind.
- Perhaps, but I fail
to see how you can...
- I will summon up my voices.
I call upon the souls of the departed.
I call upon the souls of the unborn.
Amitain vero exoro fortis.
Come, come,
come!
Speak through my mouth.
- Listen.
- Lancelot, who is the
fairest in the land?
- Who speaks?
- I am Elaine of Berwick.
I have but one child,
a son, Lancelot,
but he is a great disappointment to us.
We have taken him on
many hunting expeditions,
but he displays no aptitude.
He cannot even hold a sword with one hand.
Moreover, he is afraid of the dark.
- Does she speak truth?
- Yes, she does but I--
- Enough.
You are a good friend,
but not a good counselor.
Not one of my soldiers
will put away his arms.
Are you all right, my dear?
- Did I speak truth?
- [Rolf] Perfect.
I will saddle your horse.
- I shall go with regret.
But will you do me a favor before I do?
- If it is within my power.
- Although I disagree with
your preparations for w*r,
whoever made your armor
is a master of his craft.
I would dearly like to buy a suit.
- That at least I can give you.
I will tell the armorer.
- What do you want a suit of armor for?
- Shh.
We're gonna get Damien
out of that dungeon.
- Oh, in the armor?
- Exactly.
Now listen, you go to the
armory and get a suit,
and bring it to me in the dungeon.
Hurry.
- Guard, saddle Sir Lancelot's horse.
[dramatic music]
- The King wants you.
The King, he wants you.
[suspenseful music]
- Young man, have you seen the King?
- No.
- Well, I've been sent to find him.
- Just a minute.
You want the King?
He's on the battlement.
- Thank you!
[dramatic music]
- Farewell, Sir Lancelot.
I fear that time will soon
prove you ill advised.
- Farewell, King Rolf.
[dramatic music]
- My Lord.
With your permission, I should
like to ask some questions.
- [Arthur] Granted.
- Of you.
- Me, Sir?
- Yes, you.
Tell me.
When you were alone with
Eunice, what happened?
What did she do, what did she say?
- Nothing.
- Nothing happened at all?
Try and remember, boy.
- Well, she did show me a candle thing,
with a thing that spun around on top.
- And you looked at this candle thing?
- [Brian] Of course I did.
I didn't see any reason
why I shouldn't look.
- And then you couldn't
take your eyes off it.
- Why yes, that's right!
- The truth is you can't remember anything
that happened when you
were alone with Eunice!
- No.
- My Lord,
this is an old archaic candle
trick that self-respecting
magicians gave up years before I was born.
- But how did Eunice know about me?
- From the boy.
When he was under the spell, he spoke,
but no memory of his speaking remains.
It is a primitive hocus pocus,
what the sages call hypnotism.
- This is all very
interesting, Master Merlin.
But the problem remains.
- My Lord, I see a vision.
Eunice is here in Camelot,
and King Rolf is with her.
- [Arthur] King Rolf, here?
- My Lord, listen to the voice of wisdom.
What say you, voice?
- [Voice] I see the incomparable Merlin
concluding the career
of this upstart witch,
with a magic here too far
not seen by human eyes.
- My Lord.
Why not invite Eunice and King Rolf here?
- This woman, Eunice,
might not be so anxious to come.
- She will.
Damien is more dangerous to her here
in Camelot than in his father's dungeon.
- My Lord!
- A moment, Damien.
This is a good plan.
I should invite your father here
to discuss your possible release.
- Your Majesty.
I greet you on behalf of the King
and welcome you to Camelot.
I am known as Merlin.
- Yes, of course.
We are honored.
Ah, the incomparable Eunice of Ethelston.
There is much I hope to learn from you.
- Be careful.
- Of that old goat?
- Page.
Take his Majesty to the King.
I wonder, would you be interested
in seeing my laboratory?
- Yes, it might be amusing.
- His Majesty, King Rolf.
- Your Majesty, welcome to Camelot.
- Thank you.
- Tell me, is Eunice of
Ethelston with Merlin?
- Yes, she is.
- Good, then come with me.
There's something of
importance I wish you to see.
- But your message said
you had my son with you.
Where is he?
- I've sent for him,
he'll be along directly.
- Afraid it's very untidy.
