A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

The ungentle laws and customs touched upon in this tale are historical, and the episodes which are used to illustrate them are also historical.  It is not pretended that these laws and customs existed in England in the sixth century; no, it is only pretended that inasmuch as they existed in the English and other civilizations of far later times, it is safe to consider that it is no libel upon the sixth century to suppose them to have been in practice in that day also.  One is quite justified in inferring that whatever one of these laws or customs was lacking in that remote time, its place was competently filled by a worse one.The question as to whether there is such a thing as divine right of kings is not settled in this book.  It was found too difficult. That the executive head of a nation should be a person of lofty character and extraordinary ability, was manifest and indisputable; that none but the Deity could select that head unerringly, was also manifest and indi

Anon withal came there upon him two great giants,well armed, all save the heads, with two horribleclubs in their hands. Sir Launcelot put his shieldafore him, and put the stroke away of the onegiant, and with his sword he clave his head asunder.When his fellow saw that, he ran away as he werewood [*demented], for fear of the horrible strokes,and Sir Launcelot after him with all his might,and smote him on the shoulder, and clave him tothe middle. Then Sir Launcelot went into the hall,and there came afore him three score ladies anddamsels, and all kneeled unto him, and thankedGod and him of their deliverance. For, sir, saidthey, the most part of us have been here thisseven year their prisoners, and we have worked allmanner of silk works for our meat, and we are allgreat gentle-women born, and blessed be the time,knight, that ever thou wert born; for thou hastdone the most worship that ever did knight in theworld, that will we bear record, and we all prayyou to tell

CAMELOT“Camelot—Camelot,” said I to myself.  "I don’t seem to remember hearing of it before.  Name of the asylum, likely.”It was a soft, reposeful summer landscape, as lovely as a dream, and as lonesome as Sunday.  The air was full of the smell of flowers, and the buzzing of insects, and the twittering of birds, and there were no people, no wagons, there was no stir of life, nothing going on.  The road was mainly a winding path with hoof-prints in it, and now and then a faint trace of wheels on either side in the grass—wheels that apparently had a tire as broad as one’s hand.Presently a fair slip of a girl, about ten years old, with a cataract of golden hair streaming down over her shoulders, came along. Around her head she wore a hoop of flame-red poppies. It was as sweet an outfit as ever I saw, what there was of it.  She walked indolently along, with a mind at rest, its peace reflected in her innocent face.  The circus man paid no attention to her; didn’t even seem to see her.

KNIGHTS OF THE TABLE ROUNDMainly the Round Table talk was monologues—narrative accounts of the adventures in which these prisoners were captured and their friends and backers killed and stripped of their steeds and armor. As a general thing—as far as I could make out—these murderous adventures were not forays undertaken to avenge injuries, nor to settle old disputes or sudden fallings out; no, as a rule they were simply duels between strangers—duels between people who had never even been introduced to each other, and between whom existed no cause of offense whatever.  Many a time I had seen a couple of boys, strangers, meet by chance, and say simultaneously, “I can lick you,” and go at it on the spot; but I had always imagined until now that that sort of thing belonged to children only, and was a sign and mark of childhood; but here were these big boobies sticking to it and taking pride in it clear up into full age and beyond.  Yet there was something very engaging about these great

AN INSPIRATIONI was so tired that even my fears were not able to keep me awake long.When I next came to myself, I seemed to have been asleep a very long time.  My first thought was, “Well, what an astonishing dream I’ve had!  I reckon I’ve waked only just in time to keep from being hanged or drowned or burned or something....  I’ll nap again till the whistle blows, and then I’ll go down to the arms factory and have it out with Hercules.”But just then I heard the harsh music of rusty chains and bolts, a light flashed in my eyes, and that butterfly, Clarence, stood before me!  I gasped with surprise; my breath almost got away from me.“What!” I said, “you here yet?  Go along with the rest of the dream! scatter!”But he only laughed, in his light-hearted way, and fell to making fun of my sorry plight.“All right,” I said resignedly, “let the dream go on; I’m in no hurry.”“Prithee what dream?”“What dream?  Why, the dream that I am in Arthur’s cour