The Legend of Merlin

The Known Legend

Legends pass from one generation to the next. Some endure in written form. Others pass from lip to lip, and stand the test of time. Ambrosius, better known as Merlin, is one such legend that has endured on Earth for thousands of years. It has remained both in written and spoken form immortalized by writers such as Tennyson, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and Robert De Boron and kept alive by the tales of common folk alike.

The exact origin of the legend of Merlin is unknown. However, they each depict Merlin as a wizard, sorcerer, prophet, bard, advisor and tutor. It was said, Merlin was a half-blood, born with special powers; the ability to see the past and foretell the future.

In early medieval Welsh folk tales, he is depicted as an insane, “Wildman in the Woods” of the Caledonean Forest. In Arthurian lore, Merlin was portrayed for his role as an advisor, first as a boy to King Vortigern and then to King Uther.

Merlin was instrumental in the making of King Arthur. Merlin had a prior deal with King Uther. This deal made Uther hand his only son, Arthur over to him. With the help of Sir Ector, Merlin raised and tutored Arthur. Uther was without an heir to the throne, because he gave his son up at birth. Thus, Uther had a sword embedded in an anvil and placed on a stone. Engraved on the sword was his prophecy, “Whoever pulls this sword from this stone and anvil is the rightful born king of all England.” After King Uther died, Merlin set up a tournament of knights to draw the sword from the anvil. He knew Arthur would be there. Arthur mistakenly pulls the sword from the anvil, becomes Kind of England and Merlin becomes King Arthur’s advisor.

During this time, Merlin took on an apprentice. She was a young fairy woman named Niniane. (Some legends call her Nimue or Viviane and believe her to be the Lady in the Lake.) Merlin trained her in the art of wizardry and passed on all of his magical secrets. However, he fell deeply in love with Niniane. Unknown to Merlin, Niniane used his love in her favor. Niniane, who didn’t love him back, cast him into an oak tree while he was sleeping. (Other versions suggest he was cast into a bush, tower or rock.)

The Unknown Legend

From these legends, humans only knew Merlin as a magical advisor, whose foresights rang true. They do not know much about Merlin’s celestial ties. In all actuality, he was a supreme being who could travel to different worlds in the universe. In his disappearances from earth, he collected seventeen magical relics. Those seventeen relics combined, were to give him the ultimate power to rid evil from the universe.

Niniane spoiled his plans. She used subterfuge to get close to Merlin. His love for her blinded him to her true objective; gain his trust and when he had the seventeen articles, she was to steal them and bring them to her evil master. At the last moment, Merlin caught on to her plan. He slipped away through the portal of the Lady of The Lake and hid the relics throughout the universe. When he returned, he was exhausted and fell asleep against an Oak tree. Niniane cast her spell on him.

The relics remain hidden throughout the universe.