[awakening music]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music]
[kidnap victims screaming]
[dramatic music]
[kidnap victims screaming]
- [Pursuer] Stop them!
Stop them!
Stop them, they've got my daughters!
Stop them!
[serious music]
- Treat them tenderly,
and give 'em all the comforts of brides.
- Oh, here you are, Alfred.
You've been a long time.
What have you been doing?
- Well, sir, I-
- Oh, nevermind, nevermind.
Now I've just seen three very pretty
young girls in my courtyard.
Who are they?
- They're the daughters of Sir Rolf
of Northumberland, sir.
- Oh really?
Well, what are they doing here?
- They were brought here.
- Brought here?
Well, why haven't they been to see me?
- But...
- Brought here?
Alfred, are those girls in my castle
against their wills?
- Yes, sir, your sons brought them here.
- So
my sons are still bent upon
quarreling with Sir Rolf.
[regal music]
[gentle music]
They used to be fine boys.
Now, they are more like raging beasts.
- What has changed them?
- Power, my lord, the thirst for power.
- It is a thirst not easily denied,
but perhaps we can quench it
with a draft of wisdom.
- You will send some of your knights then?
- I will if you wish,
but I warn you to take care
before you invoke the
power of the Round Table.
- Why, my lord?
- You wish that your sons
were finished with bloodshed,
but, if I send the Knights
of the Round Table,
more blood will flow
than you have yet seen.
- Yes, it is true what you say.
I have heard much of
the wizardry of Merlin.
Could he cast a spell?
Could he devise some enchantment
that would restore my sons
to their former selves?
- We all respect the magic
of Merlin, my friend,
but I believe what you
seek is beyond his powers.
However, summon Merlin.
[surprising music]
[smoke bangs]
- I believe someone sent for Merlin.
- Marvelous.
Marvelous.
- Good sir knight, I
have heard the request
to curb your unmannerly sons.
Before night shall fall,
you shall have the enchantment you seek.
[surprising music]
[smoke bangs]
[light music]
[serious music]
[hand knocking]
Come in.
[gentle music]
- I hear you have a
problem, Master Merlin.
- I had, but I have solved it.
- Ah, good.
- I have devised an enchantment.
- Oh?
And how is this going to
curb Sir Bliant's unruly sons
without bloodshed?
- The bow, Lancelot.
Try it for yourself.
[arrow bangs]
- I see.
I suppose the plan is to
sh**t these exploding arrows
against the unsuspecting brothers,
who will then collapse in terror.
- Exactly.
- Mm.
Suppose they don't collapse?
Suppose after the arrow has exploded,
the brothers realize that
the powder is harmless,
which it is.
- Oh.
- And suppose the arrow hits someone?
Eh?
That is exactly what Sir
Bliant wishes to avoid.
- But what can I do?
The sun is fast disappearing.
Minutes are only left.
- Perhaps minutes are all we need.
Merlin, is it true that
you have remarkable gifts
in the art of disguise?
- I have many remarkable gifts,
that being one in particular.
But what is this to do with Sir Bliant?
- As I see it,
the problem is to replace
Sir Bliant in his own castle
by someone who looks
exactly like Sir Bliant.
- Yes.
Why?
- Sir Bliant is an old man.
He has lost control of his sons.
A younger and more vigorous
man might regain that control.
- Yes.
Perhaps I might.
- I wasn't thinking of you, Master Merlin.
- Who?
- Well, perhaps me?
[arrow bangs]
- Sir, do be careful.
- Have you prepared the enchantment?
- I have, sire.
- Proceed.
[fanfare music]
Come, Master Merlin,
we are enchanted to see Lancelot's squire,
but he scarcely qualifies
as an enchantment.
- Master Merlin told me to come here.
I don't know why.
- Neither do I.
- Behold, sir, the enchantment.
[playful music]
[gentle music]
- My Lord, it is I.
But I am here.
- My Lord Arthur, the wizardry
of Merlin has not failed.
- The voice is familiar.
- Sir Lancelot, sire, at your service.
I propose to return to Sir
Bliant's castle as Sir Bliant,
and there I shall deal with my unruly sons
as the occasion demands.
Oh, I'll be gentle at first.
But if gentleness fails,
why, I'll be less than gentle.
- Excellent.
Don't you agree, Sir Bliant?
- Yes, I do.
- Is there anything you need?
- Only Sir Bliant's retainer
and Brian, my squire.
