Being refused on account of his blindness he vanished, and theking of Brittany mentioned his suspicions that this was one of Merlin'selfin tricks. Arthur was disturbed, for he had promised to give the childanything except his honor, his kingdom, his wife, and his sword. However,while he continued to fret, there entered the hall a poor child abouteight years old, with shaved head, features of livid tint, eyes of lightgray, barefooted, barelegged, and a whip knotted over his shoulders in themanner affected by horseboys. Speaking and looking like an idiot, he askedthe king's permission to bear the royal ensign in the approaching battlewith the giant Rion. The courtiers laughed, but Arthur, suspecting a newjoke on Merlin's part, granted the demand, and then Merlin stood in hisown proper person before the company.He also seems to have taught people many things in real science,especially the women, who were in those days more studious than the men,or at least had less leisure. For instance, the legend says of Morgan lefay (or la fee), King Arthur's sister, "she was a noble clergesse (meaningthat she could read and write, like the clergy), and of astronomy couldshe enough, for Merlin had her taught, and she learned much of egromancy(magic or necromancy); and the best work-woman she was with her hands thatany man knew in any land, and she had the fairest head and the fairesthands under heaven, and shoulders well-shapen; and she had fair eloquenceand full debonair she was, as long as she was in her right wit; and whenshe was wroth with any man, she was evil to meet.
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