Did Merlin the Wizard really exist?
Merlin is the modern name for Myrddin, who was the shaman-type of priest who presided over the May Day festival. During this festival the May queen (who paraded through the town on a horse, the origin of ‘”Lady Godiva”) was wedded for the day to her chosen consort, colloquially named “Robin” after the bird (who was also a fertility figure). The title “Queen of the May” gradually became the name “Maid Marian” and “Robin” became Robin Hood. Many other young couples took off into the forest to ‘have a little fun’ during this fertility festival, much to the dismay of their parents. [BTW. this is in fact the etymological root of the surname “Robinson” — because the young girls came back pregnant, and since it was all pretty much one big dark orgy in the woods (some of it with the girl’s consent, no doubt some of it the outright rape of any woman who was foolish enough to go out there) the pregnant girl couldn’t say for sure which ‘Robin’ was in fact the father of her child – hence the chil
