When I was at stonehenge with a druid boyfriend (archaeology trip so right up to the stones), he mentioned something to do with Merlin becoming a raven or a connection with a raven and Merlin. Google isn't much help has come up with the TV show and a white raven and an erotic fiction writer Raven Merlin lol Has anyone else heard the legend or know the story? It was just a joke at the time based on a raven perched on top of the stones.
disney had merlin changing arthur into an owl, but i have no clue where the raven bit came from... a raven is an omen of death in some cultures, 'the trickster' in others... methinks your druid was a bit confused...
Unlikely given he is a druid in the South of England and highly educated - some druidic traditions have Merlin as one of the last druids. The raven is a mixed bag in British Legends. There are raven connections to the Arthur Legends I found them overnight there is a legend about a raven connected to Merlin's possible burial place. I know some pagans see connections between Morgan Le Fey and Ravens. Also the BBC TV show had ravens connected to prophecies. Not to mention the monarchy of England is believed to fall if the Ravens fly away from the Tower of London so they clip their wings. I suspect it is a specific local legend will need to do more digging. Arthur Legends change from county to county.
Hm... Odin was a god of knowledge and wisdom, and he had two ravens as messengers and spies. I don't know if there is any connection between the druidic traditions and the nordic/teutonic mythology, though.
Thanks Islander there may well be as we had the viking influence. Hmm I am just torn about given Merlin his bird form as a raven.
If memory serves, ravens have, in druid history and folklore, always been seen as occult birds. Probably because of the fact that they are associated with the dead (pecking at corpses on battlefields etc.) as carrion-eaters. Probably not much help, but I seem to remember Bernard Cornwell referencing ravens in regard to Merlin in his 'Warlord' tales of Arthur.
Apparently, Merlin prophesized that a raven would drink blood off a stone, and he kept his treasure near the stone. Here's the site where I found it, if you want to read more: http://orgs.bsc.edu/arthur/merlin.html I hope that helped!
I've very recently finished reading the Arthurian legends as told by Roger Lancelyn Green, widely regarded as the book which stays closest to the original medieval folklore tales, and there's no mention of a raven in any way connected to Merlin.
A quick look in some old books and a few miuints of baning my head trying to come up with an answer and all i got is this Merlin is said to be a shape shifter in 12th centenary lore (i believe thats when it first apes) I don't recall any lore before that time but i know there is some (or at least im lead to believe there is) but i don't recall or even know of there ever being a raven I'd assume that the "raven" was a way of Merlin escaping something, reading his tells there are many times when he could just "fly away" and most cultural have birds of some sort mixed in to magic and destiny so it would be the best bet as to why i just don't know when or by who it was added I recall Merlin going to somebody and changing in to many things telling him about soemthing a dream? or coming disastrous ? maybe a dream about a coming disastrous? anyways I don't recall a raven but i sopuse one of the many times its been told he was one I'd imagine it could be a play or a poet trying to be "majestic" with their writing but I'm not familiar with Merlin and a raven as well as i should be :redface: Now I'm going to go look this up thanks a lot I should be in bed
lol sorry - it may not even be in a book is my problem. Said boyfriend is newly married not sure now is time to contact after 10 years of only exchanging christmas cards It could have been a mere Crow but I dug out the photograph of 'Merlin' I took one of the raven at the time. Uggghhh looks like ravens have a mixed view - if not need to find him a bird form oooh actually I think I know.
actually i was thinking of giving him the Great White Falcon from my stories. However I like Magpie lol Especially as he steals the Crown Princess hmmm
