Lady of the Lake

Lady of the Lake

The Lady of the Lake
Mixed Medium
The Lady of the Lake was the ruling Priestress of Avalon and is know as Viviane, Nyneve, she was Fay not mortal. As a young girl she enchanted Merlin who taught her all his secrets, she later became the foster mother to Sir Lancelot.

King Arthur had fought a long battle and would not have lived save for Merlin who brought the King to a hermit who had studied the art of healing, and cured all his wounds in three days.

As they rode together Arthur said, ‘I have no sword,’ but Merlin bade him be patient and he would soon give him one.
In a little while they came to a large lake, and in the midst of the lake Arthur beheld an arm rising out of the water, holding up a sword. ‘Look!’ said Merlin, ‘that is the sword I spoke of.’

‘That is the Lady of the Lake,’ said Merlin, ‘and she is coming to you, and if you ask her courteously she will give you the sword.’
So when the maiden drew near Arthur saluted her and said, ‘Maiden, I pray you tell me whose sword is that ?
I wish it were mine, for I have lost my sword.
‘That sword is mine, King Arthur,’ answered she, and I will give it to you, if you in return will give me a gift when I ask you.
‘By my faith,’ said the King, ‘I will give you whatever gift you ask.’
‘Well,’ said the maiden, ‘get into the barge and row yourself to the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you.’ For this was the sword Excalibur. ‘As for my gift, I will ask it in my own time.’

As they rode the King looked lovingly on his sword, which Merlin saw, and, smiling, said, Which do you like best, the sword or the scabbard? ‘I like the sword,’ answered Arthur. ‘You are not wise to say that,’ replied Merlin, ‘for the scabbard is worth ten of the sword, and as long as it is buckled on you you will lose no blood, however sorely you may be wounded.”
Available as an art print, card, canvas, mounted print and poster.

Image copyright © 2009 Shanina Conway.
Copying and displaying or redistribution of this image without permission from the artist is strictly prohibited

Lady of the Lake belongs to the following groups:

* Painted Ladies *, Digital Modern Portraiture and Myths, Legends and Fairytales Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters