--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who so pulleth out this sword from this…" description: "\"“Who so pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is trueborn King of all Britain.”\" — Rosemary Sutcliff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/rosemary-sutcliff-19223_king-arthur_who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this_435349.png" --- # Who so pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is… ![“Who so pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is trueborn King of all Britain.” quote by Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/rosemary-sutcliff-19223_king-arthur_who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this_435349.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/rosemary-sutcliff-19223_king-arthur_who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this_435349.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/rosemary-sutcliff-19223_king-arthur_who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this_435349.png) > ““Who so pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is trueborn King of all Britain.”” [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that only the rightful, divinely appointed ruler can claim true authority, symbolized by pulling a sword from stone and anvil. **In simple terms:** True king proves his right by a unique act. Key Takeaway Seek authentic leadership. Themes leadership legitimacy myth identity Mood inspirational reflective Type mythical literary motivational When to use this quote - choosing a leader - national unity - cultural rituals Key Concepts rightful rule divine destiny symbolic test heroic quest Questions to Reflect On - What defines true leadership? - How do symbols shape authority? A Different Perspective Legitimacy can be contested despite symbols. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anvil Trueborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anvil-trueborn-3829687/) [King arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king-arthur/) [King Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king-britain-3829684/) [Pulleth Sword](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pulleth-sword-3829686/) [Stone Anvil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stone-anvil-3829688/) [Trueborn King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trueborn-king-3829685/) ## Related quotes > [Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/whoso-pulleth-out-this-sword-of-this-stone-and-anvil-is-rightwise/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [“The shining light of Logres shone as high and clear as ever, but as a candle flares before it gutters out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/the-shining-light-of-logres-shone-as-high-and-clear-as-ever-but-as-a/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [How much he was shaped by being in the hospital so much as a kid. 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Therefore, I have come to look upon sleep as the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/always-in-these-times-i-am-wretched-save-when-sleep-comes-to-me/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“See now, for a good blade, one that will not betray the man in battle, rods of hard and soft iron must be heated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/see-now-for-a-good-blade-one-that-will-not-betray-the-man-in-battle/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“So Aquila took his father’s service upon him. 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"I have not served the Centurion because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/esca-tossed-the-slender-papyrus-roll-onto-the-cot-and-set-his-own/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [...extraordinarily beautiful, and slightly out of focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/extraordinarily-beautiful-and-slightly-out-of-focus/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“The gilded wreaths and crowns that the Legion had won in the days of its honour were gone from the crimson-bound staff; the furious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/the-gilded-wreaths-and-crowns-that-the-legion-had-won-in-the-days-of/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [Better to be a laughing-stock than lose the fort for fear of being one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/better-to-be-a-laughing-stock-than-lose-the-fort-for-fear-of-being-one/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“Let you sing of us all by name, that we may live as long as the song." "All three hundred of you?" Aneirin said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/let-you-sing-of-us-all-by-name-that-we-may-live-as-long-as-the-song/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“That is our Shield Ring, our last stronghold; not the barrier fells and the totter-moss between, but something in the hearts of men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/that-is-our-shield-ring-our-last-stronghold-not-the-barrier-fells-and/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“Before he left Rome, Marcus had been in a fair way to becoming a charioteer, in Cradoc's sense of the word, and now desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/before-he-left-rome-marcus-had-been-in-a-fair-way-to-becoming-a/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“And out of Tristan's heart there grew a hazel tree, and out of Iseult's a honeysuckle, and they arched together and clung and intertwined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/and-out-of-tristan-s-heart-there-grew-a-hazel-tree-and-out-of-iseult/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“I have provided a possible explanation for Antiochus's insane foolhardiness when left in command of the Athenian Fleet, because Thucidides's bald account is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/i-have-provided-a-possible-explanation-for-antiochus-s-insane/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“It is very hot tonight," Justin said, and loosed the folds of his light cloak, revealing the sprig of rye-grass thrust through the bronze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/it-is-very-hot-tonight-justin-said-and-loosed-the-folds-of-his-light/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) > [“For a moment they stood looking at each other in the firelight, while the old harper still fingered the shining strings and the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/for-a-moment-they-stood-looking-at-each-other-in-the-firelight-while/) [Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) [Explore all 33 Rosemary Sutcliff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/) ## More King arthur quotes > [You don't have to believe that there was a King Arthur to get the significance of those stories, but Christians say we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/you-don-t-have-to-believe-that-there-was-a-king-arthur-to-get-the/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [“That's exactly why I never liked King Arthur's Guinevere. 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Guerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-a-guerber/) > [“To many-towered Camelot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/to-many-towered-camelot/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [“The world eclipses and it’s just her and him. No it’s just her eyes and his soul. Her eyes expose and violate him, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-emunds/the-world-eclipses-and-it-s-just-her-and-him-no-it-s-just-her-eyes/) [Stefan Emunds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-emunds/) > [“It made me realise just how desperate the world is for a superhero. I don’t just mean those of the comic books. For there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-j-newell/it-made-me-realise-just-how-desperate-the-world-is-for-a-superhero-i/) [Paul J. Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-j-newell/) > [“Operating by trial and error mostly, we've evolved a tacitly agreed upon list of the elements that make for a good fantasy. The first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/operating-by-trial-and-error-mostly-we-ve-evolved-a-tacitly-agreed/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [“King Arthur is treated like George Washington often is—as a hero who is so noble and so far above the common man that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-wolf/king-arthur-is-treated-like-george-washington-often-is-as-a-hero-who/) [Joan Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-wolf/) > [Contemporary fantasists all bow politely to Lord Tennyson and Papa Tolkien, then step around them to go back to the original texts for inspiration--and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/contemporary-fantasists-all-bow-politely-to-lord-tennyson-and-papa/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [“Oh dire, dreadful death, you drag your heels. Why dawdle and draw back? You drown my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-armitage/oh-dire-dreadful-death-you-drag-your-heels-why-dawdle-and-draw-back/) [Simon Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-armitage/) > [“We are the archers with the bows that spring our children forward. Life does not go backward, nor does it tarry in yesterday. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/we-are-the-archers-with-the-bows-that-spring-our-children-forward/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [How much he was shaped by being in the hospital so much as a kid. 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He likes the young swashbuckling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brinkley/john-kerry-wants-to-be-the-hero-in-his-own-drama-he-likes-king-arthur/) [Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) [Browse all 95 King arthur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king-arthur/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Who so pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is trueborn King of all Britain.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rosemary Sutcliff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this-stone-and-anvil-is-trueborn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "King arthur" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this-stone-and-anvil-is-trueborn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/rosemary-sutcliff-19223_king-arthur_who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this_435349.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/rosemary-sutcliff-19223_king-arthur_who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this_435349.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/rosemary-sutcliff-19223_king-arthur_who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this_435349.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Who so pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is trueborn King of all Britain.” — Rosemary Sutcliff", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rosemary Sutcliff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Who so pulleth out this sword...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this-stone-and-anvil-is-trueborn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/who-so-pulleth-out-this-sword-from-this-stone-and-anvil-is-trueborn/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```