Damosel of the Lake

Also known as: the Damosel of the Lake · Family: unknown · Role: damosel · First appears: Book IV, Chapter IX

Life events

The Damosel of the Lake reveals Morgan le Fay arranged Arthur’s death and comes to save him.(Book IV, Chapter IX)
- With: King Arthur Morgan le Fay
- “The meanwhile that they were thus at the battle, came the Damosel of the Lake into the field, that put Merlin under the stone; and she came thither for love of King Arthur, for she knew how Morgan le Fay had so ordained that King Arthur should have been slain that day, and therefore she came to save his life.”
The Damosel of the Lake enchants Excalibur from Accolon, enabling Arthur to recover his sword.(Book IV, Chapter X)
- With: King Arthur Accolon
- “by the damosel’s enchantment the sword Excalibur fell out of Accolon’s hand to the earth. And therewithal Sir Arthur lightly leapt to it, and gat it in his hand”
Damosel of the Lake warned King Arthur against wearing the deadly mantle.(Book IV, Chapter XVI)
- With: King Arthur
- “Sir, said the damosel, put not on you this mantle till ye have seen more, and in no wise let it not come on you”
Sir Pelleas accepts the Damosel's invitation to leave the country with her.(Book IV, Chapter XXIII)
- With: Sir Pelleas
- “I will well, said Sir Pelleas, for this Lady Ettard hath done me great despite and shame”
The Damosel of the Lake and Sir Pelleas love one another throughout their lives.(Book IV, Chapter XXIII)
- With: Sir Pelleas
- “and loved together during their life days.”

admired: King Arthur “and she came thither for love of King Arthur, for she knew how Morgan le Fay had so ordained that King Arthur should have been slain that day, and therefore she came to save his life.”
with Merlin (The Damosel of the Lake put Merlin under the stone.) “came the Damosel of the Lake into the field, that put Merlin under the stone”

with King Arthur (She pities Arthur and uses enchantment to cause Excalibur to fall to him.) “When the Damosel of the Lake beheld Arthur, how full of prowess his body was, and the false treason that was wrought for him to have had him slain, she had great pity that so good a knight and such a man of worship should so be destroyed.”
with Accolon (She uses enchantment against Accolon.) “by the damosel’s enchantment the sword Excalibur fell out of Accolon’s hand to the earth.”

courtship with Sir Pelleas “And the Damosel of the Lake rejoiced Sir Pelleas, and loved together during their life days.”

with Sir Pelleas (She arranged that Sir Pelleas would not encounter Sir Launcelot de Lake.) “And the Damosel of the Lake made by her means that never he had ado with Sir Launcelot de Lake, for where Sir Launcelot was at any jousts or any tournament, she would not suffer him be there that day, but if it were on the side of Sir Launcelot.”
with Launcelot de Lake (She arranged that Sir Pelleas would not encounter Sir Launcelot in jousts or tournaments.) “the Damosel of the Lake made by her means that never he had ado with Sir Launcelot de Lake, for where Sir Launcelot was at any jousts or any tournament, she would not suffer him be there that day, but if it were on the side of Sir Launcelot”

Extracted from the original text of Le Morte d'Arthur. Made with Rho MD.