Myths   

Lady of the Lake

The lady of the lake is a story of magic.  During the story Merlin meets the lady at the fountain of Barenton.  Their he agreed to teach her all his powers.  She became Merlin's scribe,but she soon became more powerful than her master and locked him in a dungeon.  She took Merlin's role at king Arthur's side, Merlin's removal was a big part of the monarch's defeat. 

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

The story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is about a noble warrior named Sir Gawain who is the nephew of King Aurthur.  Gawain fights a green knight for a village which the knights are terrorizing.  To stop the Green Knight, Gawain plays a game of exchanging hits with an ax. As a victory, Gawain saves the village, but the Green Knight comes back every year to see if he will win the game again.  Also, Gawain faces his most powerful enemy, himself. Trying to maintain the ideals of courtesy and nobility, Gawain causes his own religious defeat.

The Legend of Beowulf

The story of Beowulf starts with Beowulf coming to the Danish coast. He came to King Hrothgar's kingdom.  There he and his 14 stalwart companions were allowed to sleep in the hall.  During the night Grendel, a monstrous creature, entered and killed one of Beowulf's sleeping men.  But Beowulf wrestled Grendel, unarmed and he managed to rip Grendel's arm off.  Grendel retreated leaving a bloody trail to his lair.  In fear of another attack by Grendel the Danes returned to the hall.  Beowulf and his companions were sheltered elsewhere from them.  Grendel's mother came to avenge the fatal injury to her son and carried off a Danish noble man.  Beowulf ran after them armed with a sword.  He came to the water's edge, swam to a chamber under the sea and there he fought Grendel's mother and killed her.  Nearby was Grendel's body.  Beowulf cut of it's head and brought it back as a trophy for King Hrothgar.   Later on in Beowulf's life, Beowulf became a king.  50 years after, a dragon appeared, stealing the treasure from his hoard in the burial mound.  He began to ravage Beowulf's kingdom.  Like Grendel, this monster left his den at night to murder and pillage.  Beowulf now an aged monarch resolved to do battle unaided with the dragon.  He approached the entrance to the dragon's den.  Beowulf went forward shouting his defiance.  The dragon shot flames from his mouth.  The monster rushed upon Beowulf and almost crushed him.  The monster shattered Beowulf's sword and bit Beowulf in the neck.  Wiglaf, his only remaining soldier, helped the dying Beowulf to kill the dragon.  Before his death, Beowulf gave Wiglaf the throne of Geatland and ordered that his own ashes be placed in a memorial shrine at the top of a cliff commanding the sea.  Beowulf's body was buried while 12 Geats rode around the mound singing their sorrow and praise for the great man.

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