Significance of the Catching of the Sword in the "Hollow Hills" by Mary Stewart.

The Catching of The Sword. In a monarchy when a prince is ready to succeed his father as king he not only needs to proove himself to his family but the rest of the people that he shall be the ruler of, by a symbolic action. Most of the time it's done on the battlefield along side his men. In the book "The Hollow Hills" by Mary Stewart this action is shown by "Emrys" with …

…and it will never be broken. It's as if even though they are miles apart, they are truly right next to eachother. Which is foreshadowing to the future with Merlin at Arthur's side as he takes the role of King of Great Britain. That is how the action of Arthur catching the sword symbolizes what is in store for Great Britain. It showed them that Arthur would make a great leader and a great soldier.