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Anyone who has geocached across the water in Cornwall will have
seen the superb series of caches entitled ‘King Arthur Man Or
Myth?’ by the legend in his own lifetime - ‘Mad Max the
Vicker of Mawgan’. This cache is inspired by the Cornish
series and endeavours to introduce you to some of the Breton
Arthurian legends.
The small cache is set within 50m. of ‘Merlin’s
Tomb’, where, according to one legend, the fairy Viviane used
a trick to imprison her lover. She said she wanted to be near him
after death so he led her to a ditch where he laid down. She
immediately dropped the two enormous stones on top of him. Ever
since, Merlin the Sorcerer rests in the heart of Brocéliande,
imprisoned by a fairy he had fallen madly in love with.
In reality, Merlin’s Tomb is the remains of a Neolithic
gallery grave. A photograph taken in 1892 shows it with a dozen
slabs still standing. Two years later it was all but destroyed by
the landowner.
When you visit the ’Tomb’ your attention will be drawn
to the profusion of wreathes, flowers and simple objects left
there. Many visitors leave these tokens hoping to enlist
Merlin’s help. Some, fearing the years may have blunted his
capacities, clarify their greetings in writing (forgetting that
Merlin did not read or write and had his story written by his old
master, Blaise). Others practice the ritual of seven times knotted
hair, or sleep there accompanied by a cat!
Nearby is the Fountain of Youth, not the most enchanting of places,
but passed if you penetrate deeper into the woods to visit Pont Dom
Jean, the most secret of the lakes of Brocéliande.
Additional Hints
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Haqre yrnirf va gur ubyybj bs na byq gerr va gur urqtr.