10 Stonehenge and its Barrows. 



were buried in the convent at Ambresbury/ thought fit to send for 

 Merlin, the prophet, a man of the brightest genius, either in pre- 

 dicting future events, or in mechanical contrivances, to consult him 

 on the proper monument to be erected to the memory of the slain. 

 On being interrogated, the prophet replied, ' If you are desirous to 

 honour the burying-place of these men with an everlasting monu- 

 ment, send for the Giant's Dance, which is in Killaraus [Kildare] , a 

 mountain in Ireland. For there is a structure of stones there, which 

 none of this age could raise without a profound knowledge of the 

 mechanical arts. They are stones of a vast magnitude, and wonderful 

 quality; and if they can be placed here, as they are there, quite 

 round this spot of ground, they will stand for ever.' At these words 

 Aurelius burst out into laughter, and said, ' How is it possible to 

 remove such large stones from so distant a country, as if Britain 

 was not furnished with stones fit for the work ? ' Merlin having 

 replied, that they were mystical stones, and of a medicinal virtue, 

 the Britons resolved to send for the stones, and to make war upon 

 the people of Ireland, if they should ofier to detain them. Uther 

 Pendragon, attended by 15,000 men, was made choice of as the 

 leader, and the direction of the whole affair was to be managed by 

 Merlin. On their landing in Ireland, the removal of the stones was 

 violently opposed by one Gillomanius, a youth of wonderful valour, 

 who, at the head of a vast army exclaimed, ' To arms, soldiers, and 

 defend your country ; while I have life, they shall not take from us 

 the least stone of the Giant's Dance.' A battle ensued, and victory 

 having decided in favour of the Britons, they proceeded to the 

 mountain of Killaraus, and arrived at the structure of stones, the sight 

 of which filled them with both joy and admiration. And while they 

 were all standing round them, Merlin came up to them and said, 

 * Now try your forces, young men, and see whether strength or art 



1 Sir _R. C. Hoare notices that Geoffrey of Monmoutti " contradicts himself as 

 to the placing of these stones ; for he first says that Aurelius intended them as 

 a memorial to those of his subjects who had been slain in the battle with 

 Eengist, and who had been buried in the convent at Amesbury ; and afterwards 

 tells us, they were set up round the sepulchre on the mount of Ambrius, which 

 place (where Stonehenge now stands) is two miles distant from the supposed 

 site of the oonyent." 



