[soft ethereal music]
[rousing fanfare music]
[hooves galloping]
[visor clinks]
[hooves galloping]
[cymbal crashes]
[rousing fanfare music continues]
[gentle music]
[hooves galloping]
- Well, what do you think, Brian?
We got enough?
- Well, it all depends how
hungry you are, Sir Lancelot.
- [chuckles] I tell you what you do,
you take those back to Camelot
and tell the cook to get started on them.
I'll go around the trap,
see if there're any there.
[bright care-free music]
[concerned music]
[arrow twangs]
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music continues]
[arrow whooshes]
[exciting dramatic music]
I am sorry, madam.
I apologize if I've hurt you,
but you really must be more
careful with that bow of yours.
You nearly k*lled me just now.
As a matter of interest,
just exactly what were you aiming at?
- You!
- Ha!
Who are you and where do you come from?
- As if you didn't know.
- I'm sorry, I don't. You...
- Ow!
- This time I don't apologize.
Being a woman doesn't give you the liberty
to go around k*lling people.
You take me to the chief of your tribe.
- You mean that?
- Of course I do.
You need someone to look after you.
- Well, let me go then.
- You promise to behave?
- What can I do now?
You've got the dagger.
[branches rustle]
- Come on.
[soft dramatic music]
- Hey. Hey, come here.
Come here, quick.
It's a man.
Helga's found a man.
- Man?
It isn't a man, it's a knight.
- But what's he doing here with Helga?
- Trust Helga.
- Come on.
[hooves trudging]
- Morning, ladies.
- This way if you wanna see our chief.
[mallets knocking]
Over here.
Hold the horse.
- Oh, thank you.
- Put your sword there.
- Hmm?
Oh.
- In there.
[Lancelot chuckles]
[dramatic music]
- Open this door!
Open this door!
What are you up to?
Come on, open this door!
[banging on door]
- Who are you?
- I'm a Knight of the Round Table.
Lancelot of the Lake.
- Sir Lancelot?
[sobs] Oh, thank heavens!
- Now now, you mustn't cry.
You won't be able to tell
me about your difficulties.
- I'm sorry.
It wasn't very becoming
behavior in a princess.
- A princess?
- I'm Anne of Wessex.
Daughter of King Athelred.
- At your service, ma'am.
I must confess, I'm even more
baffled than I was before.
What sort of a place is this
that has a c*ptive princess
and is peopled only by women?
- It's a tribe of shepherds.
During the winter months,
the men drive their flocks
down to the valleys where
the grazing's better.
- All of them?
- All except the very old.
- The women stay behind
and have to defend the
village as if they were men?
- They manage only too well.
- Yes. So I've noticed.
But why have they captured you?
- For a long time there's been trouble
between this tribe and my father.
Last week, one of the knights
was sh*t at by an arrow.
He said one of these women did it.
- Very likely
- I didn't believe it at the time.
Then my father said he was going to
att*ck the village and burn it.
I thought I could talk to the women here
and make a settlement.
But as soon as I showed
myself I was imprisoned.
- I see.
What do they intend to do with you?
- I don't know.
That's what's so terrifying.
Nobody will tell me.
- If we're not careful, Helga.
We'll soon have half of
King Athelred's court
as our prisoners.
First his daughter,
now one of his knights.
- What should we do with him, Martha?
- He is no use to us.
We might send him back to
his king with a message.
- Hmm, saying what?
- That unless the att*cks
on our village cease,
Princess Anne will burn at the stake.
- Do you think King
Athelred will believe that?
- The knight will convince him
as soon as he sees that we are serious.
- Well, how will he see that?
- We'll give him a demonstration.
Get the women to prepare some wood.
[dramatic music]
- What's this for?
- For Princess Anne.
She's to be burnt at the stake.
- Not really?
- Oh, of course not.
Don't be foolish.
- Then what's it for?
- Well, threats, bluff.
When Athelred learns
that we have his daughter
and are ready to burn her at the stake,
he'll leave us in peace.
- Well how's he to
learn, who's to tell him?
- Oh, that knight that Helga brought in.
- Was he one of Athelred's men?
- Where else could he have come from?
- Too bad.
- Why?
- He's so handsome.
- Anyway, Helga's taking
them to the chief now.
- Oh, there they are now.
- You know that sword's
really too heavy for you.
I tell you what I'll do.
I'll give you my word
not to try and escape
until after I've seen your chief.
- Hm. I know what a promise is
worth from one of your sort.
Take the girl.
Tie her to the stake.
- No!
- Bring fire.
- Leave her alone!
- No!
- I warn you, if you don't
release the Princess immediately
I shall forget that you are women.
- Release her.
Who is this?
- I told you about him.
I don't know his name. He's
one of Athelred's knights.
- You are a fool, Helga.
No knight of Athelred bears
that charge upon his tabard.
