Merlin and the Grail

by Robert de Boron

  ‘I’m in permanent need of him!’ the king replied. ‘I’ve never been so eager to see anyone!’

  ‘The moment you said that, he bade me give you some very good news.’

  ‘What’s that?’ asked the king.

  ‘Hengist is dead,’ he replied. ‘Your brother Uther killed him.’

  The king was astounded and said: ‘Can this be true?’

  ‘He bids me say nothing more to you,’ he replied, ‘except that you’re mad if you doubt it without checking! Send someone to see if I’ve told you the truth – and if I have, believe it!’

  ‘Wise words,’ said the king, and he chose a pair of messengers and mounted them on his two finest horses, and commanded them to ride without stopping – there or back – until they brought confirmation of the story of Hengist’s death. The messengers set off and rode with all possible speed for a day and a night, until they met Uther’s own messengers, on their way to tell the king that Hengist was dead. They all exchanged news and rode back to the king, but the man who had brought word from Merlin had gone. The messengers came before the king and told him privately how Uther had killed Hengist; and when he heard the news he forbade them, if they valued his love, to speak of it to anyone. So matters stayed, with the king wondering greatly how Merlin had known about Hengist’s death. He waited to see if Merlin would come to him, and decided that as soon as he saw him he would ask him exactly how Hengist had died. He waited; and one day, as he was coming out of church, a handsome and well-dressed gentleman came up to him – very well presented he was; he seemed a worthy man indeed. He greeted the king and said: ‘Why are you staying in this town?’

  ‘I’m waiting for Merlin to come,’ the king replied, and the gentleman said: ‘Sire, you don’t know him well enough to recognise him. Call those who ought to know him and ask them if I could be Merlin.’

  The king was taken aback. He summoned those who had seen him before and said: ‘Sirs, we’re waiting for Merlin, but I don’t think anyone here knows what he truly looks like. If you do, tell me.’

  ‘Sire,’ they replied, ‘we’d recognise him, certainly.’

  Then the gentleman said: ‘How can a man know another when he doesn’t really know himself?’

  ‘We don’t know him in all his forms,’ they said, ‘but we’d recognise him in the guise in which we saw him last.’

  With that the gentleman turned and led the king into a chamber and told him: ‘Sire, I am the Merlin whom you seek, and I wish to be a friend to you and your brother Uther. I am the Merlin whom you seek: tell me what you wish.’

  And the king said: ‘Merlin, if possible, I dearly crave your friendship.’

  ‘Pendragon,’ Merlin replied, ‘I’ll give you answers to anything you ask – if it’s right to do so.’

  ‘Then tell me, Merlin,’ said the king, ‘if I’ve spoken to you since I came to these parts to find you.’

  ‘I am the herdsman you found, sire,’ Merlin replied, ‘tending his flock in the woods. And I am the one who told you Hengist had been killed.’

  The king was amazed by this, and said: ‘Merlin, how did you know of Hengist’s death?’

  ‘I knew of it when you first arrived here,’ said Merlin. ‘Hengist intended to kill your brother, and I went to him and warned him. And – thanks be to God and him – he believed me and took precautions. I told him of Hengist’s strength and amazing resolve – for he planned to come all alone to your brother’s battle lines, right to his own pavilion, to kill him! Your brother, I’m pleased to say, didn’t doubt my words, but stayed up all night on his own – he told no-one – and armed himself in secret. He stayed in his tent all night, until Hengist came in, knife in hand, expecting to find your brother; but he couldn’t see him; so he turned to leave the tent and came face to face with your brother, who attacked him and killed him in a moment, for your brother was armed and Hengist was not – he’d come intending to kill him as he slept in his bed and then to make a quick getaway.’

  The king was overwhelmed by Merlin’s extraordinary story, and asked him: ‘Merlin, in what guise did you appear to my brother? I’m amazed that he believed you.’

  And Merlin replied: ‘I took the form of an old, white-haired man, and I told him in private that if he didn’t take care he would die that night.’

  ‘Did you tell him who you were?’ asked the king.

