King Arthur: Tales from the Round Table

First published as part of “The Book of Romance” in 1902, “King Arthur: Tales from the Round Table” is a compilation of classic Arthurian legend by the Scottish poet, novelist, and anthropologist Andrew Lang. Well-known for his volumes collecting the world’s fairy and folk tales, Lang also compiled and edited other famous and immortal stories from many genres, including romance and adventure. Like his fairy tale collections, Lang’s “King Arthur: Tales from the Round Table” is one of the most comprehensive and complete retellings of these well-loved stories. Lang drew upon the “Historia Britonum” and Thomas Malory’s “Morte d’Arthur” to assemble all the elements of King Arthur’s story. The legend’s most important details are masterfully retold, including the finding of Excalibur, Arthur’s encounter with the Lady of the Lake, the adventures of Arthur’s knights, Merlin’s story, the search for the Holy Grail, the tragic love story of Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot, and finally the end of King Arthur’s life. Lang’s collection is widely considered to be one of the most influential versions of the King Arthur legend and remains one of the most accessible and entertaining retellings of this timeless tale. This edition includes a biographical afterword and is illustrated by H. J. Ford.