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Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Chivalry

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Author Topic: Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Chivalry  (Read 1075 times)
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Jana Chand-Medlock
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« Reply #60 on: October 27, 2009, 01:16:03 am »

These animals typified, as Merlin afterwards explained, the invasion
of Uther and Pendragon, the rightful princes, who soon after landed
with a great army. Vortigern was defeated, and afterwards burned alive
in the castle he had taken such pains to construct. On the death of
Vortigern, Pendragon ascended the throne. Merlin became his chief
adviser, and often assisted the king by his magical arts. Among
other endowments, he had the power to transform himself into any shape
he pleased. At one time he appeared as a dwarf, at others as a damsel,
a page, or even a greyhound or a stag. This faculty he often
employed for the service of the king, and sometimes also for the
diversion of the court and the sovereign.
Merlin continued to be a favorite counsellor through the reigns of
Pendragon, Uther, and Arthur, and at last disappeared from view, and
was no more found among men, through the treachery of his mistress,
Viviane, the Fairy, which happened in this wise.
Merlin, having become enamored of the fair Viviane, the Lady of
the Lake, was weak enough to impart to her various important secrets
of his art, being impelled by a fatal destiny, of which he was at
the same time fully aware. The lady, however, was not content with his
devotion, unbounded as it seems to have been, but "cast about," the
Romance tells us, how she might "detain him for evermore," and one day
addressed him in these terms: "Sir, I would that we should make a fair
place and a suitable, so contrived by art and by cunning that it might
never be undone, and that you and I should be there in joy and
solace." "My lady," said Merlin, "I will do all this." "Sir," said
she, "I would not have you do it, but you shall teach me, and I will
do it, and then it will be more to my mind." "I grant you this,"
said Merlin. Then he began to devise, and the damsel put it all in
writing. And when he had devised the whole, then had the damsel full
great joy, and showed him greater semblance of love than she had
ever before made, and they sojourned together a long while. At
length it fell out that, as they were going one day in hand through
the forest of Breceliande, they found a bush of white-thorn, which was
laden with flowers; and they seated themselves, under the shade of
this white-thorn, upon the grass, and Merlin laid his head upon the
damsel's lap, and fell asleep. Then the damsel rose, and made a ring
with her wimple round the bush, and round Merlin, and began her
enchantments, such as he himself had taught her; and nine times she
made the ring, and nine times she made the enchantment, and then she
went and sat down by him, and placed his head again upon her lap.
And when he awoke, and looked round him, it seemed to him that he
was enclosed in the strongest tower in the world, and laid upon a fair
bed. Then said he to the dame: "My lady, you have deceived me,
unless you abide with me, for no one hath power to unmake this tower
but you alone." She then promised that she would be often there, and
in this she held her covenant with him. And Merlin never went out of
that tower where his Mistress Viviane had enclosed him; but she
entered and went out again when she listed.
After this event Merlin was never more known to hold converse with
any mortal but Viviane, except on one occasion. Arthur, having for
some time missed him from his court, sent several of his knights in
search of him, and among the number Sir Gawain, who met with a very
unpleasant adventure while engaged in this quest. Happening to pass
a damsel on his road, and neglecting to salute her, she revenged
herself for his incivility by transforming him into a hideous dwarf.
He was bewailing aloud his evil fortune as he went through the
forest of Breceliande, when suddenly he heard the voice of one
groaning on his right hand; and, looking that way, he could see
nothing save a kind of smoke, which seemed like air, and through which
he could not pass. Merlin then addressed him from out the smoke, and
told him by what misadventure he was imprisoned there. "Ah, sir!" he
added, "you will never see me more, and that grieves me, but I
cannot remedy it; I shall never more speak to you, nor to any other
person, save only my mistress. But do thou hasten to King Arthur,
and charge him from me to undertake, without delay, the quest of the
Sacred Graal. The knight is already born, and has received
knighthood at his hands, who is destined to accomplish this quest."
And after this he comforted Gawain under his transformation,
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