Uther Pendragon, king of England, wishes to take as his mistress the Duke of Tintagel’s beautiful wife, Igraine. However, Tintagel and Igraine depart from court once Igraine senses the king’s desire to sleep with her. Pendragon pursues the couple but falls ill, calling on his servant to look for the magician Merlin, who the king hopes will be of help. Merlin, disguised as a beggar, agrees to help on the condition that the king give him the child whom Igraine will conceive. The king agrees, and Merlin arranges for the death of the Duke of Tintagel amid a confused skirmish. That night Pendragon, disguised as the duke, sleeps with Igraine, who becomes pregnant with Arthur.

Pendragon and Igraine marry, and two of Igraine’s daughters from her previous union (Morgause, Elaine, and Morgan le Fay) receive husbands; the exception is Morgan le Fay, who before marrying spends time in a nunnery learning magic. Igraine learns that the king was the one who slept with her on the night her husband died. When Arthur is born, Merlin reminds Uther Pendragon of his promise and takes the child, placing Arthur in the care of the knight Sir Hector.