THE SWORD IN THE STONE

Putnam, New York, 1939, BCE.  Hard cover, 312 pages.  Blue boards with gilt decoration on front, gilt lettering on spine, red top stain.  Light corner and spine end wear, small white spot on rear board; binding sound with a slight lean; age spotting on outer page block.  Dust jacket has edge and cover wear, small losses, short tears and repaired tears on verso, age spotting and small stains; spine a bit sunned.  Decorative end papers by Robert Lawson, black & white illustrations by the author; pages tanned, prior owner’s name on FEP, remainder of interior clean and unmarked; abrasion in bottom margin of p. 165.  ‘… the narrative of how the boy, Wart, was made worthy to become the king and leader, Arthur.  The sword (as in the old legend) came out of the stone for him and for on one else, because he had been taught to be the kind of Homo Sapiens (as the snake called them) for whom swords out to come out of stones; because he had been truly educated.’ (from rear flap)