Bun Bendle introduces us to his very first story, called The Sleeping Sword,
written after he suddenly became blind. Nothings been the same since Bun dived
off a quay and hit his head on a rock. What he cant bear to tell anyone is
that as well as his sight, the accident seems to have wiped out parts of his
memory. In despair, he contemplates suicide, but the love of his great friend
Anna saves him. His friends petition for him to be able to stay on his home
island of Bryher in the Scilly Isles, and not be sent away to school. Calling
his father in for tea one day, Bun falls through a cavity under the field. His
fathers tractor rumbling towards him just manages to stop, inches away. The
cavity is a tomb, containing an ancient and beautiful sword and shield. Bun is
immediately drawn to them, and as he holds the sword, Bedivere, a knight of the
Round Table appears and commands him to take it to King Arthur. Taking Anna on
his quest, Bun finds a galleon waiting at the quay to them to the king. Bun
suddenly remembers their meeting before, told in Arthur, High King of Britain,
and Arthur stands before them, a warrior reunited with his shield and his
sword, Excalibur. Arthur reveals his purpose; Bun must drive Excalibur back
into the stone until it is time for the king to come again. Bun and Anna return
to Bryher on the ghost ship, hardly believing what has happened around them.
The next morning Bun wakes to find his sight restored, the sword and shield
safely in the cavity in the field and Anna totally unaware of the previous
nights events. So Bun concludes his story, proud to have written such a long
one, and Anna loves it. Bun strolls off to the field towards his fathers
tractor, and suddenly falls down a cavity. The tractor is rumbling towards
himand he knows everything hes dreamt is about to come true.