  ‘Your brother still has no idea who warned him,’ said Merlin. ‘Nor will he, until you tell him. And I beg you, tell no-one else. If our trust is ever broken our friendship will be over.’

  ‘Merlin,’ said the king, ‘you can trust me in all things.’

  Then Merlin said: ‘Of this you may be certain, sire: I shall speak to your brother ten days after you and I have talked.’

  So it was that Merlin made himself known to Pendragon; then he took his leave and went to his master Blaise to tell him of these events. Blaise recorded them in his book, thanks to which we have knowledge of them still. And Pendragon rode on day by day until he found Uther, who came to meet him and gave him a joyful welcome. The moment they met, Pendragon took him aside and told him of Hengist’s death just as Merlin had related it, and asked him if it was true.

  ‘Yes,’ said Uther, ‘but God help me, you’ve told me what I thought no-one but God Himself knew – and an old man who spoke to me in private. I didn’t think anyone could know.’

  ‘Well I do,’ said Pendragon, ‘as you’ve clearly heard!’

  ‘In God’s name,’ said Uther, ‘tell me who told you, for I don’t know who the worthy soul was who spoke to me – though he seemed a good and wise man indeed, and I believed him, incredible though what he told me was. It was a bold act by Hengist, to be sure, coming into our own army and my own tent to kill me.’

  ‘Would you know the man if you saw him again?’ said Pendragon.

  ‘Very well, I think,’ Uther replied.

  ‘I promise you,’ Pendragon said, ‘he’ll speak to you within twelve days.’ He specified the day that Merlin had mentioned, and then said: ‘Uther, I beg you to stay by my side all that day, right until the day is over.’

  Uther promised this, saying he would be only too glad of his company. And Merlin, aware of all that was happening, told Blaise how the two brothers were talking about him, and how the king was trying to test him.

  ‘What are you going to do about it?’ Blaise asked him.

  ‘They’re young men,’ Merlin replied, ‘and full of spirit, and there’s no better way to secure their loyalty than by satisfying some of their whims! I know a lady whom Uther loves: I’ll take him a letter from her. You must write it down as I tell you, and Uther will be wholly convinced! I’m going to let the eleventh day pass without them seeing or recognising me; the next day I’ll reveal myself to the two young men together, and they’ll be more impressed!’

  Blaise did as Merlin said. Then Merlin appeared to Uther in the guise of his beloved’s serving-boy and said: ‘Your love sends you greetings – and this letter.’

  Uther took it with great delight, never doubting it was from his beloved, and summoned a clerk to read it. The letter implored him to believe everything the boy said – and Merlin told him what he knew Uther would most want to hear. So it was that Uther spent the whole of the eleventh day with his brother, enjoying his company and in excellent spirits because of the good news he had received from his love. But when evening came he was astonished that Merlin had failed to appear. Then, while Uther and Pendragon talked together, Merlin took the form in which he had appeared to Uther to warn him about Hengist, and Uther recognised him at once. Merlin told him to fetch his brother, which he did, and said: ‘Here he is!’

  Pendragon asked Uther if this was the man who had saved him from death, and he said it was, without a doubt. ‘But tell me,’ said Uther, ‘do you recognise him, too?’

  ‘Not at all,’ Pendragon replied.

  Then Uther turned to Merlin and said: ‘Sir, I bid you a hearty welcome, and rightly so, for you saved my life; b
ut one thing puzzles me: my brother knew every word you’d said to me.’

  ‘Then someone must have told him!’ Merlin replied. ‘Bring him back, and ask him who it was!’

  So Uther went to fetch the king, telling the guards outside his pavilion to let no-one enter. As soon as Uther left the tent, Merlin took the form of the boy who had brought him the letter, and when Uther returned with Pendragon, expecting to find the old man, there before them stood the boy. Uther was astounded, and said to the king: ‘This is amazing! I left the old man here, and now I find only this boy! Wait here: I’ll ask my guards if they saw him leave or the boy come in.’

  So Uther left the tent, and the king began to laugh heartily, realising it was Merlin. Uther asked his guards: ‘Did you see anyone leave or enter while I’d gone to fetch my brother?’

