Myrddin Wyllt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Myrddin Wyllt
Merlin and St. Kentigern, Stobo Kirk
Born	Carmarthen
Nationality	Welsh
Known for	Prophet and madman in Welsh legend; served as the inspiration for Merlin in Arthurian legend

Myrddin Wyllt (Welsh: [ˈmərðɪn ˈwɨɬt]—"Myrddin the Wild") is a famous character from old Welsh stories. He was known as a great poet and a prophet, someone who could see the future. People also called him Myrddin Emrys or Merlin of the Woods. He was born around the year 540 CE.

Myrddin's story is based on a real person. Legend says he went mad after a big fight called the Battle of Arfderydd. This battle happened in 573 CE. After the battle, Myrddin ran away into the forest. He lived among the animals and gained the special gift of prophecy.

Myrddin Wyllt's story is very similar to another character named Lailoken from northern Britain. Some experts think they might be the same person, or at least that their stories are closely linked. Myrddin's grave is said to be near the River Tweed in a village called Drumelzier, but there's nothing left to see there today.

Myrddin in Welsh Stories

The earliest Welsh poems about Myrddin show him as a madman living alone in the Caledonian Forest. He often thought about his past life and the terrible things he saw at the Battle of Arfderydd. In this battle, King Riderch Hael defeated the forces of Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio. Myrddin went mad watching this defeat.

Historians believe there were three main stories that combined to create the Myrddin we know.

• The first was about "Merlinus Ambrosius," who was found in Carmarthen. He made prophecies before a king named Vortigern.
• The second was "Merlinus Silvester" or "Merlinus Caledonius." This Merlin came from the North and lived around the time of King Arthur. He saw a terrible sign in the sky during a battle and spent the rest of his life as a madman in the woods.
• The third was "Myrddin Wyllt," who is often linked to the character Lailoken.

A story from the late 1400s, called Lailoken and Kentigern, tells how St. Kentigern met a wild, hairy man named Lailoken. Some people called this man "Merlynum" or "Merlin." Lailoken told St. Kentigern that he was cursed to wander with animals because of his sins. He had caused the deaths of many people in a battle. Lailoken also predicted his own death, saying he would die three different ways. Later, shepherds captured and killed him, making his prophecy come true.

Some people thought the name of the town Carmarthen came from Myrddin. However, the town's name actually comes from the old Roman name Moridunum, which means "sea fort." It seems that Myrddin's name might have actually come from the town's name, not the other way around.

Welsh literature also has many prophecies, which are predictions about the future. Some of these predictions were said to come from Myrddin. They often talked about the Celtic people of Great Britain joining together to drive out the English and Normans. One old poem, Armes Prydein, even says, "Myrddin foretells that they will meet."

Geoffrey of Monmouth and Merlin

The way we think of Merlin today mostly comes from a writer named Geoffrey of Monmouth. He wrote about Merlin as a prophet and a madman. Geoffrey was the first to connect Merlin to the famous Arthurian legend and to the town of Carmarthen.

Geoffrey wrote a book called Prophetiae Merlini, which was a collection of prophecies supposedly from Myrddin. He then included these prophecies in his more famous book, Historia Regum Britanniae. In this book, Geoffrey created a life story for Merlin that placed him much earlier, during the time of Ambrosius Aurelianus and King Arthur. This was decades before the real Myrddin Wyllt was said to have lived. Geoffrey also added new stories to Merlin's life that he seemed to have made up himself.

Later, Geoffrey wrote another book called Vita Merlini. This story was closer to the older Welsh tales about Myrddin and his experiences at the Battle of Arfderydd. Geoffrey tried to explain that these events happened long after Merlin's time with King Arthur. However, the Vita Merlini was not as popular as his first book. The version of Merlin in the Historia became the most famous and influenced almost all later stories about the character.

Images for kids

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  Merlin and St. Kentigern, Stobo Kirk