Merlin has become a legend. Many fantastical tales have been woven about him, and he continues to show up, in various guises in our popular culture. He has captured our imaginations as the archetypal Druid or Wizard.
When we trace the history of his story we find at the beginning the fragments of an historical figure. A man who existed on the edges.
He lived in the middle of the sixth century, a time after the Romans had withdrawn from Britain and the still powerful kingdoms of the North were fighting for power while trying to fend off increasing waves of invasions from the Angles.
It was also a time when the old nature-based spirituality of Britain was teetering on the edge of submission to the new faith moving up from the desert lands and Southern Europe.
Merlin's story is based in South West Scotland. It was only later, as layers of legend began to wrap around him, he was translocated to other parts of Britain.
This telling is based on the bones of a few historical scraps we have left and doesn't include many of the later additions you are likely more familiar with.
It's a long story so I've broken it up into four parts. This first part is an insight into how life might have been when the Brythonic tribes native to southern Scotland still had the freedom to follow their old ways.
This episode features a Celtic Dream Temple. You can learn more about the history behind this imagining here:
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Episode 4: Myrddin of the WildWood, Part 1