The Once and Future King

Story

Wart is an average little boy being trained by the wizard Merlyn, to prepare him for a future he knows nothing about. Every day, Merlyn turns Wart into a different animal to teach him a different life lesson. But little does Wart know that the destiny he is being prepared for is to rule England. As he grows up, he will pull the famous sword from the stone, become the legendary King Arthur and rule over Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table…

Why we chose it

A retelling of the Arthur legend based on Thomas Malory’s classic Morte d’Arthur. Book one, The Sword in the Stone, published first as a novel for children, tells the story of Arthur’s early life and Merlin’s unusual lessons and is joyful addition to the Arthur legend.

Where it came from

Terence Hanbury White (1906 – 1964) was a British author and teacher. Inspired by Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, a medieval retelling of Arthurian legend, White decided to write a ‘preface,’ a more light-hearted story about Arthur’s life before he became king. This became The Sword in the Stone, published in 1938. This was followed by two more books covering Arthur’s reign and the downfall of Camelot, The Witch in the Wood (1939; later retitled The Queen of Air and Darkness), and The Ill-Made Knight (1940). In 1958, White rewrote these novels and added a new section, creating an omnibus known as The Once and Future King. As well as medieval legend, the book is also heavily influenced by contemporary events, particularly the Second World War.

Where it went next

The Sword in the Stone was an immediate bestseller and praised for its wit and inventiveness. Walt Disney bought the film rights straight away, and eventually made an animated film adaptation in 1963. The complete cycle enjoyed similar success when it was published in 1958. It inspired a 1960 musical adaptation, Camelot, by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, starring Julie Andrews. This musical was then made into a film in 1967, starring Vanessa Redgrave.

Associated stories

White also wrote another book in the series, The Book of Merlyn (1977), which was published after his death. His other books for children include Mistress Masham’s Repose (1946). Many books, films, television series and even comics are influenced by or reference The Once and Future King, from the X-Men comics, to the BBC’s Merlin, to Harry Potter.