The Once and Future King Book 1, Chapter 16 Summary

  • Wart gets up early the following morning and watches the King's huntsman making preparations for the hunt.
  • He then goes in search of breakfast.
  • The entire castle is in a state of excitement for the hunt. Apparently, boar hunting is awesome. But, on the negative side, it's also dangerous. You hunt for boar on foot, with only a spear to protect you from getting killed by the vicious animal.
  • Every male person in the entire village has turned out for the hunt.
  • And here comes Robin Wood, whom Sir Ector warns to not talk about anything controversial.
  • Of course, there is some suspicion because Robin is wearing green, and "Wood" sounds too close to "Hood" for comfort.
  • Led by Robin Wood, the group tracks the boar to his lair—and suddenly it rushes out, heading straight toward Sir Grummore.
  • But the knight is okay, and the entire party chases after the vicious black creature.
  • Wart hangs out with Master Twyti, keeping up with him because the young boy is small and nimble. Plus, all those lessons in forest craft from Marian have paid off.
  • It's Robin to the rescue. He handily dispatches the boar as it charges Master Twyti. The hunt is over.
  • Sadly, Master Twyti's hound, Beaumont, has been mortally wounded by the boar. After the huntsman takes a moment to sing his praises, Robin mercifully ends his life.
  • After the boar has been trussed up to take back to the castle, King Pellinore makes a shocking discovery: the Questing Beast. She is horribly ill because she misses King Pellinore chasing after her all the time.
  • It would seem that the Questing Beast has pined away because no one took any interest in her since King Pellinore was too busy hanging out with Sir Grummore and lounging around in feather beds.
  • Well, King Pellinore will have no more of this. He is going to return to his life of following the Questing Beast, and tells Sir Grummore to go roll himself up in a feather bed. How rude!