The Sword in the Stone, sometimes a sword in an anvil, is drawn by Arthur as proof of his birthright and of his nobility. It is both a test and a miraculous sign of his royalty. The sword drawn from the stone is different from the one given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. The latter is always referred to as Excalibur; the former is called by that name only once, when Arthur draws the sword at a crucial moment in the first battle to test his sovereignty (Vinaver I, 19): "thenne he drewe his swerd Excalibur, but it was so breyght in his enemyes eyen that it gaf light lyke thirty torchys."

At a Disney display, a character named "Merlin" asked my boyfriend to step up to the stone and pull the sword out. My fiancé is about 6'1, 230 lbs. and of course Merlin played this up. My fiance could not pull the sword out after several attempts. So, Merlin picked a child out of the crowd and made my fiance the "Royal Bodyguard." The child was able to pull the sword out! It was hilarious! After Merlin crowned the child and placed the king's robe on the child, my fiance had to hold to robe off the ground so the "king" could walk around. There was not a dry eye around! How funny! Andree M. Braud

(1938) The Sword in the Stone is the first and most familiar of T. H. White’s tetrology based on the life of King Arthur. It is also published collectively, along with its companion books, under the title of The Once and Future King.

Synopsis and notes: (written by Marie Macdonald, edited by Jason W. Moulder)

The Sword and the Stone is an example of Arthurian Legend. The Arthurian Legend was developed in the Middle Ages regarding Arthur, the semi-historical king of the Britons, and his order of knights. The legend is a complex weaving of ancient Celtic mythology with later traditions, around a core of possible authenticity. The Sword and the Stone deals with Arthur’s childhood and his life shortly after becoming king. Throughout this childhood, he learns the theories of chivalry, which involve the graduations of page, squire, and finally knighthood. As an innovation to the Arthurian Legend, T. H. White incorporates fables throughout the story, which make it more humorous and enjoyable.

Setting
The Sword in the Stone takes place in Medieval England*, at the Forest Sauvage, and in the environment around it. A small part takes place in London. The setting is very important to the story because it provides a place of learning for Arthur. Instead of book learning, it provides worldly and fundamental knowledge that stays with Arthur for life and could not be traded for a lesson from the Summulae Logicales. The setting in this story contributes to Arthur’s maturation process.

Plot
The central conflict of The Sword in the Stone is an internal one which takes place in Arthur's mind, who is commonly known as the "Wart." This conflict involves the Wart's struggle to become a man; to become knowledgeable, intellectual, and mature. A secondary conflict involves the Wart's struggle to be equal in many aspects to his older brother, Kay. T. H. White’s depiction of this conflict is very thorough, making it very clear that the Wart has a strong desire to learn, especially through extraordinary means.

The climax of the story comes when Merlyn sends Arthur on his final lesson, which involves turning Arthur into a badger and sending him to talk to another badger who is very wise. Before Arthur goes, however, Merlyn asks him, "Do you think you have learned anything?" Arthur replies, "I have learned and have been happy." In becoming worldly-wise and maturing in intellect, Arthur is ripe for the advance of his destiny: to become king.

The story begins with Sir Ector, determined to find a tutor for his "proper" son, Kay, and his adopted son, the Wart (Arthur). One day, while chasing after Cully (one of his father’s hunting falcons), Arthur becomes lost and stumbles upon the cottage of Merlyn, a magician, in the middle of the forest. Merlyn shows Arthur around the cottage, which is, to say the least, in wild disarray. Merlyn lives his life from the future to past, going backwards in real-time, so he is expecting Arthur. He shows Arthur the way back to the castle, and from there on, with a little skepticism on the part of all concerned, becomes tutor to Arthur and Kay.

Merlyn puts much of his energy into teaching Arthur by through experiences; by magically transforming him into an ant, a fish, a bird, and a badger. He also sends Arthur and Kay on a dangerous and exciting adventure, in which they meet Robin Wood (sic), Marian, and Little John, to name a few. Merlyn takes Arthur to a real jousting tournament, where King Pellinore fights Sir Grummore Grummursum. Finally, while preparing for Kay’s knighthood, the news is spread that King Uther Pendragon, ruler of England, has died. There is word that there is a sword stuck fast through an anvil on a stone in London, which has the inscription, "Whoso Pulleth Out the Sword of the Stone and Anvil, is Rightwise King Born of All England."

This news is especially important to the people because there is no heir to the throne. Kay desperately begs Sir Ector to go, reasoning that he also has a jousting tournament on New Years Day, the special day. Sir Ector agrees, but before they leave, Arthur becomes very upset because Merlyn and Archimedes (Merlyn's pet owl) are leaving. When they arrive in London, at the jousting tournament, Kay realizes that he has left his sword back at the castle, so he sends Wart, his new squire, back to get it. Upon returning to the castle, Arthur realizes that Kay's room is locked, so he sets upon the streets of London, determined to find Kay another sword.

Quite unintentionally, Arthur comes across the sword, stuck in a stone, and, not realizing it is the sword, tries desperately to pull it out. He is finally able to pull the sword out by mustering all of the strength, knowledge, and maturity which Merlyn has helped him to realize. He returns to the tournament and gives Kay the sword. Kay recognizes that it is not his sword, and after asking Arthur where he got it, realizes that it is the sword in the stone. Kay tells his father that he (Kay) pulled the sword out, and is therefore king. But when Sir Ector takes Kay and Arthur back to the stone, Kay confesses that he has lied and that Arthur is the rightful King of England. All bow in acknowledgement and submission to their new monarch.