Rooted in Celtic folklore, medieval ideals of chivalry, and the last gallant struggles of the British against the Saxon invaders, the legends of King Arthur and his knights have been told in song and story since the Middle Ages. Rosemary Sutcliff, with her unique feel for Dark Age Britain, conveys all the mystique and mystery of the golden age of Camelot in her entrancing trilogy, retelling with poetry and magic the ancient tales of great deeds. The Sword and the Circle tells of the birth of Arthur, the gift of Excalibur, the forming of the Round Table and the first noble quests of its knights until the arrival of Percivala