[bright music]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music continues]
[hooves galloping]
- A messenger from King
Mark under a flag of truce.
- Let him enter.
- Advance, messenger.
[dramatic fanfare music]
- I am instructed by King Mark
to deliver a message to Prince Boudwin.
- I am Prince Boudwin.
- King Mark orders immediate
surrender of this castle.
Agree to these terms
and King Mark will conduct
you safely into exile.
- And if I disagree?
- In that case, King Mark will
storm this castle forthwith
and you will hang in your own courtyard.
- Neither I nor my people
will give ourselves to
the greed of your master.
We prefer death to dishonor.
[stately music]
[dramatic music]
[hooves gallop]
- My lord Mark,
Prince Boudwin refuses
your command to surrender.
- So the weakling prefers death.
- Sire, a horseman's trying to
escape from Boudwin's castle.
- To horse.
[dramatic music]
[hooves galloping]
[dramatic music continues]
[rider groans]
[rider thuds to floor]
- It's a message from
Boudwin to King Arthur.
It asks him to send the
promised aid at once,
and says he can entrust his
battle plan to this messenger.
- Hmm. Let the man and the message rot.
We'll return to camp.
- My lord.
The message states that King Arthur
has agreed to join the battle.
Eventually the power of the Round Table
will be thrown against us.
- I know, we cannot stop it.
- But if we knew King Arthur's plan,
the Knights of the Round
Table could be surprised
and perhaps slaughtered.
- How?
- My lord, permit me to
go to King Arthur's court
as this messenger.
[nefarious music]
- Excellent.
Excellent!
[dramatic music]
[dramatic fanfare music]
[knock on door]
- Come in.
- You asked for me?
- Ah yes.
I wanted you to be the first to see
the miraculous spell I managed
to cast over this bird.
Order of Columbidae,
known as dove or pigeon.
I've given one to master Brian
to take to the crossroads
when he will free it from the cage,
and the bird, obedient to my command
will fly straight back to the castle
with a message attached to its leg.
- I see, a sort of carrier pigeon.
- An excellent name for them.
When I announce my new
discovery to the court,
due credit shall be given to you.
- Did you know that King Solomon was known
to have used birds for sending
messages during wartime?
- Huh?
- Oh yes.
You can read all about
it in this volume of
Solomon's m*llitary Exploits.
- What an extraordinary coincidence.
- Solomon says that his
success with the birds
was merely a matter of training.
- It would appear, Sir Knight,
that you have an uncanny
and a nasty way of
uncovering all my secrets.
- [chuckles] No, uncovered
secrets they shall remain.
- Perhaps the bird has arrived.
- On horseback too by the sound of it.
[hooves cantering]
- Take me to your master.
I come from Prince Boudwin.
[regal fanfare music]
- A grave matter is
upon us, noble knights.
Long ago I promised to aid Prince Boudwin
if ever King Mark should att*ck him.
Now the gentle prince's castle
is under siege to the death
and the time has come to
give weight to that promise.
I have drawn our battle plan,
which will be dispatched at
once with Boudwin's messenger.
- Hold, Sire.
- Merlin?
- Forgive my interference, my lord,
but should a message of such importance
be inscribed on parchment?
If anything happened to
this worthy messenger,
this plan might fall into
the hands of King Mark.
- [Arthur] True.
- If a castle is besieged,
aren't the ableist of knights
required to force an entrance?
- Also true.
- Sir Lancelot, commit this to memory.
[parchment rustling]
And now, sire, only you and Sir Lancelot
know the contents of this scroll.
[flames flickering]
- I approve.
Before the sun sets,
you will ride to the castle of Boudwin.
Your solemn word that you will
reveal this message to
no man, except Boudwin.
- On my oath as a Knight of
the Round Table, I swear.
- I still don't see why a squire
should be guardian to a bird, My lord.
- One of Merlin's whims.
He says they're good companions.
- A squire's supposed to
have some dignity, you know?
I suppose if the worst
comes, we can always eat it.
[whimsical music]
[dramatic music]
[hooves galloping]
[dramatic music continues]
- We wait here until dark and
then proceed to the castle.
- Many years ago I was a
guest at Boudwin's Castle.
I don't remember these woods.
- They're only known to a few.
The castle is about an
hour's ride from here.
[curious music]
- Why does the messenger take so long?