- I congratulate you on your
knowledge of heraldry madam,
whoever you may be.
- I am Marta, wife of
Ulrich, chief of our tribe.
In my husband's absence,
I perform his duties.
And you sir?
- My name is Lancelot of the Lake.
- I knew he couldn't be
one of Athelred's men.
- I must ask you to forgive
the zeal of this woman.
- Is that what you call it?
Zeal?
- We live in difficult times.
If you knew our story,
you would understand.
However, it is no affair of yours.
You are at liberty to go.
Helga, return his sword.
- Thank you.
I have no intention of going
without the Princess Anne.
- The Princess is no concern of yours.
She is my guest.
- Guest? Is this the way you
usually treat your guests?
To burn them at the stake?
- Nobody has been burnt.
- I would've been if Sir
Lancelot hadn't stopped them.
- That was just to make
clear the danger you are in
if you and your father don't
abandon your present plan.
- Plan?
What is your plan?
- I don't know what she means.
I've never done any wrong to
this tribe, nor has my father.
- Either you are a fool or you lie.
Come with me.
Sir Lancelot,
if you are determined to
involve yourself in this affair
you may join us.
- Well.
[enigmatic music]
- Here is the grave of Bart,
a messenger to your father
under the flag of truce.
Unarmed, he was k*lled at
the gates of your castle.
Here is Wiler and here, Mashon
and others who perished
by order of King Athelred.
- I can't believe that
my father should do that.
Are you positive?
Mightn't it be someone
else trying to make trouble
between your people and mine.
- I believe you are foolish after all.
- Athelred is a strong king.
Why should he fear your tribe?
- It is not fear which
drives him, it is greed.
He covets our land and our flocks.
- Is this true?
- Well, it's true my
father is always trying
to increase the wealth of his kingdom.
- Why doesn't he simply
take your lands by force?
- He fears retaliation from King Arthur.
There is an old treaty
between our tribe and Athelred's kingdom.
He wants us to be the
first to break it openly.
That will give him an excuse
to tear up the treaty.
- And now you've given him that excuse.
- [Marta] What do you mean?
- You've captured the Princess Anne.
- The princess is our only hope
of forcing Athelred to leave us alone.
Until he agrees to respect the treaty,
she remains a hostage.
- Supposing Athelred ignores your threats,
and att*cks.
You wouldn't really burn an innocent girl?
- Why not?
Innocent women of my tribe
have been k*lled by Athelred.
- Marta, let me go to Athelred.
Perhaps I can explain your terms to him.
- What good would that do?
- Perhaps he'll listen to me.
- Oh, I'm sure he listen to Sir Lancelot,
especially if he knows that I'm in danger.
[gentle music]
- Very well.
I am prepared to try anything.
- Will you give me your word
that nothing will happen to
the princess while I'm away?
- No, I can't do that.
But I promise that
nothing will happen to her
so long as Athelred leaves us in peace.
[stirring music]
[hooves galloping]
- [Lancelot] Lancelot of the
Lake to see King Athelred.
- [Servant] He's in the Great Hall, Sir.
- Would you please wait in here?
- Thank you.
Ah, I'm Sir Lancelot of the Lake.
I have an urgent message for your king.
It concerns his daughter, the princess.
- Where is the princess?
- She's the prisoner of a tribe
- Which tribe?
- A tribe whose present leader is a woman
and whose only defenders are women.
- The shepherds.
- Yes.
- Will you come this way?
[knock on door]
- [Aide] Yes.
- I have a message of
importance for his majesty.
- [Aide] Come in.
- His majesty is engaged
in an affair of state
and cannot see you.
- But this is incredible.
His daughter is c*ptive.
Her very life is threatened.
Surely there's nothing more
important to him than that?
- Sorry. He will not be disturbed.
- Oh.
[dramatic music]
- Sir Lancelot, what do
you think you're doing?
Fool!
[blades clashing]
[dramatic music continues]
Oh no you don't!
[blades clashing]
[music softens]
[water splashing]
- Forgive me for bursting in
on you like this, your majesty.
- Go away. Get out.
Can't you see I'm busy?
- But your daughter...
- What about my daughter?
- She's a prisoner.
- So it's true.
She's always getting into trouble
because she interferes with my affairs.
I've told her to keep
away from those savages.
- Her life is in danger.
- Rubbish, idle gossip.
Mere threats.
They wouldn't harm her.
A bunch of peasant women?
- I assure you that the
princess will remain in trouble
until you restore that treaty.
- You charge me with
violation of a treaty?
My knights will prepare to ride.
- Are you incapable of
understanding anything at all?
If your men move into that village,
your daughter will be b*rned at the stake.
- Remove this man. Throw
him in the dungeon.
- But your daughter! She'll be k*lled!
- Take him away!
