The Once and Future King

After the death of his parents, the young orphan Arthur is taken in by Sir Ector, who hires a tutor to complete Arthur's education. Merlyn, under the guise of a tutor, is sent to live in Arthur's household and becomes his friend.

The Lady Of The Lake makes her first appearance at the end of Chapter 1. She is described as "a tall woman with an air of authority" that "did not suit her youth", wearing white clothes which are freshly wet from having just come out of the lake. She speaks with Merlyn about their plan for Arthur to become King, saying that she will give him three lessons: one on law, one on politics and one on battle before he takes up his sword Excalibur.

The Once and Future King is a fantasy novel written by T.H. White, first published in 1958. It retells the Arthurian legend from the perspective of Merlyn, who guides the young Arthur to his destiny as King of Britain. The book was made into an Oscar-winning film in 1973 under its original title The Sword in the Stone, which was also used for later editions of the book.