- Perhaps he lost his way.
Oh, here he is.
- The way is dangerous.
Mark's men are all around.
I'm afraid, Sir Knight, we
may not all get through.
If you were to fail, the
message would not reach Boudwin.
- I'm aware of that.
- And if the boy, or I got through,
we'd have no message to convey.
- Then I should share the
message with you and Brian?
- I think only of Boudwin's safety.
He must know what King Arthur will do.
- I am under oath. The answer is no.
- But Sir Knight...
- No.
- Sir Knight, you must...
- Be quiet!
Do you want us ambushed?
[birds squawk]
[wings flutter]
[tense music]
[dramatic music]
[blades clash]
[dramatic music continues]
[water splashes]
- Have your senses returned?
- Enough to know that
I'm not with friends.
- I am King Mark.
- Your reputation is known to me.
- I want Arthur's battle plan.
- This traitor here
understands my position.
[blow smacks]
- I can see that you value your life.
Good. We understand each other.
I shall have that message,
or your life.
You will not speak?
Master Torturer, are you ready?
- I am ready, Sire.
- Take him.
[foreboding music]
[door thuds]
- What happened, sire?
- I told him nothing.
- But they may t*rture you again.
- Very likely.
- But he'll k*ll you.
Couldn't you tell him what he wants?
- Brian, a knight swears to
act honorably in all things.
Would you have me betray my oath?
- I don't see that an oath means so much
when your life's at stake.
Where's the honor in being k*lled?
- If you mean there's more
honor in life than in death,
you're quite right.
- Well then save your life.
- You prize life highly.
Yet you would have me send King Arthur
to almost certain death,
together with Sir Kay, Sir Tristran
and all our friends.
- I didn't think of it that way.
- Brian, if I give in now,
I shall live out my days a Judas.
Hated and scorned by all men.
Even by you.
[he breathes heavily]
[pigeon cooing softly]
- I've begun to like the bird.
He was good company while I was alone.
[pigeon coos]
- Carrier pigeon.
Quick, hide.
[gate creaks]
- Not every prisoner is accorded
the tender mercy of my wife.
Sir Lancelot, the Queen Isolt.
- I have long admired
your chivalrous deeds.
My husband and I are seldom in agreement.
I do not believe in t*rture and savagery.
- Enough. Hold your disloyal tongue.
And now that you have seen
the glory of the Round Table,
you may go.
- Would you allow me to finish, my lord?
May we meet again in a happier time.
I hope you find the
strength to keep your trust.
- He will do,
that is until he can no more.
- What new horror have
you devised now, my lord?
- To make the man speak,
we will t*rture the boy.
- Monster!
[Lancelot grunts]
- Trust me, Sir Knight.
- Tomorrow we will see whether his hide
is as as brave as his tongue.
[dramatic music]
[gentle hopeful music]
[Kn*fe scratching on stone]
[wings flutter]
[bright hopeful music]
[dramatic music]
[wings flutter]
- Do you mean to tell me that this message
was brought here from
Mark's castle by that bird?
- The wonders of this world are infinite.
I feel it safe to say that even I
do not understand them all.
- That's quite a
confession, Master Merlin.
Yes. In view of this I see no alternative
but to change the plan of battle.
Have the knights left yet?
- All but Sir Tristran,
and Sir Claude who wait upon you.
- Then we must act quickly if
we hope to catch the others.
Summon Sir Tristran and Sir Claude.
- If I might suggest, sire,
this is a case where few
are better than many.
- Yes, I will send word to the knights
to be on their guard against Mark's men.
Meanwhile, the four of us
will att*ck the castle.
Ah, Sir Tristran, Sir Claude,
Lancelot is imprisoned by King Mark.
- What are we to do, sire?
- Our original battle plan has changed.
We four will ride at
once to Mark's castle.
Lancelot suggests we send the bird aloft
to tell him that we are ready.
Then we'll wait in the woods
for his signal to att*ck.
Now, let's prepare for action.
[dramatic music]
[hooves galloping]
- Now that you have had
time to think it over,
the decision is yours.
Will you send this boy
to the t*rture chamber?
- You hold me responsible for what you do?
Hear me, Mark.
If you harm that boy, you'll
answer to me if I live.
And if I die, there is not
one Knight of the Round Table
will rest until this outrage is avenged.
- Take him away.
