A traditional Welsh legend retold by Bev Evans

Many, many years ago, on the south side of Snowdon near a place called Beddgelert, Vortigern, the Celtic king, was trying to build a hill fort. The fort was to be built on a site called Dinas Emrys. But every time Vortigern’s men built up the hill fort walls they came tumbling back down.

Vortigern could not understand why this was happening. He summoned his advisor to give him advice. The advisor said that they needed to sprinkle the blood of an orphaned boy on the site to stop the hill fort from collapsing.

Vortigern sent out men to find such a boy. They returned with a young boy from Carmarthenshire. His name was Myrddin Emrys Myrddin told Vortigern that the advisor was wrong. His blood would not stop the fort from falling down.

Myrddin explained that there was a cavern under the hill fort where two dragons, one red and one white, were fighting each other.

Vortigern listened to what Myrddin said. He sent his men to dig under the hill fort.

Myrddin was right! Vortigern’s men found the two dragons and brought them to the surface. As the two dragons battled above ground Vortigern and his men built the hill fort.

Eventually the red dragon defeated the white dragon. Some people believe that this is why there is a red dragon on the Welsh flag.

As for the young Myrddin Emrys; it is said that he later met King Arthur and became his soothsayer and advisor - Merlin.

In the 1950 s excavations at the summit of Dinas Emrys uncovered a hill fort that dates from the time of Vortigern and Merlin. Could this really be the place of the great dragons battle? I’ll leave that for you to decide.

Pictures from www. clipart. com or by Bev Evans. Information taken from www. hightrek. co. uk and www. grahamphillips. net Presentation by Bev Evans, 2008 www. communication 4 all. co. uk