- Take them,
and godspeed you on your mission.
- Thank you, sire.
- Sir Lancelot, I must warn you
that my sons are dangerous.
They will use any w*apon, fair or foul.
- I shall remember.
[adventurous music]
[surprised music]
- Your sons.
- Who's this boy?
- Just a young friend of mine.
Name's Brian.
- Go inside, Father.
Then you did go to Camelot?
- [Lancelot] Yes, I did.
- And you made plans with
Arthur to besiege his castle?
- No.
King Arthur hopes that we shall settle
our problems peacefully,
but if we fail, Arthur and
the Round Table are ready.
- Your fatherly command then is
to end this matter peacefully?
- It is.
- It shall be done.
We will unite our house
with that of Sir Rolf's in marriage.
What better way of sealing friendship?
- I warn you,
if you force marriage on
these girls, blood will flow.
- No more blood will be let than that!
Unless you or others
interfere.
[dramatic music]
[gentle music]
- Would you take my advice
about these brothers, sir?
- I might if it's good.
What would you do, Brian?
- Simple, k*ll 'em.
- k*ll 'em?
- Mm.
- This castle's infectious.
We've only been here a few hours
and already one of us sounds like one
of the raging brothers.
[hand knocking]
See who it is.
- It's one of the daughters of Sir Rolf.
Her name's Katharine.
- [Lancelot] Well, let her come in.
- Oh, Sir Bliant, how
good to see you again.
- It's always nice to see
a kind face, Katharine.
- Katharine?
- Yes, your name is Katharine, isn't it?
- You used to call me Kath of the Heather,
before you and father began
warring on each other.
- Of course.
I'm afraid my homecoming
unnerved me a little.
Forgive me, Kath of the Heather.
- Oh, your poor hand.
Please, let me tend it.
Oh, Sir Bliant, is there
anything you can do for us?
- Well, I've sent for
my sons to discuss it.
I'm waiting to hear their reply.
- I do not suppose you succeeded
in persuading King Arthur to send help.
- Well, uh.
- If only he would send a single knight,
someone like Sir Lancelot.
I'm sure he would bring
our misery to an end.
- That he would.
If the real Sir Lancelot was here,
he'd waste no time with parlays.
[Brian coughing]
[hand knocking]
- [Lancelot] Well?
- The boys refuse to talk.
They say they're too
busy with preparations
for the weddings.
- When is this ceremony to take place?
- Tomorrow at noon.
- No, Brian.
Would you have me become
the image of my sons?
- [Son] Break his back for him, brother.
[sons laughing]
- [Alfred] They're rehearsing the games
to be held at the wedding.
- [Son] To bits, Bart.
[sons grunting]
- Do you trust me?
- You know I do.
- And will you do as I ask?
- You know that I will.
- Then go with your
sisters to the courtyard,
and tell my sons that you
will gladly marry them.
- Gladly marry them?
- Yes, on your conditions.
Go to Sir Rolf.
Tell him to trust me and
to attend the ceremony.
We'll see what manner of
men these sons of mine are.
[dramatic music]
[fanfare music]
- Neither my sisters nor
I will submit to force.
But we agree to marry willingly
if you meet our conditions.
- A lass of spirit.
What are your conditions?
- Under the laws of chivalry,
a lady may have a champion.
- And who is your champion?
- My champion is the one
who wins in the games.
- There isn't a man here today
who can defeat my brothers
or I in the games that we have chosen.
- In that case,
you and your brothers
will be our champions
and our husbands.
But if you fail to become our champions,
then you will not be our husbands either.
Agreed?
- [chuckles] Agreed.
[lively music]
- Noble lords and ladies,
the games will begin.
The prize to the winner is the right
to champion these fair ladies.
The first game.
Who will challenge Bartelot
in the spear contest?
[fanfare music]
Come, come, gentlemen,
this is discourteous
to these fair maidens to let
this contest go by default.
- [Attendant] No, Sir Rolf.
- I accept.
- [Katharine] Father!
- Sir Rolf of Northumberland.
- Will no one else accept the challenge?
- There were many who wished to enter.
Few who believed the
contest would be fair.
- Do you accept the
condition of this contest?
A standing throw?
- I do.
[fanfare music]
[air whooshing]
[audience clapping]
[fanfare music]
[people laughing]
- I decline my other throw.
You have one more chance.
Better make the best of it.
- Hold, Sir Rolf.
