| Magical Myths 101 Lessons Seven |
| We continue with famous witches and wizards: Morgana � Who was also known as Morgan Le Fay, and was a powerful enchantress of British myths, especially gifted in the healing arts. Merlin was her tutor, and she is sometimes said to be the half-sister of King Arthur. However, she is Arthur�s rival, stealing his sword Excalibur and plotting his death. According to legend, she lived in the Straits of Messinu, off Italy. An unusual sea currant in that area often draws phosphorescent creatures from the depths ot that surface, creating the impression of strange lights or floating objects above water. These are called Fata Morgana! (fata is Italian word for fairy). Merlin � He is considered one of the wisest wizards ever! A master sorcerer, he was said to have been an advisor to the British Kings Vortigern, Uther Pendragon, and of course, Arthur. Although he may have been based on a wizard who actually lived, the Merlin we know is a character created from legends. Some say he arranged the huge stones of Stonehenge. Others say he was gifted in prophecy because he lived backward, so he had already seen the future. He was best known as King Arthur�s mentor. *He hid the infant Arthur just as Dumbledore knew to hid Harry from Voldemort. **Also, highly thought of, some HP wizards, e.g. Dumbledore, belong to the �Order of Merlin�. |
| Merlin had become both Arthur�s tutor and his counselor, using his keen intelligence and innumerable acts of wizardry to help the young king fight Britain�s enemies. According to some stories, Merlin was tricked by the Lady of the Lake, whom he loved, into creating a magical column of air that she then used to imprison him in forever.
Circe � In Homer�s ancient epic poem, The Odyssey, Circe is a �great and cunning doddess� who lives on an island. Odysseus�s men, returning home from the Trojan War, stopped at her island and became victims of the enchantress. Odyssus himself, having taken a special potion, resists Circe�s charms and eventually frees his men. |
| Quiz:
1.) Who was Morgana? 2.) What is Fata Morgana? 3.) What was the connection between Morgana to King Arthur? 4.) Why is Merlin considered to be the wisest wizard of all time? 5.) What is the similarity between Merlin and Albus Dumbledore? 6.) How was Merlin tricked by the Lady of the Lake? 7.) What was the connection between Merlin and King Arthur? 8.) How does Merlin connect to the HP books? 9.) Who was Firce? 10.) What did she do? |
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