  And they replied: ‘The only people who’ve come in or out are you and the king.’

  And Uther returned to the boy and said: ‘When did you get here?’

  ‘I was here while you were talking to the old man.’

  The king, knowing it was Merlin, began to laugh and said: ‘Uther my dear brother, I didn’t think you were lying to me, but tell me now, could the one who gave you the warning be this boy?’

  ‘Impossible!’ said Uther; and the king said: ‘Let’s go out, then come back in and see if he’s returned!’

  In high spirits they walked among their army, and the king went up to a knight and said: ‘Go and see who’s in my brother Uther’s tent.’

  The knight went and found the old man. He came back and told the king; so he and Uther returned, and Uther was amazed to see the old man and said to the king: ‘This is the one who saved me from being killed by Hengist!’

  Then the king whispered to Merlin: ‘Do you want me to tell my brother who you are?’

  ‘I do indeed, sire,’ Merlin replied, so the king said to Uther: ‘Dear brother, where’s the boy who brought you the letter?’

  ‘He was here a moment ago,’ Uther said. ‘What do you want with him?’

  And Merlin and the king burst into peals of joyous laughter. Then Merlin took the king aside and told him the words he had given Uther from his beloved lady. ‘Go now, and tell Uther!’

  So the king went to him and said: ‘Dear brother, you’ve lost the boy who brought you the letter from your love.’

  ‘Why do you keep talking about that boy?’ said Uther.

  ‘Because he brought you such good news,’ Pendragon replied. ‘I’ll tell you what I know about it in the presence of the old man.’

  Uther agreed, thinking that nobody could know anything except the one who had told him first. But when he heard the king speak he was astounded and said: ‘In God’s name, tell me how you have this amazing knowledge – both of this and of the other matter!’

  ‘I will tell you,’ said Pendragon, ‘if it please this good old man.’

  ‘What has it to do with him?’ said Uther.

  ‘I will not tell you without his leave,’ the king replied; and Uther said: ‘Sir, please tell my brother to say!’

  ‘Only too happy!’ said Merlin, and when the king heard this he went up to Uther and said: ‘Brother, I’d have you know that this is the wisest man in the world. No other boy than he brought you that letter or spoke the secret words from your love!’

  Uther was astonished, and said to the king: ‘How can I know if what you’re telling me is true?’

  So the king asked Merlin if he could give a demonstration.

  ‘Well enough,’ Merlin said. ‘I’ll show him the boy.’

  With that he changed shape and became the boy, and Uther was speechless with amazement. The king said to him: ‘You may be sure, Uther, that this is Merlin. Now make sure that he’s your friend.’

  Uther was overjoyed and said: ‘If he were willing, I’d gladly have him on our side!’

  ‘I’d be pleased to stay,’ said Merlin, ‘and to have you get to know my ways. You must understand that I sometimes need to be away from people; but wherever I may be, I shall be more mindful of your affairs than of any other’s, and if you’re in trouble I’ll come to your aid. I beg you, however much you may desire my company, don’t be upset when I leave you; and whenever I return, give me a joyful, public welcome. You may be sure that I’ll never again change shape except privately, in your presence; each time I come I shall appear openly at your house, and those who’ve seen me before will run and tell you of my arrival; as soon as you have word, show your delight! They’ll tell you I’m a great seer; you may ask me about whatever most concerns your people, and I’ll advise you about anything you wish.’

  Such was the arrangement Merlin made with Pendragon and his brother Uther, and they agreed he should go and appear to their people in the shape in which they would recognise him. When he arrived before those who had been privy to his meetings with Vortigern they were overjoyed to see him, and they ran to tell the king that Merlin had come. The king showed his delight at the news and went to meet him, and those who loved Merlin told him: ‘Merlin, the king is coming to welcome you!’

  The king greeted him joyfully and took him to his own lodging, where his counsellors assembled and said to him: ‘Sire, ask Merlin to tell you how to take this castle, and what will be the outcome of our war with the Saxons. Truly, he could tell us if he wanted!’

