Фея Моргaна

Фея Морга́на (от древневаллийского имени Morcant: môr (море) + cant (круг) либо от древнегаэльского имени кельтской богини войны и смерти Mórríghan (Mhór Rioghain — «Великая Королева»)) — волшебница, персонаж английских легенд артуровского цикла, единоутробная сестра короля Артура. Именно ей начиная с XIX века приписывается верховенство, командование всеми миражами.

Считается, что мифы о Моргане перекликаются с преданиями о Морриган в Ирландии, с мифами о кельской Матроне и валлийской Модрон. Легенды о том, что богиня и фея Моргана вызывает чудесных морских дев, распространились по всей Британии, а затем по Европе, пока наконец миражи в Мессинском проливе не получили название "Фата Моргана".

Avalon

Avalon (probably from the Welsh word afal, meaning apple) is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend. It first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 pseudohistorical account Historia Regum Britanniae ("The History of the Kings of Britain") as the place where King Arthur's sword Excalibur (Caliburnus) was forged and later where Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds after the Battle of Camlann. Avalon was associated from an early date with mystical practices and people such as Morgan le Fay.

Geoffrey of Monmouth: making fact out of fiction

For hundreds of years the standard history of Britain was the one supplied by an obscure teacher, writer, cleric - and, later, priest - of dubious Welsh connections. His name was Geoffrey of Monmouth and his words were believed implicitly, from the time of their creation in the 12th century right down to the days of Queen Elizabeth.

Only much later did it become clear that Geoffrey's version of British history came from a range of different sources. These included a ninth century Welsh book of history (written in both Latin and Welsh), the work of monks like Bede and Gildas, the poems of several Welsh bards - and, in particular, his own rather vivid imagination.