I can do no worse.
I may even do better.
Objection?
- None.
- Sir Bliant will contest with his son
for the hand of the fair maiden.
[people laughing]
- A side wager, Father.
- Oh, and what would the wager be?
- That the loser shall go to his room
and stay there until he is
bidden out by the winner,
which may be never.
- Agreed.
The pouch?
Ah.
Spear.
[fanfare music]
[air whooshing]
[Katharine gasps]
[crowd gasps]
[fanfare music]
[crowd applauds]
To your room.
- Father!
- To your room and meditate.
When you have decided to mend your ways,
the hand of friendship
will be extended to you,
and not before!
- Go along now, brother.
Depend on me.
I congratulate you on
your triumph, Father.
Will you enter the second
contest, the wrestling?
- You ask me to pit my years
against a boy in the spring of his youth?
- Frightened, Father?
- No,
merely disappointed.
- Can you overcome your disappointment
for a slight side wager?
- Name it.
- If I win, my brother's released.
- And if you lose?
- [chuckling] Well, of course I shall join
my brother in meditation.
- Announce the contest.
[fanfare music]
Oh.
[wrestlers grunting]
- Enough, Father, do you cry enough?
- Oh, no, no.
No, I merely wish a refreshment,
if that is allowed.
The pouch.
[Lancelot coughs]
Well, my son, that's a very
good trick you've got there.
Now let me see, how does it go, eh?
[crowd gasps and claps]
[son grunting]
Ah!
[crowd cheering]
[son yelling]
[crowd clapping]
[fanfare music]
- Enough, Father, enough.
- Ah, you better go to your
room and meditate, my son.
- Yes, Father.
- It's witchcraft, I tell you, witchcraft!
[concerned music]
- This used to be a happy family, Bart.
Let's try to make it that way again.
- You ask me to live with a demon?
- No, I ask you to cast a demon out.
- That's what I intend to do!
- You are a man, not a beast.
You have reason to guide you.
Must we fight like animals
over a fallen carcass?
- Enough of your double-tongued witchery.
Fight!
- I refuse to fight,
except in a friendly contest.
- Then die!
[dramatic music]
- My sword.
The pouch.
- Do not drink.
- It's only water, Bart.
- That's a lie.
It's a magical potion.
- I see.
When I drink this, I'm invincible.
[tense music]
Drink then.
Make yourself invincible.
- How do I know it's not a poison?
- No magic, no poison, only water.
Living like a beast,
you think like a beast.
[tense music]
- To the death!
[dramatic music]
- We could end our
struggle now with honor.
Will you accept?
Remember, this is your will.
[dramatic music]
- Stay there, you hairy hyena.
[dramatic music]
- I yield.
- Bring that one here.
You, your feet.
Well my sons, what have you to say?
- What is your will, Father?
- My will is that we should live
in agreement, ruled by peace and justice.
Tomorrow night, we shall
celebrate the beginning
of our new life together.
Now, to your rooms
and off with these hairy adornments.
I don't want to see your faces again.
[tense music]
- To Camelot, fetch Sir Bliant.
[people talking]
[gentle music]
- My Lord, Sir Lancelot of the Lake begs
an audience with you.
- Ooh, yes.
Bid him enter.
[gentle music]
[fanfare music]
Welcome, Sir Lancelot,
the first knight of the
Round Table to set foot
in my castle. [chuckles]
- Sir Bliant, I have
been sent by King Arthur
to investigate rumors of trouble here.
- Oh.
- Apparently those rumors were unfounded.
- Join us, sir knight,
at our peaceful home.
Come and sit here next
to Kath of the Heather,
the eldest daughter of Sir Rolf.
- I hope that you can
stay with us Sir Lancelot,
and perhaps engage my father
in friendly sword play.
[gentle music]
- Your father and I are friends.
We have nothing to prove
except our devotion to that friendship.
- Aye.
[gentle music]
- Your secret is safe
with me, Sir Lancelot.
Sir Bliant.
- Thank you, Kath of the Heather.
[gentle music]
[cheerful 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 ♪
♪ This story's told of Lancelot ♪
♪ He rode the wilds of England ♪
♪ Adventures for to seek ♪
♪ To rescue maidens in distress ♪
♪ And help 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 ♪
♪ This story's told of Lancelot ♪
♪ In days of old, when knights were bold ♪
♪ This story's told of Lancelot ♪
[awakening music]