LAKE

1. Lake District
   
   Picturesque region of Cumbria that has been suggested (by S.G. Wildman) as the birthplace of Arthur or, failing that, the region in which he was raised. The most famous Lakeland legend concerning King Arthur is that of the Helm Wind, though local Lake District folklore almost unreservedly claims that Arthur was King in that region. S.G. Wildman has suggested that this was the birthplace of Arthur or at least the place where he was brought up.
   
   
   
2. Lake, King of the
   
   An old knight. See under Griflet.
   
   
   
3. Lake, Lady of the
   
   This mysterious female gave Arthur his sword Excalibur. [More]
   
   
   
4. Lake of Idleness
   The enchanted residence of the fairy Phaedria, who lured knights to her island with sensual temptations.
   
   
   
5. Lake of Twins
   Lac as Jumeles
   
   The homeland of Meriadeuc, a knight at Arthur's court. Meriadeuc inherited the land from his father, Bleheri. Meriadeuc's mother was known as the Lady of the Lake of Twins.
   
   
   
6. Lake, The
   
   Here dwelt the Lady [or Damsel] of the Lake, who gave Arthur his sword Excalibur. As Merlin once told Arthur, "within that lake is a rock, and therein is a fair place as any on earth, and richly beseen". Malory puts the Lake definitely in Britain, apparently somewhere near Carleon. The Vulgate just as clearly puts the Lake in Benyoc, France, and it is where the Damosel of the Lake raised Sir Lancelot from infancy. Hence, there must have been at least two magical Lakes, with one chief Lady of the Lake at a time in each.
   
   Since the Lakes were magical and illusory [although the illusion was apparently quite tangible, even permitting the uninitiated to boat on the water's surface], there is no need to search for real lakes with which to identify them.