MERLIN THE GREAT                            

The Lady of the Lake was known as a Gwragedd Nnnwn (or Lake Faerie) which were often married to mortal men. They were lovely, blonde women who enjoyed female company and aiding mortal women and children. The Lady of the Lake was also considered the Queen of the Isle of Maidens. Nimue, mythologically, was a lesser Celtic Moon Goddess. Her name meant "fate" and "she who lives".  Nimue  represented the primal initiation into the Otherworld and reigned over knowledge and wisdom.

Known as the Lady of the Lake, Nimue was the protector of Britain's waters and keeper of her most precious treasures.  Born of Danu, goddess mother of the Tuatha De Danann, and Dagda, God of All, she was the sister of Brigit, goddess of fire, and Manannan, god of the sea.  Her children were the fishermen and their families whom she would bless with fish-filled nets.  On the solstice she would ride a white stag through the villages singing and playing with the children.

One day raiders came to her villages and pillaged them taking her children away as slaves.  Full of anger, Nimue asked her brother Manannan to sink their boats while the four winds held them captive as she rescued her children.  The Lady's lake overflowed the earth while rain fell from the heavens. Dagda and Danu protected the forests and faeries from the flood that ensued.  As the ships sank, the Lady changed her children into mermaids protected in the oceans by Manannan and swans protected by the Earth Mother.

Nimue met Merlin at the Fountain of Brittany where he fell in love with her.  Through the years he taught her about magick and honed her mystical powers.  Eventually she became so powerful, it brought about his downfall as She locked him in the Crystal Cave (or Glass Tower - depending on the legend).

Long before this happened though,  Nimue had Merlin bring Arthur to her magickal lake.  As the first sun rays of the day touched her waters, the Lady arose from the waters with a marvelous sword in her hands - Excalibur! Made of Netherworld metal and adorned with gold and lapis lazuli, she bestowed it upon the young Arthur and then returned to the waters of the lake.

Eventually She left her lake and travelled to Gaul.  There she found a young baby with eyes of blue and hair of gold.  Returning to her lake with this young child, she raised him until the age of 16.  She taught him the art of chivalry and warned him of the dangers of love.  When he reached 16, She named him Lancelot of the Lake, gave him armor and a Faerie sword, and sent him to Camelot to serve Arthur of the sword Excalibur.

Fatally wounded at the Battle of Camlann, Arthur's sword was thrown back into the lake where it has remained.  Our Lady was one of the three Queens who escorted the King's body to Avalon. 

In listening mood she seemed to stand,
The guardian Naiad of the strand.

                                             Lady of the Lake. Canto i. Stanza 17.
                                               Sir Walter Scott

    And ne’er did Grecian chisel trace
A Nymph, a Naiad, or a Grace
Of finer form or lovelier face.

                                          Lady of the Lake. Canto i. Stanza 18.
                                         SirWalter Scott

"And near him stood the Lady of the Lake
Who knows a subtler magic than his own-
Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful.
She gave the King his huge cross-hilted sword,
Whereby to drive the heathen out. A mist
Of incense curl'd about her, and her face
Well nigh was hidden in the minster gloom;
But there was heard among the hold hymns
A voice as of the waters, for she dwell
Down in the deep-calm, whatsoever storms
May shake the world- and when the surface rolls,
Hath power to walk the waters like our Lord."


"Then with both hands I flung him [Excalibur], wheeling him;
But when I look'd again, behold an arm;
Clothed in white samite, mystical, wonderful,
That caught him by the hilt, and brandish'd him
Three times, and drew him under the mere."

                                  Idylls of the King

                                                                 Alfred Lord Tennyson

"He knew as much as God would let him know

Until he met the lady Vivian.

I tell you that, for the world knows all that;

Also it knows he told the King one day

That he was to be buried, and alive,

In Brittany; and that the King should see

The face of him no more. Then Merlin sailed Away to Vivian in Broceliande,

Where now she crowns him and herself with flowers And feeds him fruits and wines and many foods

Of many savors, and sweet ortolans.

Wise books of every lore of every land

Are there to fill his days, if he require them, And there are players of all instruments--

Flutes, hautboys, drums, and viols; and she sings

To Merlin, till he trembles in her arms And there forgets that any town alive

Had ever such a name as Camelot.

So Vivian holds him with her love, they say,

And he, who has no age, has not grown old.

I swear to nothing, but that's what they say.

That's being buried in Broceliande

For too much wisdom and clairvoyancy.

But you and all who live, Gawaine, have heard

This tale, or many like it, more than once;

And you must know that Love, when Love invites

Philosophy to play, plays high and wins,

Or low and loses. And you say to me,

'If Merlin would have peace, let Merlin stay

Away from Brittany.' Gawaine, you are young,

And Merlin's in his grave."

MERLIN

by

EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON

From the Musical: Camelot 

Artist: Mary Sue Berry Lyrics
Song: Follow Me Lyrics

The Lady of the Lake has many legends and many names attached to her.  The above interpretation is my favorite and the one I chose to believe...............

Blessed Be,

Nimue