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150 MOONFOLK.
dais, stood the famous Round Table, made by Meriin
or by the spirits whom he knew how to compel to
obey him. Around the edge of this table were carved
the stories of the great combats fought by Arthur and his
knights against both men and beasts, while the top
was
beautifully inlaid with various colored woods arranged
in designs not to be understood save by
Merlin had explained them. A great throne-chair, with
those to whom
a crown carved at the top of the high back, was placed at
the upper end, just under the eastern window, blazoned
with the finding of Excalibur ;
and all around the table
stood the chairs of the knights, with the crest and shield
of each carved at the back. Opposite the king's chair
stood another, wrought with many magic arts by Merlin,
and named by him the Siege (or seat) Perilous, for, as
he had warned the knights, no man might
sit in it except
the one for whom it was intended ;
and if
any other
should venture, some great peril was sure to befall him.
But soon after this chair was placed, and
in spite of his own warning, Merlin had
by some evil charge seated himself in it,
and had immediately disappeared, whither
no one knew, although all still looked for
his return.
Since then, Sir Galahad, feeling
himself called to a high and noble effort of chivalry,
had dared to place himself in the Siege Perilous. Seated
therein, he had seen the vision of the Holy
Grail for
which he was about to seek, and found himself mightily