A Donald Barthelme Collection


Title:  The King
Printing:  ?
Year of publication:  1990
Publisher:  Penguin Books
City:  New York
Number of Pages:  159
Cover:  paperback
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:  89-45076
ISBN:  0 14 01.4992 9
Wood Engravings:  Barry Moser




beginning:

"See there! It's Launcelot!"

"Riding, riding--"

"How swiftly he goes!"

"As if enchafed by a fiend!"

"The splendid muscles of his horse move rhythmically under the drenchèd skin of same!"

"By Jesu, he is in a vast hurry!"

But now he pulls up the horse and sits for a moment, lost in thought!"

"Now he wags his great head in daffish fashion!"

"He reins the horse about and puts the golden spurs to her!"

"But that is the direction from which he lately came with such excess of speed!"

"No, it's slightly different! It's an angle of about fifteen degrees to the first!"

"This breakbone pace will soon unhorse him!"

"Not Launcelot! Launcelot is the greatest horseman in the realm!"

"Look you! Launcelot and his horse have plunged into a deep mire!"