In the twilight of Merlin's life, he fell in love with a beautiful young woman named Vivien. Vivien seduced Merlin with her beauty and charms and persuaded him to reveal his secrets of his mysticism to her. I n return for this, she promised him unending love.
When Merlin capitulated and told all his secrets to this woman who promised to love him, the cunning Vivien put a spell on Merlin which cast him into a deep slumber. She left him in a cave for all eternity, only to come out of the sleep if and when King Arthur and his men awaken.
.There are stones set around the Carmarthen area that are connected with Merlin's prophecies The most famous part of his legacy is the Priory Oak Tree in Carmarthen of which one of the prophecies said 'When Merlin's tree shall tumble down, then shall fall Carmarthen town'. According to the legend, if this prophecy ever comes true, this will lead to a time of great danger for the country.
On Merlin's Hill near Abergwili outside of Carmarthen, you can visit the area where the cave holding the sleeping Merlin is reputed to be, and hear the moaning of a man cursing his folly of love. The hill is set amongst the beautiful farmland of the Tywi River valley and is easily visited for those who wish to partake of the mystery and lore surrounding Merlin. The visitor's centre offers an exhibition of artifacts from the Carmarthen area as well as some historical perspective of the South Wales area, Be prepared, because the home of Merlin's cave is also a working dairy farm! The past and present are working side by side, preserving the legend of Merlin and his contribution to the folklore of Wales.
Go To Page: 1 2
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Sandra Jones's Welsh History topic, please visit the Discussions page.