01x12 - Theft of Excalibur

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "The Adventures of Sir Lancelot". Aired: 15 September 1956 – 20 April 1957.*
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Legendary stories of the King Arthur's knights of the round table.
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01x12 - Theft of Excalibur

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[bright music]
["MultiCom Jingle"]

[dramatic theatrical music]

[dramatic instrumental music]

[light instrumental music]

- It is nearing the hour of six.

[birds chirping]

Now!
[loud popping]

- Oh.

Good.

- But you must proceed with gravity.

Remember the dignity of this great day.

- Oh, we will.

[light dramatic music]

Now, come on.

[playful instrumental music]

[Lancelot grunting]

- [Lancelot] No.

What's the meaning of this, Brian?

Explain yourself!

- Sir Lancelot, have you
forgotten what today is?

- What difference does that make?

You have no right to come bursting

in here like a pack of wild boars!

Doesn't matter what day it is.

- But it does.

Today is St. Stephen's Day.

- What the...

It is?

- Yes, it is.

The day of humility,

when all the knights of
Christendom do humble tasks,

and wait upon squires,
and other common folk.

- May the good St. Stephen
help me on this day.

- And, remember that
all arms are put aside

until this evening.

- Forgive me.

Forgive me, young squires of Camelot.

I must make amends for my forgetfulness.

What humble task would
you have me perform?

- My lord, it is our wish
that you join King Arthur,

who is already in the kitchen
making mush for our breakfast.

- Your obedient servant.

- And for your duty we should
like you to take charge

of washing the pots and pans.

Sir Lancelot!

[squires laughing]

[squires laughing]

[birds chirping]

- Why, Robert, why aren't
you with the other squires?

- I'm just going.

- Why, Robert, you seem troubled.

Are you?

- No.

- No, of course not.

This is the great day,

but you must remember,

'tis not all fun and frivolity.

You boys have a great responsibility.

- Yes, I know.

Master Merlin,

a knight takes an oath

to always act honorably.

- That's true.

- But what does he do
when there are two ways

in which he can act honorably and they...

And they...

- Conflict?
- Yes, that's right.

- Well, he'll usually ask the
advice of some very wise man,

such as, uh, me, for instance.

- Oh.

- Would you care to ask for my advice?

[birds chirping]

- Yes.

Master Merlin, I...

I better join the other squires.

[dramatic instrumental music]

[serene instrumental music]

- Look.

Well taste it.

It looks very unusual, doesn't it?

- It tastes very unusual.

- Ah, so you like it?

- Oh, yes, it's excellent, my lord.

- Good.

- Oh!

Dear me.
- Sire.

- Michael.

Today, remember we use only first names.

- Yes, sire.

I mean Arthur.

We squires are ready to eat.

- Breakfast will be served immediately.

[both chuckling]

[dishes rattling]

- Allow me.

- That should be washed again.

- What?

- Cleanliness is next
to godliness you know.

Wash it.

- Certainly.

[dishes rattling]

- Sire, I wish to protest.

It seems to me that
this St. Stephen's Day's

custom of ours--
- Sir Kay.

- Seems to me that our
St. Stephen's Day customs

do not teach our squires humility.

It just brings out

their impudence.

- The purpose of this day, Sir Kay,

is not to improve the squires,

but rather to improve us.

To teach us to be humble, patient.

Lancelot!

Understanding.

Kind.

When breakfast is over,

[Lancelot clearing throat]

we will be ready for the
Ceremony of the Oath.

Would you be kind enough to
get me my sword Excalibur?

- I will, sire.

- Good.

- [Knights] As Knights of the Round Table,

we swear on this St. Stephen's
Day to put down our arms

and entrust in the armor
of goodness, mercy,

and humility to protect us until the day

when all men put down their arms.

[gentle instrumental music]

- As a symbol of our belief

in the righteousness of our oath,

we now give you Excalibur for safekeeping

until St. Stephen's Day comes to an end.

[gentle instrumental music]

[light instrumental music]

- Come on, boy, get up!

Come on!

[suspenseful instrumental music]

- Is this a prank, Brian?

- I don't know.

[tense dramatic music]

- And did you know that the squire Robert

had planned this escapade?

- No, sire.

- [Arthur] Did you know?

- No, sire.

- [Arthur] And you?

- I don't think any of us new, sire.

If we had, we'd have stopped him.

- Sire, we must act at once.

If Excalibur falls into the wrong hands,

surely you must know the consequences.

- Only too well.

My enemies would pay handsomely

for the symbol of my rule.

Ah, there are even some among them

who believe it is the magic of the sword

that holds my kingdom together.

[dramatic instrumental music]

- There he is, grab him!

[dramatic instrumental music]

[grass rustling]

- Leave me alone.

Take your hands off me, let me go!

- Come on!

[dramatic music]

- Leave me alone!

Take your hands off me,
you big dirty louts!

Leave me alone!

- That's right, take it
easy, lads. [chuckles]

Ooh, now this is a sword.

- All right, you've got Excalibur.

Now where's my father?

- Eh, you did very well, my lad.

- Where's my father?

You promised me if I
brought you that sword!

