段五：野獸亂局與威爾士之血

梅林的預言

呢段預言描繪一系列動物與地理象徵：獅子化魚、老鷹築巢、維內多西亞（Venedotia，即北威爾士）染血、諾曼第（Neustria）受創、以及「獅子之子」與「厄爾巴尼亞」（Albany，即蘇格蘭）嘅動盪。以下為公有領域英譯（Sebastian Evans 1904 譯）原文節錄。

原文（公有領域英譯）

The shape of commerce shall be cloven in twain; the half shall be round. The ravening of kites shall perish and the teeth of wolves be blunted. The Lion's whelps shall be transformed into fishes of the sea, and his Eagle build her nest upon Mount Aravius. Venedotia shall be red with mother's blood and six brethren shall the house of Corineus slay. The island shall be drenched in nightly tears, whence all men shall be provoked unto all things. Woe unto thee, Neustria, for the brain of the Lion shall be poured forth upon thee; and with mangled limbs shall he be thrust forth of his native soil. They that come after shall strive to outsoar the highest, but the favour of the newcomers shall be exalted. Piety shall do hurt unto him that doth possess through impiety until he shall have clad him in his father. Wherefore, girdled about with the teeth of wolves, shall he climb over the heights of the mountains and the shadow of him that weareth a helmet. Albany shall be moved unto wrath, and calling unto them that are at her side shall busy her only in the shedding of blood. A bridle-bit shall be set in her jaws that shall be forged in the Bay of Armorica.'

白話解說

呢段講咩？ 前半係一連串象徵：商業嘅形態被劈開兩半、「鳶鳥」嘅掠奪會消失、「狼牙」被磨鈍、「獅子嘅幼崽」會變成海魚、「佢嘅老鷹」喺「阿拉維斯山」築巢——即係話，英格蘭嘅勢力會由陸地走向海上（獅子化魚），並向外擴張（鷹築巢）。呢啲都係以動物隱喻國家興衰。

「維內多西亞染血」係咩？ Venedotia 係北威爾士王國（Gwynedd）嘅拉丁名。原文話佢「染滿母親嘅血」，仲有「科里內烏斯之家」六兄弟相殘。Corineus 喺《不列顛諸王史》入面係康沃爾嘅開國英雄，所以「科里內烏斯之家」即係康沃爾貴族。即係話，呢段預言威爾士同康沃爾會發生內戰同家族相殘。

「諾曼第啊，你大禍臨頭」： 原文向 Neustria（諾曼第）發出警告，話獅子嘅腦會傾瀉喺你身上、肢體殘缺地被逐出家園。學者多解作英格蘭同諾曼第之間嘅衝突（諾曼王朝時期英法兩地關係緊張）。

「厄爾巴尼亞暴怒」： Albany（厄爾巴尼亞）即蘇格蘭。原文話佢會動怒、只顧殺戮，之後「阿莫里卡海灣」會造出一個馬嚼子（bridle-bit）夾住佢——即係話，蘇格蘭會反叛，但終究被人制服。

客觀睇： 呢段用大量地名同動物，暗指英格蘭、威爾士、康沃爾、諾曼第、蘇格蘭之間嘅中世紀衝突。由於原文極度隱晦，具體比附眾說紛紜，冇統一結論，但大方向都係「地方王權嘅混戰」。