[dramatic music]
[guards grunting and scuffling]
[blades clashing]
[blades clashing]
[dramatic music continues]
[heroic music]
[blades clashing]
[blades clashing]
[guard groans]
[dramatic music]
[blades clashing]
[heroic music]
[portcullis rattling]
[adventurous music]
[hooves galloping]
- [Knight] We'll settle
those women once and for all.
[hooves galloping]
[horse whinnies]
[dramatic music]
- Athelred and his knights.
They've left the castle.
They're coming this way.
- Bring the princess.
Tie her to the stake and sound the alarm.
[dramatic music]
- [Helga] Get the girl.
Tie her to the stake!
[horn blows]
[soft dramatic music]
- My mission was a failure.
As I left the castle, the
call to arms were sounding.
- Then Athelred doesn't care
what happens to his daughter.
- He doesn't believe you'll
carry out your thr*at.
- He will see.
Look.
- You can't do it, Marta.
Release her now.
Let her show herself as free.
Then Athelred will have no
excuse for attacking you.
- It's too late. We held her c*ptive.
That's excuse enough for him.
- But it's your only hope.
- No.
Our only hope is that Athelred stops
before his daughter suffers.
- Murdering Anne is not
going to save your village.
[fanfare sounds]
- Bring torches.
- Harold, sound another challenge.
[horn sounds]
Knights, prepare to move
against the village.
[hooves galloping]
- If Athelred doesn't
withdraw to his own lands
his daughter shall burn before his eyes.
If you try to rescue her
you will certainly k*ll some of my people.
But even a Lancelot cannot
prevail against a whole village.
Even a village of women.
- What are we waiting for?
Why don't we burn her? Burn her now!
- Silence!
[women protest]
Silence. Silence.
Fools. We must wait.
Alive she is the only
bargaining power we have.
Dead, she is utterly useless.
You will stand by your
arms and wait my orders.
And remember,
you must fulfill your allotted
tasks without question.
You must keep a clear
vision of what must be done
to free ourselves
forever from this tyrant.
Listen carefully.
[flames flickering]
The sick, aged and children
will take refuge in the caves.
All valuables must be hidden.
Those of an age to bear arms
will wait my signal to defend the village.
- Fire!
[women scream]
[dramatic music]
- [Marta] Water. Get water quickly.
[women screaming]
[heroic music]
- Whoa!
Now stay here. You'll be all right.
- You shouldn't have done it.
You should have left me there.
- Don't be foolish,
they'd have k*lled you.
- That's just it. They
wouldn't have touched me.
It was all play acting.
They just wanted to frighten my father.
- So Athelred knew them
better than either of us.
- Where are you going?
- I'm going back to the village.
Women with sticks and stones
are no match for armed knights.
I'm gonna see if I can help them.
Stay here. You'll be all right.
[heroic music]
[hooves galloping]
[determined music]
Marta. Marta.
- Hold your positions.
- Withdraw your women.
She'll not stop him now.
- You shouldn't have taken her.
We wouldn't have harmed her.
- Exactly. And Athelred knew it.
You haven't a hope
against mounted knights.
- We can die fighting.
- You're not going to.
When Athelred gets here,
he must find this village deserted.
- No.
- Now listen to me, Marta.
[hooves galloping]
[birds chirping]
- Well, at least there'll be no m*ssacre.
Thank heavens they've all fled.
- As I knew they would.
Only a sentimental ninny like Anne
would imagine the women
fighting for their tribes.
Search the village.
Examine every hut.
Take an inventory of money, valuables,
all movable property.
[dramatic music]
[mallet whacks]
[gentle music]
[women grunting]
[dramatic music]
- Lancelot!
- As champion of this village
I challenge you to combat, Athelred.
- Kings don't fight with vassals.
Allenstone, Blair, Giles!
- There's no use calling your knights.
They are otherwise engaged.
- Poppycock.
- Allenstone!
[gentle music]
Blair!
Giles!
Treachery!
- That word comes well from you.
Well, do you fight or yield?
[dramatic music]
[blades clashing]
[women scream]
[a* thuds]
[dramatic music]
[hen clucks]
[blade whacks]
[stool clatters]
[blades clashing]
[heroic music]
- I accept your pledge
of fealty, King Athelred
on two conditions.
First that you faithfully
swear to keep and observe
your ancient treaty of
peace with the shepherds.
Do you agree?
- I agree.
- Second, that your
daughter the Princess Anne
shall remain here at Camelot
as lady in waiting the Queen Guinevere.
- Anne? Does she want to remain here?
- I understand so.
At the particular request
of one of my knights.
Is that agreed?
- It is agreed.
- Good. Now you may rise and return home.
But think on what fate holds
for those who try to oppress the weak.
[gentle music]
- Did Arthur say weak?
- Never underestimate
the power of a woman.
- Ever again. [laughs]
[rousing music flourishes]
[upbeat 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 stories told of Lancelot ♪
[soft ethereal music]