- Oh, promised, did I? [chuckles]

- So it was all a dirty trick.

- Oh, yes!

We're a very tricky lot,
aren't we, lads, eh?

Tricky.
- Yeah, yeah.

- I should've known better than to trust

in the likes of you!

- Trust?

My lad, never trust in no one.

That's my motto.

- So you won't tell me where my father is?

- Or maybe I will,

and then again, maybe I won't.

- Then give me back Excalibur!

Give me back!

[Robert groaning]

- [Barney] Take him away.

[light instrumental music]

[loud popping]

- My lord sire, an important message

has just come to me delivered by sunbeams.

The squire Robert has
met with three strangers,

probably thieves, at the crossroads.

They are now in possession of Excalibur.

- Sire, release us from our
St. Stephen's Day oaths,

or the sword is lost forever!

- The oaths are sacred!

I will hear no more of this, Sir Kay.

I command you to be silent.

- Very good, my lord.

But what can we do?

- May I say something, sire?

We are not under oath,

and we must all share the responsibility

for what has happened today.

May we have your permission
to hunt down these thieves?

- But, boys against men?

- We're squires, too.

We're taught in the way of knights,

even if we are not yet knights.

[birds chirping]

- To correct one wrong,

I might be guilty of another

if something should happen to one of you.

- We are capable.

If we aren't, why do
you allow us at Camelot?

- Let the squires prove
themselves, my lord.

I could go with them.

- But you cannot bear arms this day.

- They would have the arms.

I could advise.

That would not violate my oath.

- A boon awaits you if
Excalibur is returned.

Godspeed you.

[dramatic instrumental music]

[light instrumental music]

[dramatic instrumental music]

- Which way did they go, Leonides?

- Went towards the sun.

- Thank you, farewell.

[dramatic music]

[upbeat instrumental music]

[light instrumental music]

[water splashing]

- This is as far as we ought to ride.

We dismount and go on foot.

[light instrumental music]

[gentle instrumental music]

This is his horse.

- Yes, where's Robert?

[exciting instrumental music]

- When it comes to weapons,

give me my sling any day.

[light dramatic music]

- Been a struggle here.

Someone's been dragged through there.

[dramatic instrumental music]

- I didn't want to steal the sword.

I was forced to.

My father, Sir Coeur of the Fields,

is in the hands of these thieves.

And they said they would k*ll him

unless I brought them Excalibur.

- Go on.

- So, I gave them the sword.

When I asked for my father's freedom,

they laughed.

They said I forgot to
bring the ransom money.

When I protested, they set on me.

- Do you know which way they went?

- Not for certain,

but they can't be far.

They said the journey's end
was but a half hour's ride.

- Brian, get up that tree
and see what you can find.

- Sir Lancelot, I'm supposed
to be giving the orders today.

- I beg your pardon.

Well?

- You climb the tree.

- Gladly, I didn't know you were

frightened of climbing trees, Brian.

- I'm not.

On second thought,

I'll climb the tree.

You wait here.

[birds chirping]

- How do you feel, Robert?

- Better, thank you.

I suppose I shall be banished

from King Arthur's court forever now.

- It depends.

Arthur isn't a man who approves

of revenge for revenge's sake.

He's a just man,

but your judgment was bad, Robert.

You might've told the
king what had happened.

- I was a fool.

I realize that now.

Being that stupid, I don't suppose

I'll ever qualify to be a knight.

- You'll learn, I think, that knights

are not born without fault.

- [Brian] Hello, my lord!

- Hello.

- There's a small castle
with blue pennants

flying from the battlements.

- That's the castle of Benwick!

Look again!

[birds chirping]

- To the east is a dark place.

It looks in ruins.

- That's more interesting.

[dramatic instrumental music]

That looks a likely hiding place.

We ought to dismount and go on foot.

- Sir Lancelot.

- Well?

- We dismount, tether the
horses, and go on foot.

[light dramatic music]

[grass rustling]

[dramatic music]

[grass rustling]

[meat sizzling]

- Strange.

We'd better be careful.

We'll go around this way.

- We won't.

We go straight ahead.

[Lancelot sighing]

[meat sizzling]

- Not much meat, lads,

but there's enough to go around.

- He's one of the thieves.

- That's right.

You've come to get your
sword back, haven't you?

Eh? [chuckles]

There it 'tis.

- I must say, you are a peculiar thief.

- Peculiar? [chuckles]

No, lads, just a clever one.

[tense instrumental music]

[exciting suspenseful music]

[Barney chuckling]

Lock them up, lads.

[dramatic instrumental music]

Rise, Sir Barney Brandygore.

[suspenseful instrumental music]

You know, lads?

It must've been a stroke of high genius

that first made me take Excalibur.

- [Thief] High genius, Barney,

that's exactly what it was.

[chains clinking]

[chains clinking]

- Here, what's the matter, son?

You trying to get out of
them chains, are you, eh?

[chuckles] Shall I make it easy for you?

Shall I cut your hands off? [chuckles]

See here, now the question is

who'll be willing to
pay me a king's ransom

for this sword, eh?

