A.D. 464. MERLE* IS BROUGHT BEFOBE YOBTIGEBJT. 225 there they saw two youths quarrelling, one of whom was attacking his companion and saying, " Why do you contend with me, you fool ?—Can you who were born without a father, pretend to rival my nobleness, who, being born of the royal family, am illustrious by both sides of my house?" The messengers hearing this expression, took the youth and his mother, and straightway brought him to the king. And when they were all standing in the royal presence, the king began diligently to enquire of the boy's mother who was the father o f her son. And she answered him, " As my soul liveth, my lord king, when I was in the chamber of the king of Demecia, m y father, there appeared unto me a person in the appearance of a very handsome young man, and embracing me repeatedly, he gave me many kisses. And when we had embraced tenderly, he suddenly vanished and departed. And as he frequently returned to me, he left me at last with child ; no r is there any one else who was the father of this youth." Then the king, being astonished beyond measure, called the youth, and enquired of him by what name he was known. An d when he had said that he was called Merlin Ambrosius, he aeked the king why he and his mother had been brought into his presence. And the king replied, " My wise men gave m e counsel to seek out a youth without a father, by whose blood my work might be bedewed, and so be strengthened." Merlin answered, " Order your wise men to come before me. an d I will convince them that they have devised a he ; for as they did not know what was under the foundation, they endeavoure d to satisfy you by a he. But call your workmen and orde r them to dig the earth, and you will find a swamp below whic h does not allow your work to stand." Then Merlin coming to the wise men said, " Tell me, you vilest of flatterers, wha t lies hid beneath the swamp ? " But they made him no answer, but kept silence. And Merlin turning to the king, said, " Order the swamp to be drawn off by small drains, and at th e bottom you will find two* hollow stones and two dragons aleeping in them." And the king, believing his words, ordered the swamp to be drained, and, to the astonishment of every one, he found that to be true which had been spoken by Merlin. Q vol.. ι.