Myrddin Wyllt

Myrddin Wyllt, Merlinus Caledonensis or Merlin Sylvestris (c. 540 – c. 584), is a figure in medieval Welsh legend, known as a prophet and a madman. He is the most important prototype for the modern composite image of Merlin, the wizard from Arthurian legend.

Myrddin Wyllt appears to have been a historical person living in late 6th century Britain, possibly identical to the individual also known as Lailoken. He was probably born sometime around or in AD 540, and is said to have had a twin sister called Gwendydd or Gwenddydd or Languoreth. Myrddin Wyllt is said to have gone mad after a battle at Arthuret between the Christian victor Rhydderch Hael or Riderch I of Alt Clut and the Pagan Gwenddoleu in AD 573. He fled into the forest and lived with the animals. There he is said to have found his gift of prophecy.

Myrddin reportedly prophesied his own death, which would happen by falling, stabbing, and drowning. This was fulfilled when a gang of jeering shepherds drove him off a cliff, where he was impaled on a stake left by fishermen, and died with his head below water. His grave is reputed to lie near the River Tweed in the village of Drumelzier near Peebles, although nothing remains above ground level at the site. This strange threefold death is a theme common to many Indo-European mythologies, and according to Georges Dumezil suggests a strong threefold division in Proto-Indo-European religion.