Interview with Sir Bors

Brief mention of suicide

“Make sure Lancelot is there in time for the Trial by Combat in the Land Dispute for King Bagdemagus, Bors!” called out Malory Tennyson, the owner of Malory Tennyson’s Cloudbank Cabin for Arthurian Studies.

“Already organized,” replied Sir Bors de Ganis. “I have sent him off to sleep under an apple tree or by a hedgerow, to be captured by Morgan LeFey and three other Witch Queens. I have arranged for King Bagdemagus’ daughter to be there at Morgan’s castle, ready to free him in return for a kiss and the promise that he will fight for her father.”

“Thank you, Bors. I know I can rely on you.” Malory Tennyson went striding out of the cabin.

Witnessing that exchange, Intellectual Dabrowski realized that Sir Bors would be an excellent subject to interview for his research project about the effects of traumatic events and social change on the characters who participated in the re-enactments of the Arthurian legends in the Fog Lake. Intellectual was one of the five canine writing companions of Little Plump Jo, the current Artisan in Residence at Cloudbank Cabin. Intellectual’s excellent hearing of a different range of sound enabled him to communicate with Malory Tennyson and the Arthurian characters in their fictional dimension and provide connection for Jo.

“Quick, come and record this!” Intellectual barked, pulling on the hem of Little Plump Jo’s jumper and drawing her attention from a fascinating discussion with another of the dogs, Imaginational Dabrowski, about the possible meanings of the bioluminescent patches in the Fog Lake at the foot of Cloudbank Cabin. “I have an opportunity to interview Sir Bors de Ganis.”

Sir Bors sat down heavily on the couch in Cloudbank Cabin. Imaginational Dabrowski whispered to Jo that if he were going to create a cartoon figure of Sir Bors he would be shaped like a large square. Jo quickly dismissed that idea and concentrated on the actual Sir Bors. He was quite similar in appearance to his illustrious cousin, Sir Lancelot du Lac, but more thickset and his dark hair was straight, unlike Lancelot’s coal black curls.

After a bit of chat about the weather, which had not been quite so Camelot Perfect recently, Intellectual asked his first question “Where were you when The Glitch in the Fog Lake occurred?”

“I was caught right in the epicentre of The Glitch with my cousin, Sir Lancelot. It happened during Lancelot’s Trial by Combat against Sir Mador de la Porte. He was defending Queen Guinevere, who was accused of poisoning his brother, Sir Patrise, at her dinner party.

In the Fog Lake script Lancelot was supposed to win easily, disarming Mador, with a quick flick of the wrist. This always made the onlookers boo and catcall. They wanted a longer fight and some blood. Then when Lancelot went to help Mador to his feet and accept his surrender, Mador always reached for his fallen sword and struck at Lance. Lancelot usually anticipated the blow and swept it aside, receiving only a slight scratch on his thigh. But on the day of The Glitch, Lancelot grounded his sword and walked right into the full force of the blow. They never have a litter present for that scene in the re-enactment and I thought Lance was going to bleed out in the dust of the arena before help could come. While we waited the Fog Lake heaved like the ocean waves, boulders came crashing down and the Cloudbank descended like a curtain.”

“ Why do you think Sir Lancelot did that?” asked Intellectual. “Did he cause The Glitch by that off-script action or was he a victim of it?”

“I am not sure” Sir Bors replied. “Nobody really knows what caused The Glitch. Everybody has a different theory. Some blame Elaine, the Lily Maid of Astolat for abandoning her traditional role and becoming Lady Charlotte-Elaine, The Lady of Shalott, Entrepreneur owner of Charlotte’s Web Weaving. That sort of behaviour is quite outside the normal expectations of the position and attitudes of women. It caused disruption to so many other characters and even to the scripts enacted in the Fog Lake. And there is still the concern that other ladies may decide to emulate her. And then where would we all be?”

After a moment’s thought Sir Bors continued “ Lady Elaine’s actions may have been a catalyst for Lancelot’s actions. He had seen her change her story and wanted to change his story also. He always hated replaying the chapters of Le Morte d’Arthur concerning the Tournament for the Ninth Diamond, his wounding and subsequent months of care by Elaine, and her death because of her unrequited love for him. He also hated the chapters that followed immediately after that, where he was accused of adultery and treason with Queen Guinevere and banished from the realm. Because of that he always arrived too late to bring his forces to aid King Arthur at the final Battle of Camlann. Thus he has been regarded as an instrument of the fall of Camelot.

Initially I thought that Lancelot was trying to commit suicide in the Fog Lake on that day of The Glitch. But he assured me that he had merely intended to be severely wounded enough to not have to participate in the Tournament for the Ninth Diamond and the successive chapters.”

“How do you see your own role in the Fog Lake scripts?” asked Intellectual.

“Well, I have always been the one who supports and encourages my cousin, Sir Lancelot. That has been the case ever since we were boys together on the Island in the Lake, under the foster care of The Lady of the Lake. Our fathers, King Ban and King Bors the Elder, were defeated by King Claudas. Lancelot was saved from drowning in the lake by The Lady after his father’s death and my brother, Lionel, and I were sent to the lake shortly after that for our safety. I am a few years older than Lance and I have always looked after him. Now I am the one who makes sure that he is in the right place, at the right time to complete all the tasks on his Hero’s To Do List. I am the one he turns to when he needs to discuss ethical and spiritual matters.”

“In the scripts do you get any scenes where you have the lead role?” asked Intellectual.

“Well, in a way, yes. I am one of the three people who actually achieve full success in the Quest for the Holy Grail. That happens because Lance asks me to take care of his son, Sir Galahad, during the Quest. So again I am there in a supporting role. Galahad is so young and naïve. I guess I am rewarded for just being dependable and supporting others in the attainment of their goals, rather than pursuing my own, and that puts me in the right place at the right time.”

“About that…” said Intellectual, “I must ask. I overheard you telling Malory how you had arranged for Sir Lancelot to be captured by Morgan Le Fey, so he could be freed by the daughter of King Bagdemagus, so he could fight a land dispute for him. Why did you have to go through all those steps? Why could you not just wait until King Bagdemagus asked King Arthur to provide a champion to fight for him?”

“Actually, I really do not know!” said Sir Bors with a laugh. “That is just the way it is. Lance has his Hero’s To Do List and he insists that he must do each item on it. And he is a perfectionist – so each part has to be done fully. So it is my role to make sure that he is present at the right place at the right time in order to complete his tasks!”