- I've heard it told that the
king's sister, Morgan le Fay,

will be ready to pay a pretty price

for that there sword.

Her that hates Arthur so much.

- She's a terrible person.

You wouldn't sell it to Morgan le Fay?

- Oh, wouldn't I though?

If she had a bag of gold,

she could be a donkey's mother.

[thieves laughing]

Here, son, what would you do

if you had Excalibur to dispose of, eh?

- I'd give it right back to King Arthur.

- Oh!

Noble sentiments, my son,

but sentiments don't
buy bread, you know, no.

You see, I've got a family to keep.

- Then I'd keep the sword then.

- Keep it?

Well, where's the profit in that?

- Why, you'd be the most
famous thief in all England.

- Yeah, that's true.

- [Brian] With Excalibur at your side,

no man could ever defeat you in combat.

- Yes!

I forgot about that.

The sword's magic, isn't it?

- It is.

With it, you'd be able to defeat

the most famous knights
of the Round Table,

and always go free.

- Yeah, you know,

the lad's got a spark of high genius, too.

You know, I can see it now.

All the minstrels singing the
glories of Barney Brandygore

that defeated the best
knights of all England!

All I need now is a knight to fight.

Someone, eh, like Sir Lancelot.

- Sir Lancelot?

- Yeah.
- He's here now.

- The devil you say.

- He's just chained up around the corner.

- Chained up around...

Sir Lancelot of the Lake?

- Yes.

- Here.

Bring him out.

Bring the beggar on.

Hey, hey, and tell him,

Barney Brandygore challenges
him to mortal combat!

[Barney chuckling]

- Come on, the lot of you.

[birds chirping]

Come on, we want you, too.

[birds chirping]

- Now, when they come,

line them up against the wall.

So's they have a good view.

We got to have witness you know.

I don't want people to...

[both laughing]

- You got me that time, Barney.

- Here, where's the old man?

- Who?
- Sir Coeur of the Field.

- Oh, he's here, Barney,
with this Lancelot fellow.

- [chuckles] Bring him forward.

[chuckles] He's got to see the battle.

More people will believe it that way.

[Barney shouting]

So, there you are, guv'nor,

and there's your lad.

You'll have something to say to him.

[chuckles] And you,

eh, Sir Lancelot, come here.

So, champion of the
champions, eh? [chuckles]

Well, we'll soon see about that.

Take off them chains.

Come on, take them off there!

- He knows the sword is
magic and can b*at anyone,

so I thought he'd like to try it on you.

- If this a challenge, I refuse.

- Oh, so you're afraid of old
Barney Brandygore, are you?

- I don't think so.

The fact is I'm under oath not to fight

until St. Stephen's Day has ended.

After that, I'll be glad to oblige you.

- Why don't you confess it?

You've got the belly of a quail

when you're up against the likes of me!

- Take him on, Sir Lancelot.

Arthur will forgive you.

[Brian groaning]

- I'll make you fight, you
coward of the Round Table!

- Idiot, I mustn't fight!

- Mustn't?

[birds chirping]

Mustn't fight?

It's the sword.

It's the magic sword,.

It's taken all the fight out of him!

- You're wrong, sirrah,

that sword is not magic.

It's simply important

as a symbol of Arthur's just rule.

[suspenseful music]

[both grunting]

[both grunting]

[exciting suspenseful music]

- Sir Knight.

Sir Knight, the sun sets.

St. Stephen's Day's over!

Sir Knight, St. Stephen's Day's over!

[exciting instrumental music]

[chains clinking]

[swords clanking]

[exciting suspenseful music]

[swords clanking]

- All right.

All right, I give up.

You can have the sword.

[triumphant instrumental music]

- Thank you, my young friend.

Now what are we going to do with you?

- My lord Arthur,

please forgive the boy.

My son was trying to save me.

He meant no harm in taking your sword,

but it seemed the only way.

He's a good boy, and faithful, too.

- Yes, I can see that.

Your face tells me you suffered enough.

No further punishment will be necessary.

[birds chirping]

It would appear that
Excalibur has seen combat.

- Yes, sire, in order
to get the sword back,

I had to fight the thieves.

- You fought on St. Stephen's Day?

- Oh, no, sire.

I waited until the day had ended.

- But the day has not ended.

See here.

- Brian.

- Gently and humbly, my lord,

it is indeed still St. Stephen's Day.

- What's the meaning of this?

- I suppose the other sun dial

just didn't keep very good time.

- Just you wait, my boy,

St. Stephen's Day will soon be over.

- Yes, I'm afraid of that.

Sire, you promised me a boon

if the sword was returned.

- So I did. Granted.

- Well, sire, if it pleases you,

would you please make Sir Lancelot

forgive me for my wrong doing?

- If any violent purposes
should cross your mind,

Sir Knight, cast them out.

Furthermore, I command you
to forgive your squire.

- At your command, sire, I forgive him.

[bright instrumental music]

[cheerful instrumental 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 ♪

♪ In days of old ♪

♪ When knights were bold ♪

♪ This story's told ♪

♪ Of Lancelot ♪

[lively music]

[bright music]
["MultiCom Jingle"]
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