(This is merlin as usual with a long white/gray bears(2)
Merlin is best known as Arthur's advisor, prophet, and magician. Originally, he served Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, but later he was given Arthur to care for and raise. [1]

The Royal Princess of Dyfed, supposedly not mentioned in traditional pedigrees because her father, King Meurig ap Maredydd ap Rhain, was only a sub-King of a region near Ceredigion, was visited by an angel who left her with a child. This child was Merlin. Enemies of Merlin say that this angel was really an incubus. It was said that Merlin was born an evil child, but was baptised and therefore the evil was gone. However, his powers remained intact. (3)


A picture of Merlin as he is usually portrayed with a long white beard and a staff. (4)

Vortigern wanted to make a fortress in a mountain called Dinas Emrys to keep himself safe, but when it kept collapsing, he was told that a human sacrifice of a fatherless child was needed. Merlin was not known to have a human father. Merlin told Vortigern that the sturctural problems of the building were due to a red and a white dragon living nearby. The red dragon fought the white dragon, but the white dragon eventually drove him off. This was Merlin's prophecy, the red dragon representing the Britons and the white dragon representing the Saxons. This meant that Vortigern would be killed. He prophesied the the next leader would be Ambrosius Aurelianus, then Uther, and then finally Arthur, who would finally force the Saxons away. (3)

Merlin sees the damsel Nyneve, brought to court by Sir Pellinore, and falls in love....
Merlin and Nyneve leave france and Merlin teaches her magic, eventually including spells which cannot be broken by any means. He creates a room of great wonder under a rock cliff. As the two go through the passage entering the rock, Nyneve steps back and locks Merlin in the cave. Nyneve rides away leaving him imprisoned.(5)

Nyneve sending Merlin to his doom in the cave. (8)


Here is Alan Lee's "Merlin" from The Legends of King Arthur in Art [6]

There are many thoughts as to what the final fate of Merlin was. Geoffrey of Monmouth and Mace wrote Merlin to have disappeared before Arthur's birth, only having played a role in his conception. In most versions, Merlin outlived Arthur and told Percival that he would live until the end of the world. Some versions involve the death of Merlin by the Lady of the Lake named Niniane, who was sometimes written as a maiden and others as a fay and had trapped Merlin with her enchantment. After learning some of his magic, she used it against him to entomb him in a rock. (7)

One of the most intriguing characters in all of welsh history is the wizard merlin. HE is a man of many faces and names. He appeared as madman, fool, a young boy with out a father and the most regonizable as a great wizard. He has been called merlin, Emrys or as Ambrosius, Myrddin, and as Melinus. (9)



Magician Merlin sitting with King Arhtur(10)

Merlin, also, created the Siege Perilous, meant for only the Grail Knight Galahad. The seat was so strict that anyone else to sit in it was doomed. (11)

The Birth of Merlin

There are several versions of Merlin's birth. Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote that Merlin was the son of a Christian princess and a demon. He was born with demonic powers but was raised to be good by his mother.

A second major version comes from a Welsh tale. In this version, Merlin has Welsh ancestry with a few gods in the mix.

A third version of Merlin's birth was that he was never born nor died. There was even a breif mention of a man named Melchisedec in the bible, who met this description. (12)

The Merlin Trilogy

The Merlin Trilogy is a three book collection by Mary Stewart depicting the life of Merlin. In the first book, he is born a bastard child much like Arthur. However, he posses strange powers and the uncanny ability to predict the future. Merlin goes on to meet his real father, Ambrosious, and help in major battles across England. He also has meetings with the rash Uther Pendragon and plays his role in the conception of Arthur.

The second book deals with Merlin's raising of Arthur and the claiming of Caliburn, an ancient and hidden sword. The third book handles Arthur's adventures as king, threats against Camelot, and the evil Morgauese. (13)


Sources:
(2)http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/resources/artforms/drama/case-studies/Christmas%20shows/dundee-xmas-Merlin.jpg
[1]http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/godpages/merlin.html
(3) http://www.britannia.com/history/biographies/merlin.html
4. http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/gallery/merlin.jpg
(5)http://www.mindspring.com/~slish/death.htm
[6]http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs993a/arthurian/merlin.htm
(7) www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/merlin.html
(8)
http://www.marthascottage.com/Garden/goddesses/argante.htm
(9) http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/merlin.html#Merlin
(10) http://www.aceros-de-hispania.com/excalibur-sword.htm
(11) http://amadeus.upr.clu.edu/~galahad/knights.html
(12) http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/spirits_magickal_and_mundane/50139/1
(13)Stewart, Mary. The Merlin Trilogy.