KNIGHTS A king needed honest and faithful men who would protect him and go to war if necessary. Such men were called knights. Sons of important people, or those who had performed special favours for the king became knights. FAITHFUL JAMES Once the great and powerful king went duck hunting. He had almost reached the lake when out of the forest appeared three bears. The bears wanted to kill the king. Unfortunately the king had only his duck hunting weapons with him. He also had a swelling on his right arm which prevented him from being able to defend himself properly. And the attendants who were with him ran away at the sight of the bears. Just at that moment, however, the peasant James stepped out of the forest. He was an experienced bear hunter and a strong man. He subdued two of the bears in no time, and the third fled. The king, of course, was very pleased. "Good man," said the king to James. "In gratitude for saving my life I will make you one of my knights." "But your Grace, what does that mean?" asked James. "I will give you a castle and land. The peasants in your fields must treat you like a lord. Yes, as of today you are a made man. But if I should need help, I will blow on my war horn and we will go and do battle together against the common enemy." The peasant James bent down on his knees and the king touched his sword to James's shoulder and declared him a knight. James received land and a castle. And he served the king faithfully until his dying day. Do you know of any other ways in which knighting took place, or were all knights knighted as James in this picture? Find out, and write what you discovered in the space below:.................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................ ..................................................................................................................................