Good evening. Welcome to the Just Sleep podcast. I'm Tasia, your host.

Every week, I will read you an old story to help you relax, put the stressful day behind you,

and drift off to sleep.

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Rest assured, there will be no ads during or after the story.

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Tonight I will be reading more stories from King Arthur and his knights.

So lie down, close your eyes, and let me read you a story.

Sir Balin In Arthur's court there dwelt a poor knight named Balin

who had accidentally killed the cousin of King Arthur and had been taken to the court

of the king for trial. He had lived there almost as a prisoner for six months until it was

decided that he had not meant to do wrong. All his money was gone and his clothes and armour were

poor.

He was sorry for this, but he was still more sorry that he was not doing brave deeds like the other knights.

One day, when he sat in the great hall at Camelot, looking at the shields which were carved or covered with gold, a damsel entered

who wore a rich mantle trimmed with fur. As Arthur and the knights looked at her, she let it fall

to the floor and they saw that she wore a very heavy sword. Damsel, said Arthur, why do you, a maiden, wear a sword?

Alas, said the maiden, I should be glad if I did not wear it. It is very heavy and causes me

pain, but I am forced to wear it until I meet a knight who can take it from me.

Surely many knights could do that, and gladly, the Lord said.

No, said the lady, it seems that there is but one knight in all the world who is to take the sword.

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