In the Midst of Legend

"My friend Edileide Brito asked me to write a poem for her and so as she studies Arthurian legends I decided to put the legend into verse". ~~Ian Grigor' speaks~~

In the midst of legend
by Ian Grigor

'I must have her, Merlin....she must be mine!' demanded King

But Gorlois would never permit it, Uther..it would lead to war...

'That does not concern me, Wizard...i would give all...

'all could be a costly price, Uther....consider...be sure...



'I have never been more so...Igraine must be mine this night!

'You would risk war with Gorlois over Envy...for a night of lust?

'Envy...lust...what are these words,Merlin? I want her!

'If i give you your desire,Uther, then agree to my terms you must!



'Anything, Merlin...give me Igraine and i will pay any cost...

open a safe path to her chambers and you will have all you ask!

'In the count of nine moons a child will be born to you...

I demand possession of this infant...can you handle such a task?



'You task me with words, Merlin...end this haste of mine...

clouds your vision, Uther...will you give what i ask of you?

'I swear it, Warlock...this oath you lay before me shall be upheld!

'then this night Igraine shall be yours...the Dragons breath will carry you...



***
'Look there...' cried the vassel 'they leave...they flee...

have won...Uther has turned tail and run...the feud is over...

'Gorlois closed his eyes and sighed 'Yes...it would appear so...

i will not let him hide..after sunset we follow...with night as cover..'



'But Igraine!, who will protect her in your absence?''

I will find Igraine safe on my return...she will come to no harm...

Uthers desire for her will be his undoing...i will see to it!...

the walls of Tintagel will defend her...now quiet your alarm!'


***



Uther, removal of your men has had the desired effect...

we have drawn Gorlois out...he seeks to end this folly.

'Then work your Magic, Merlin..quickly...i command it!

'rash actions result in mistakes, Uther..do you desire Melancholy?



'I desire Igraine...you know this...yet still you mock me!

'mock you...i? your own impatience mock you...

bend to the wind and so too must your conceit...

you have to give as well as take, Uther lest your rue be untrue...



'...lest my rule be untrue?..i am King, Merlin...your King!

'Merlin sighed...i come and i go as i see fit..i do so to my delight..

if i do your bidding it is by choice...my choice...

i serve no King, Uther...be he by Blood or right.



Uther was silenced briefly '..then must i beg you to work your Magic?

your eyes and sleep Uther..be the image of your desire'..

it become reality...a truth..or remain a dream?

'Hold tight your wish...your lust must burn as Dragonfire.


Merlin waved slumber before Uthers eyes then turned to face Tintagel

with his arms open wide he began to repeat the Magical rhyme

Anul nathrakh, urth vas bethud, dolchjel djenvedream the Dragon...

ride the serpents breath..my recovery will take time


***



Uther woke with a scream '..Merlin! i swear i saw Dragons!'

oh yes, Uther...i have awoken him...lokk about you..do you see?

I see only mist..' answered the confused King

it is the Dragons breath..i have broken his chains..oh, i have set him free




'But what of Igraine..how do i reach her from here?

'Trust the Dragon, Uther and this night you will lay by her

side'What do i do about the ravine, Merlin..unlike birds i do not fly'

Merlin pointed to Tintagel..ride your horse, Uther..lust will be your guide



Uther pulled himself onto horseback and looked hesitantly at Merlin

'will i gain entry to Tintagel..will i be excepted by the Duchess?'

ride the Dragons breath, Uther...throw aside your anxieties...

will take on the semblance of Gorlois..upon you this i impress!



Merlin stepped aside as Uther rode toward and off the ravines edge

as the Dragons breath curled round him he took on the Dukes

is it, Uther..change..yes, become Gorlois..Igraines denyal will lay at slumber

sighing and bereft of alibi the Wizard was sure his spell had been wise


***

Gorlois looked from the valley encampment to his first in command

'What kind og King fells he will be safe in a Bivouac?

''An arrogant King, sire..one who feels he can take on a whim

''Let us then return the sentiment..this refuge of his we shall sack'



Charging into the encampment Gorlois and his men slashed and stabbed

'Uther! Coward King! Come, stand and fight me! Prove yourself a man!

'A hand stayed the bow from loosing its arrow 'Wait, let him first shadow the

spikes...

..the King will be with Igraine now...Gorlois must not escape..follow the Kings plan!'



*************


'Why do you cower, Uther? Lady Igraine would see disgust in your grovel..

you seek union with another mans wife yet still you hide!

'The Archer looked from Gorlois to his fellow Assassin 'Is this just?..

