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Then Bleys and Merlin, who were present at his death, passed together out of the castle. It was a stormy night, and as they walked along by the lake they were forced by the roar of the tempest to look out upon the waves, whipped by the wind. "Suddenly they saw a ship on the water. It had the shape of a winged dragon. All over its decks stood a multitude of people shining like gold.
"Enforced she was to wed him in her tears." The Celtic custom of fosterage is overlooked, and Merlin gives the child to Anton, not as the customary dalt, but to preserve the babe from danger. Queen Bellicent then tells Leodogran, from the evidence of Bleys, Merlin's master in necromancy, the story of Arthur's miraculous advent.
Merlin says that Arthur is Uther's son, and indeed I should like to believe it." "But you are not sure?" asked the king. "I am not sure. For my mother Yguerne was dark, and King Uther was dark. Their hair and eyes were black like mine. Yet Arthur's hair is as bright as gold. Besides, there is the story of old Bleys." "What is his story?" "He says that Uther died, weeping because he had no heir.
He called the oldest knight in his kingdom and said to him: "Do you know anything about Arthur's birth?" The old man looked very wise and said: "There are two men who do know; the younger of them is twice as old as I am. They are Merlin, and Bleys, the master of Merlin. Bleys has written down the secret of Arthur's birth in a book."
But because the king was dead and the lords powerful and jealous, he told me to guard you in secrecy lest your life be taken. I did not know whether the story was true or false then, but you were a helpless child, and Merlin was a wise sage, and so I took you and brought you up as my own." Arthur was so astonished that he did not ask to hear the tale that Bleys told.
"And down the wave and in the flame was borne A naked babe, and rode to Merlin's feet, Who stoopt and caught the babe, and cried 'The King! Here is an heir for Uther!" But Merlin, when asked by Bellicent to corroborate the statement of Bleys, merely "Answer'd in riddling triplets of old time." Finally, Leodogran's faith is confirmed by a vision.
Long ago, when you were a little baby, Merlin brought you to me to take care of, telling me that you were to be the king." "Then whose son am I?" cried Arthur. "There are two stories: the one that Merlin tells, and the one that old Bleys, the master of Merlin, tells. Merlin brought you to me, saying that you were the son of King Uther and Yguerne his wife.
Here is an heir for Uther! This, King Leodogran, is the story Bleys told me before he died." King Leodogran wondered very much. Then he said: "But did you not question Merlin about this?" "Yes," answered Queen Bellicent. "I asked him if this story of Bleys was true. He would only answer me with a riddle."
You are the daughter of Queen Yguerne by an earlier marriage, and, therefore, Arthur's half-sister if Arthur is really Uther's son. You ought surely to know the truth." Bellicent waited a little while, and then said: "King Leodogran, I do not know what the truth is. There are two stories: the story Merlin tells and the story Bleys tells.
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