Can't get apprentices these days.
Why, what's the matter?
- Listen.
Can't you hear?
- Hear what?
- My voices.
They come to me often
to warn me of danger.
The voices of Caesar, Solomon.
Can't you hear them?
- No, tell them to speak up a bit.
- One has to be attuned to them.
- Ah, madam.
If only I had your gifts.
Voices come to me too, you know?
But never anyone important.
- [Mahitabelle] Merlin, Merlin.
Who is there?
What are you doing?
- One of my voices speaks rather clearly.
Don't you think so?
- Who is it?
- My great aunt Mahitabelle, an old snoop.
She's been dead 93 years
and won't face up to it.
Go away, Mahitabelle.
Can't you see that I'm busy?
- [Mahitabelle] Go away,
you silly old sorcerer.
- Very difficult woman.
Perhaps you'd like to see my magic birds?
- Magic birds?
Indeed.
My dear Merlin, they're
nothing of the sort.
They're carrier pigeons.
- Oh, then you know all about them.
Then you won't want this one.
Oh dear, and I was going to
make you a present of him.
- Now listen to me, old man,
you'll just have to understand
that your methods are archaic.
We younger magicians reject
your kind of mumbo jumbo.
- Oh, I see.
You mustn't let King
Arthur hear you say that.
Good gracious.
What's that?
- You mean to say you've
never seen one of these?
- Why no, never.
- I'll just light the candles then
and show you how it works.
Have you a flint?
- Yes, I have one here.
Oh yes.
[flint exploding]
How careless.
I say, perhaps I can
amuse you with this one?
- Oh no, spare me that please.
- It's very old.
I must apologize, truly.
But most--
- It's ridiculous.
- These tricks are ancient,
but nevertheless very amusing.
You know, there's a certain
charm about these old tricks,
don't you think?
- No, I don't,
you silly old fool--
- Children adore them, they do really.
And I must confess that
I join in the fun too.
- Idiot!
- The preparations for these
tricks are something enormous,
but the result you
agree is most effective.
Why not?
- Oh, well hurry up and
get it over with then.
Now look what you've done.
I'm all entangled in this
stupid trick of yours.
- Oh, how careless of me.
I'm so sorry.
- Just cut me loose, that's all.
- Yes, now where is that Kn*fe?
- Hurry up, I don't want sit here all day.
- Ah, here it is.
[potion bubbling]
- [Eunice] Now what have you done?
- Oh, noxious vapors.
Oh, they're very dangerous.
- Well get rid of it then, quickly!
- Don't worry, I've got
the proper antidote here.
Yeah, I'm all right now.
- But what about me?
- If you want to share this antidote,
you must make a very rapid confession.
- Confess to what?
- Tell me--
- I can hardly breathe, I'm suffocating.
- [Merlin] No one can save
you unless you answer quickly.
- [Eunice] I'm suffocating.
- Is your master actually
threatened with w*r?
[Eunice coughing]
Is he?
- No, no!
- [Merlin] Is Damien actually guilty?
- No, please,
the antidote!
- Who put the fire in the Black Forest?
- Hedrick, under my instruction.
- Stand back everyone!
Now that's how you repay me?
[Eunice coughing]
- Hedrick, don't breathe.
Poison!
- Don't worry, it's only one
of my archaic little tricks.
It's only smoke.
- Just your little jokes.
Sacrifice my skin to save your own!
You know what I wanna do with you?
- Hedrick, no!
- It was Eunice and you.
Get rid of me and then take
care of my father, was that it?
[dramatic music]
- No, you don't.
[swords clattering]
[dramatic music]
- I yield.
[emotional music]
- You should both die,
but we've had enough
v*olence in my kingdom.
You shall be banished forever.
Master Merlin, how can I ever repay you?
- My needs are very modest, Sire.
Might I have this as a trophy?
- Certainly.
Farewell, Merlin.
- Thank you, Sire.
- Merlin?
- What?
- I thought you said it was an old trick.
- Ah, some of the oldest
tricks are the best.
Now, tell me.
Do you feel sleepy?
- Oh no, you don't.
[dramatic 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 ♪
♪ This story's told ♪
♪ Of Lancelot ♪
[ethereal music