段六：斷盟之鷹、山牛與金角公羊

梅林的預言

呢段預言講「斷盟之鷹」（Eagle of the broken covenant）三次築巢、一群咆哮幼崽，以及「能看穿一切嘅山貓」（Lynx）等角色。原文屢用動物隱喻繼承與內鬥。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）

This shall the Eagle of the broken covenant gild over, and the Eagle shall rejoice in her third nesting. The roaring whelps shall keep vigil, and forsaking the forests shall follow the chase within the walls of cities. No small slaughter shall they make of them that withstand them, and the tongues of bulls shall they cut out. They shall load with chains the necks of them that roar, and the days of their grandsire shall they renew. Thenceforward from the first unto the fourth, from the fourth unto the third, from the third unto the second the thumb shall be rolled in oil. The sixth shall overthrow the walls of Hibernia and change the forests into a plain. He shall unite the divers shares into one, and with the head of the Lion shall he be crowned. His beginning shall be subject unto roving affection, but his end shall soar up to those above. For the seats of the blessed shall he renew throughout the lands, and shepherds shall he set in places befitting. Two cities shall he robe in two palls, and virgin bounties shall he bestow upon virgins. Thereby shall he merit the favour of the Thunderer, and his place shall be amongst the blessed. Of him shall issue forth the Lynx that seeth through all things, and shall keep watch to bring about the downfall of his own race, for through him shall Neustria lose both islands and be despoiled of her ancient dignity.'

白話解說

呢段講咩？ 主角係「斷盟之鷹」，佢會「第三次築巢」並好開心——「三次築巢」呢個意象好可能暗指某位君主第三度得勢或第三代繼承。「咆哮嘅幼崽」離開森林、入城打獵（即戰爭），割公牛嘅舌頭、鎖住咆哮者嘅頸，象徵鎮壓與內戰。

「手指喺油度輾過」係咩？ 原文話「由第一到第四、由第四到第三、由第三到第二，大拇指喺油度輾過」。呢個意象學者多解作繼承次序嘅變動——即係話，王位會喺幾兄弟／幾個繼承人之間輾轉相傳，最後由某個「大拇指」（關鍵人物）接過。因原文太玄，各方解讀各異。

「山貓」（Lynx）係邊個？ 原文話某人「能看穿一切」（the Lynx that seeth through all things），卻「圖謀自己種族嘅覆亡」，令諾曼第失去兩座島、喪失昔日尊嚴。學界多將佢比附為某位精於權謀嘅統治者或主教，因為「睇得透」而最終顛覆咗自己嘅王朝。具體比附（常指向教會或諾曼貴族）未有定論。

「第六」同「希伯尼亞」： 原文話「第六個會推翻希伯尼亞（Hibernia，即愛爾蘭）嘅城牆，將森林變平原」，並「團結各方、戴獅子冠」。即係話，預言有一位領袖會征服愛爾蘭、統一國家並稱王——學者多解作英格蘭擴張或某位國王嘅武功。

客觀睇： 呢段集中講繼承、內鬥與擴張，用「鷹」「幼崽」「山貓」「獅子冠」等動物象徵貴族與君主。原文極度隱晦，比附五花八門，冇標準答案，讀者宜視為文學象徵。