Page:Origin and Growth of Religion (Rhys).djvu/171

Rh in the person of Merlin Ermys, would bring in, as its natural complement, the explanation that the king, fabled to have been driven from power, deserved it because of his alliance with the invader; but it fails to account for the original truculence of Vortigern's character, which, looking at the Greek story of Cronus, I take to be part and parcel of the ancient myth.

It would be impossible, within the compass of these remarks, to touch, however slightly, on the many questions which the mention of Merlin must suggest to your minds; but before we have done with him, let us see in what form the crystal bower of the Mac Óc appears in his story. First, then, and foremost may be mentioned the legend which represents him going with his suite of nine bards into the sea in a Glass House, after which nothing more was ever heard of either him or them. But another story appears to have placed the Glass House in Bardsey, which probably derives its name from Merlin as the bard and prophet par excellence; and we read that Merlin took with him into the Glass House the thirteen treasures of Britain, including among them such rarities as Arthur's tartan that rendered its wearer invisible, Gwyᵭno's inexhaustible basket, and other articles of equally fabulous virtues.

Further, a Welsh poet of the 15th century tells us that