Gorlois has done no wrong..his only aim to to protect his Bride!'





'Keep your mind centered on the task in hand...

King has issued his orders and so we obay!

''What kind of motive is that to end the life of a man.....

i pray, for his reasons, the King lives to rue this day!'



Turning back to his quarry the Assassin aimed his bow

begging forgiveness and praying he'd miss he let loose the

missile sought its victim, struck and felled him from his horse

'Be at peace, sire. Let the living suffer Uthers Tyrannical abuse'

Vikings preferred male grooming to pillaging

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones

Last Updated: 8:48PM BST 25 Oct 2008

The Vikings are traditionally known for leaving destruction in their wake as they travelled around Europe raping, pillaging and plundering. But Cambridge University has launched a campaign to recast them as "new men" with an interest in grooming, fashion and poetry.Academics claim that the old stereotype is damaging, and want teenagers to be more appreciative of the Vikings' social and cultural impact on Britain.They say that the Norse explorers, far from being obsessed with fighting and drinking, were a largely-peaceful race who were even criticised for being too hygienic.The university's department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic has published a guide revealing how much of the Vikings' history has been misrepresented.They did not, in fact, wear horned or winged helmets. And they appear to have been a vain race who were concerned about their appearance."It seems that the Vikings may not have been as hairy and dirty as is commonly imagined," the guide says."A medieval chronicler, John of Wallingford, talking about the eleventh century, complained that the Danes were too clean - they combed their hair every day, washed every Saturday, and changed their clothes regularly."The guide reveals that Norsemen were also stylish trend-setters: "Contemporaries who met individual Vikings were struck by the extreme bagginess of their trousers."A tenth-century Persian explorer described trousers (of Vikings in Russia) that were made of one hundred cubits of material, and a number of runestones depict warriors with flared breeches."The traditional view of the Vikings as "illiterate warring thugs" exaggerates considerably the reality of their life, the academics argue."Although Norse men and women may have sometimes liked fighting and drinking, and were sometimes buried with weapons, they also spent much of their time in peaceful activities such as farming, building, writing and illustrating. "The guide points out that the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a contemporary list of notable events beginning in the ninth century and running through to the twelfth, records some battles, but not for every year."Life can't have been as violent as we sometimes like to imagine," it adds.Dr Elizabeth Rowe, a Viking expert and lecturer in Scandinavian mediaeval history at the university, said it was important that children should not picture the Norse warriors as an aggressive race, preoccupied with raping and looting."Many British children are quite likely to have Viking ancestry and we want to make them think about the reality of their past," she said."It's damaging to think that they were simply a violent society, and easy to undermine them as a people who have no redeeming qualities."The truth is that their culture was very artistic and they were keen to make an impression because they want to cultivate a certain look. They were very concerned about their appearance."The first burial ground of Viking origin in Britain was located only four years ago. Discoveries at the site have challenged the romanticised picture of a noble savage race, perpetuated most famously in Wagner's operas and Hollywood films.Archaeologists in Cumbria unearthed the remains of Viking men and women buried with copper brooches, jewellery, and riding gear as well as swords and spears.Dr Francis Pryor, an archaeologist and regular on the Channel Four series Time Team, said the discovery had shown the Norse warriors to be part of an advanced society.He said: "Far from the illiterate warring thugs in horned helmets who brought us to new depths of barbarism after landing by boat to sack monasteries and molest women, they were a settled and remarkably civilised people who integrated into community life and joined the property-owning classes."

http://www.telegrap/ h.co.uk/news/ newstopics/ howaboutthat/ 3256539/Vikings- preferred- male-grooming- to-pillaging. html

Merlin

Episode Guide
Be aware that the episode guides below contain plot spoilers!

Episode 1 - Dragon's Call
Episode 2 - Valiant
Episode 3 - The Mark Of Nimueh
Episode 4 - The Poisoned Chalice
Episode 5 - Lancelot
Episode 6 - A Remedy To Cure All Ills
Episode 7 - The Gates Of Avalon
Episode 8 - The Beginning Of The End

The 13 episode series is being produced by Shine Limited for BBC Wales and will follow the relationship of Merlin and Prince Arthur. Julian Murphy, Johnny Capps, Jake Michie and Julian Jones are the members of Shine's award winning production team who were behind such interesting series as Hex and Sugar Rush. 'Merlin' has already gained a great deal of attention after it was purchased by the NBC network in the United States, one of the US's major television networks. It's actually some time since a British TV series was actually purchased by a major television network in the US, particularly one that is yet to have actually aired in the United Kingdom.

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