  The king replied that he would gladly ask. They let the matter rest for the present, for they wanted to pay Merlin all due respect. Then, three days after Merlin’s arrival, all the king’s counsellors assembled, and the king came to Merlin and said: ‘Merlin, I pray you, tell me how I can capture this castle, and if there’s any way of driving the Saxons from the land.’

  ‘Sire,’ Merlin replied, ‘I can assure you that from the moment they lost Hengist, the Saxons had no other thought than to leave this land. Send your messengers to confirm this, and to seek a truce; they’ll agree to yield the kingdom to you. Have them escorted from the land and provided with ships to carry them away.’

  ‘Merlin,’ said the king, ‘you’re a wise man indeed. First I’ll seek a truce to see what they say.’

  He entrusted his message to King Ulfin – one of his counsellors – and two clerks, and they rode to the castle; and when the Saxons in the castle saw them coming they went to meet them and said: ‘What do you want?’

  And Ulfin replied: ‘We seek a truce on behalf of the king.’

  ‘We’ll discuss it, gladly,’ they answered, and withdrew a while and said: ‘Hengist’s death has severely weakened us. The king is seeking a three months’ truce, but our supplies won’t last that long! Let’s send him word that we’ll surrender this castle, and pay him a yearly tribute of ten knights, ten maidens, ten falcons, ten hounds, ten chargers and a hundred palfreys.’

  Such was the decision they reached, and they told the messengers, who returned to the king and Merlin and the other barons. When the king heard their answer he asked Merlin what he should do.

  ‘Reject it,’ Merlin replied. ‘Order them to leave the castle and the kingdom. Give them ships and boats to sail to other lands – I tell you, they’ll be only too pleased, for they’ll all have been expecting death!’

  The king did exactly as Merlin said, sending messengers early next day; and the Saxons in the castle were overjoyed at the chance to escape with their lives, for they knew they were helpless after losing Hengist. The news was sent throughout the land, and the king had the Saxons escorted to the port where he found them vessels to carry them away. So, as you have heard, Merlin knew the Saxons’ thoughts and had them driven from the land, and so it was that he became the king’s chief counsellor.

  *

  He stayed with him for a long while, and one day he was with the king having just discussed an important matter, when one of the barons became very upset and came to the king and said:

  ‘Sire, it’s amazing that you trust this man so much, for you know all his knowledge comes from the Devil. Let me test him in such a way as to show that openly.’
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  ‘You have my leave to do so,’ the king replied, ‘but don’t annoy him!’

  ‘I’ll say nothing offensive,’ the baron said, but he was a cunning and wicked man, and powerful, wealthy and well connected.

  One day Merlin arrived at court and the king gave him a joyful welcome. This baron invited Merlin to join their council, at which only five men were present; and he said to the king: ‘Sire, here is one of the wisest men in the world. I’ve heard he predicted Vortigern’s death, saying he would die in your fire, which he did. So I pray him to tell me how I shall die: I’m sure he could if he wanted.’

  The king and the others asked Merlin to do so, and Merlin, well aware of the baron’s wicked heart, replied: ‘Know then, sir, that you’ll die by falling from your horse and breaking your neck. That’s how you’ll leave this world.’

  When he had heard this, the baron said to the king: ‘Sire, you’ve heard what this man’s said.’ And he took the king aside on his own, and told him: ‘Remember Merlin’s words, sire, and I shall give him another test.’

  And with that he went home and donned different clothes; and when he was ready he returned to the king’s city as fast as he could. There he feigned illness, and sent a secret message to the king asking him to bring Merlin to him but not to let him know who he was. The king sent back word that he would gladly come, and would not tell Merlin his identity. So the king went to Merlin and said: ‘Come with me to see a sick man in the town.’

  Then he called for those he wished to accompany him and set off to see the invalid, who had prepared his wife to fall at the king’s feet and say: ‘In God’s name, sire, ask your seer if he can cure my husband!’

  The king looked deeply sympathetic, then turned to Merlin and asked him, and Merlin replied: ‘You may be sure, sire, that this man is not on his deathbed!’