As a culminating activity for our reading of the King
Arthur stories in English class, the Grade Six students
were challenged to turn their favourite King Arthur story
into a ballad. We examined a number of ballads, both old
and modern, to discover how they were typically put
together.

King Arthur and the Dragon Galanthy
Arthur was a king
And a king was he
When he walked into the cave of the dragon Galanthy
A sea of darkness was all that was there
and Arthur felt a prickle to the tip of his hair

Then spoke Arthur some unkind words
“I shall smite you down dragon with cunning and sword.”
Spoke the dragon in laughter and rage
Even a powerful man will fail
Sir Galanwrath the sage!”

So Arthur drew his sword and strike the dragon he did
But the dragon was too lucid
So then wove dark magic around Arthur Galanthy did
And then he walked away thinking Arthur was rid
But the king of high Britain was anything but gone,
And as he battled the magic a strange thing happened
Excalibur lit up as if a god had touched it

Healed and well, Arthur knew he had a story to tell
But Galanthy was far away
Nowhere to be seen
Arthur withered and tired, leaned on a tree
that had not been there before
Its bark scaly as if transformed.