“Then he held his shield in front of his chest, took his sword in his right hand, and swiftly ran upon the cat, which was licking away the blood that had wet its claws.”
Lancelot-Grail: L’estoire de Merlin, translated by R.T. Pickens
Welcome to an Arthurian Mythology mashup featuring two very different legends…
This illustration features King Arthur in Chough form astride his conquered, and now ever-faithful steed. Learn more about the legends this fractured tale is based on below….
In L’estoire de Merlin quoted above, King Arthur fights the monstrous Cat of Lausanne. After a long, fierce battle, the demonic cat is defeated bringing an end to its terror. Many variations of the story exist, including echoes of Sir Cai’s Cat of Palug and a satirical account by the French, in which the cat kills Arthur.
According to Cornish legend, Arthur’s spirit migrates into a Chough upon his death – the bird’s red bill and legs representing bloody wounds from his last battle…. “it is said that he haunts the dark Tintagel cliffs and the ruins of the old castle where he was born in the form of a red-legged chough.” [North Cornwall Fairies and Legends by Enys Tregarthen (1906)]
Details
Work In Progress
