The Mabinogion - Note on the Forest of Breceliande and the Fountain of Baranton Unknown Author (Ft. Translated by Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Guest)

THE Forest of Brécéliande, in Brittany, the scene of the leading incident in the Chevalier au Lion, has ever been one of the most favoured haunts of Romance, and one whose marvels the Trouvères have most delighted to celebrate. Amongst those whose names have contributed to add to the renown of this remarkable spot, is the mighty Enchanter, Merlin, whose prison it became through the artifices of his Lady love. The manner of his being incarcerated there is very circumstantially detailed in the Romance which bears his name, as quoted by Mr. Southey, in the Preface to the Morte d'Arthur.

Merlin, having become enamoured of the fair Viviane, 1 was weak enough to impart to her various important secrets of his art, 2 being impelled by a fatal destiny, of which he was at the same time fully aware. The Lady, however, was not content with his devotion, unbounded as it seems to have been, but "cast about," as the Romance tells us, how she might "detain him for evermore," and with a view of learning some mode of accomplishing this object, she one day addressed him in these terms,--"Sir," said she, "I would have you teach and show me how to enclose and imprison a man without a tower, without walls, without chains, but by enchantment alone, in such manner that he may never be able to go out, except by me." Aware of her design, Merlin shook his head, and evinced great reluctance to comply with her request. But Viviane, "for her great treason," began to fawn and to flatter him, and used many subtle arguments to prove that he ought to perform her will, whatever it might be. So at last he said to her, "Certes, lady, yes, and I will do it; tell me what you would have." "Sir," said she, "I would that we should make a fair place and a suitable, so contrived by art and by cunning, that it might never be undone, and that you and I should be there in joy and in solace." "My lady," said Merlin, "I will perform all this." " Sir," said she, "I would not have you do it, but you shall teach me, and I will do it, and then it will be more to my will." "I grant you this," said Merlin. Then he began to devise, and the damsel put it all in writing. And when he had devised the whole, then had the damsel full great joy, and showed him greater semblance of loving him than she had ever before made; and they sojourned together a long while. At length it fell out that, as they were going one day hand in hand through the forest of Broceliande, they found a bush of white thorn which was laden with flowers; and they seated themselves under the shade of this white thorn upon the green grass, and they disported together and took their solace, and Merlin laid his head upon the damsel's lap, and then she began to feel if he were asleep. Then the damsel rose and made a ring with her wimple round the bush and round Merlin, and began her enchantments such as he himself had taught her; and nine times she made the ring, and nine times she made the enchantments; and then she went and sate down by him, and placed his head again upon her lap; and when he awoke, and looked round him, it seemed to him that he was enclosed in the strongest tower in the world, and laid upon a fair bed. Then said he to the dame, "My lady, you have deceived me unless you abide with me, for no one hath power to unmake this tower, save you alone." She then promised she would be often there, and we are told that in this she held her covenant to him. "And Merlin never went out of that tower where his mistress Viviane had enclosed him. But she entered and went out again when she listed; and oftentime she regretted what she had done, for she had thought that the thing which he taught her could not be true, and willingly would she have let him out if she could."--(T. 2. f. 134.)

From the same authority, it appears that after this event Merlin was never more known to hold converse with any mortal but Viviane, except on one occasion. Arthur having for some time missed him from his Court, sent several of his Knights in search of him, and among the number Sir Gawain, who met with a very unpleasant adventure while engaged in this quest. Happening to pass a damsel on his road, as he journeyed along, and neglecting to salute her, she revenged herself for his incivility, by transforming him into a hideous dwarf. He was bewailing aloud his evil fortune as he went through the Forest of Brécéliande, when "suddenly he heard the voice of one groaning on his right hand;" and "looking that way he could see nothing save a kind of smoke which seemed like air, and through which be could not pass." Merlin then addressed him from out the smoke, and told him by what misadventure be was imprisoned there. "Ah, Sir," he added, "you will never see me more, and that grieves me, but I cannot remedy it; and when you shall have departed from this place, I shall never more speak to you, nor to any other person, save only my mistress." And after this he comforted Gawain under his transformation, assuring him that he should speedily be disenchanted, and he predicted to him that he should find the King at Carduel, in Wales, on his return, and that all the other Knights who had been on the like quest, would arrive there the same day as himself. And all this came to pass as Merlin had said.--(T. 2. f, 146.) 1

It is evident that the wonders ascribed by Chrestien de Troyes to the Fountain of Baranton, in this famous Forest, were not the creation of his own fancy, but were in his time already in no small repute; for we find his precursor Wace so much impressed with the desire to be an eye-witness of them, that he actually made a journey to the spot for that purpose. In his Roman de Rou be relates the whole affair with admirable naïveté. After adverting to the marvels of the slab, he tells us, that if what the Bretons say is true, Fairies are often to be seen sporting on the Fountain's bank; but he very frankly owns that he met with nothing but disappointment to repay the trouble of his expedition, and he reproaches himself for his folly in having ever undertaken it.

The passage is brought in by the mention of the Barons who accompanied William of Normandy to the conquest of England, some of whom he says were

"de verz Brecheliant,
Dune Bretunz vont sovent fablant,
Une forest mult lunge è lée,
Ki en Bretaigne est mult loée;
La Fontaine de Berenton
Sort d'une part lez le perron;
Aler i solent venéor
A Berenton par grant chalor,
Et o lor cors l'ewe puisier
Et li perron de suz moillier,
Por ço soleient pluée aveir;
Issi soleit jadis pluveir
En la forest tut envirun,
Maiz jo ne sai par kel raisun.
Là solt l'en li fées véir,
Se li Bretunz disent veir,
Et altres merveilles plusors;
Aigres solt avéir destors
E de granz cers mult grant plenté,
Maiz li vilain ont deserté.
Là alai jo merveilles querre,
Vis la forest è vis la terre;
Merveilles quis, maiz nes' trovai;
Fol m'en revins, fol i alai,
Fol i alai, fol m'en revins,
Folie quis, per fol me tins."--v. 11514-11539.
Roman de Rou, publié par F. Pluquet.
Rouen, 1827--ii. 143, 4.