- I'll try to be brave.
- It is still in your power to save him.
[wooden bars rattling]
[fist bangs]
[wings flutter]
[wings fluttering]
- Guard! Guard!
Tell your master I'm ready to speak.
- Well?
- Not until the boy is
released from the rack.
- Open.
Fetch the boy.
So the brave knight has
a weakness after all.
- Without weakness, there can
be no bravery, only brutality.
Brian, are you all right?
Have you been tortured yet?
- Not yet, sire.
- I'm ready.
- The battle plan?
- Which one? Arthur has many.
- Don't quibble. The one
that you committed to memory.
- Ah, that one
- Naturally.
- Sire. Sire, don't tell.
- The plan is this.
Two columns will feint to
the north and the west,
but the main force of Arthur's men
will drive through the
ford from the south.
- At what time is this to take place?
- At mid-afternoon today
- Without waiting word from you?
- With or without confirmation.
- How do I know you're not lying?
- On my oath as a Knight
of the Round Table.
That is the plan I committed to memory.
- Withdraw our forces
from Boudwin's Castle.
Move them to the ford.
Every available man at
arms here will leave
and join our main body.
And at last I can destroy Arthur.
- I would never have believed this
if I had not seen it myself.
- 30 pieces.
[coins rattle]
That is the proper payment, is it not?
[dramatic music]
[all grunting]
- Brian, come on!
[dramatic music]
- Fools. Fools.
Stop that man!
Stop him!
[dramatic music]
- Stay where you are, Brian.
[heroic music]
- Sire. The signal.
[dramatic music]
- Hold that boy.
Sound the recall.
[trumpet blasts]
[dramatic music]
[hooves galloping]
- Too late, my lord.
[dramatic music]
- Coming, Merlin?
- Er, no, sir.
I'll stay with the horses.
[dramatic music]
- Brian. Brian.
[blades clashing]
[dramatic music]
[blades clashing]
- Hold, Arthur.
Hold!
Withdraw beyond the moat if
you value the life of this boy.
- A bargain, Mark.
His life for yours.
- No bargain.
Withdraw.
- We withdraw.
[tense music]
- Withdraw, Lancelot.
Or I'll k*ll the boy, I swear it.
- It'll be the last blow
you ever strike, Mark.
Brian!
[dramatic music]
[blades clashing]
[sword clatters]
- Enough. I yield.
I yield. But let the world know
that Sir Lancelot lied upon his oath.
- No, I gave you the plan you asked for.
It was another plan that defeated you.
- You will withdraw your
allegiance from Boudwin's castle
and under pain of death never
again bear arms against him.
- As you wish, my lord.
Sire, I ask a boon.
- Granted.
- I transfer it to this good queen,
shackled in unhappy alliance to King Mark.
- I agree.
My lady.
- It is my deepest wish, sire,
to live at the castle
of the gentle Boudwin.
- When you are ready to leave, madam,
Sir Tristran will escort you there.
[soft heroic music]
- I am at your command.
- Forgive my doubt, Sir Lancelot.
- And my stupidity.
- You should be put to death.
But I am, I hope, a merciful king.
You will think upon your misdeeds
in your own dungeon for four seasons.
When that time has passed,
we will consider again.
You've done a worthy
day's work, Sir Lancelot.
- Thank you, sire.
But I owe my life to
Master Merlin's pigeons.
- Master Merlin's miraculous pigeons.
[Lancelot chuckles]
[triumphant music]
[bright music]
♪ Now listen to my story ♪
♪ Yes, listen, while I sing ♪
♪ Of days of old in England ♪
♪ When Arthur was the King ♪
♪ Of Merlin the magician ♪
♪ And Guinevere, the Queen ♪
♪ And Lancelot the bravest
knight the world has ever seen ♪
♪ In days of old, when knights were bold ♪
♪ The stories told of Lancelot ♪
♪ He rode the wilds of England ♪
♪ Adventures for to seek ♪
♪ To rescue maidens in distress ♪
♪ And helped the poor and weak ♪
♪ If anyone oppressed you,
he'd be your champion ♪
♪ He fought a million battles
and he never lost a one ♪
♪ In days of old, when knights were bold ♪
♪ The stories told of Lancelot ♪
♪ In days of old, when knights were bold ♪
♪ The stories told of Lancelot ♪
[bright music]