Editing Wild man (section)

===Celtic mythology===
The 9th-century [[Irish mythology|Irish]] tale ''[[Buile Shuibhne]]''<ref name="Bromwich, p. 459">Bromwich, p. 459.</ref> (''The Madness of Sweeney'') describes how Suibhne or Sweeney, the pagan king of the [[Dál nAraidi]] in [[Ulster]], assaults the Christian bishop Ronan Finn and is cursed with madness as a result. He begins to grow feathers and talons as the curse runs its full course, flies like a bird, and spends many years travelling naked through the woods, composing verses among other madmen. In order to be forgiven by God, King Suibhne composes a beautiful poem of praise to God before he dies. There are further poems and stories recounting the life and madness of King Suibhne.<ref>[[Maureen O'Rourke Murphy]], [[James MacKillop (author)|James MacKillop]], eds., ''Irish literature: a reader'', pp. 30–34, 1987, Syracuse University Press, {{ISBN|0815624050}}, 9780815624059, [https://books.google.com/books?id=NaKepuxAP9UC&dq=Suibhne&pg=PA30 google books]</ref> The [[Wales|Welsh]] told a similar story about [[Myrddin Wyllt]], the origin of the [[Merlin]] of later romance. In these stories, Myrddin is a warrior in the service of King [[Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio]] at the time of the [[Battle of Arfderydd]]. When his lord is killed at the battle, Myrddin travels to the [[Caledonian Forest]] in a fit of madness which endows him with the ability to compose prophetic poetry; a number of later prophetic poems are attributed to him.<ref>Bromwich, p. 458.</ref> ''[[Saint Mungo|The Life of Saint Kentigern]]'' includes almost the same story, though here the madman of Arfderydd is instead named [[Lailoken]], which may be the original name.<ref name="Bromwich, p. 459"/> The fragmentary 16th-century [[Breton language|Breton]] text ''[[An Dialog etre Arzur Roe d'an Bretounet ha Guynglaff|An Dialog Etre Arzur Roe D'an Bretounet Ha Guynglaff]]'' (''Dialog Between Arthur and Guynglaff'') tells of a meeting between [[King Arthur]] and the wild man Guynglaff, who predicts events which will occur as late as the 16th century.<ref>[[Norris J. Lacy|Lacy, Norris J.]] (1991). "An Dialog Etre Arzur Roe D'an Bretounet Ha Guynglaff". In Norris J. Lacy, ''The New Arthurian Encyclopedia'', pp. 114–155. (New York: Garland, 1991). {{ISBN|0-8240-4377-4}}.</ref>

[[Geoffrey of Monmouth]] recounts the Myrddin Wyllt legend in his Latin ''[[Vita Merlini]]'' of about 1150, though here the figure has been renamed "Merlin". According to Geoffrey, after Merlin witnessed the horrors of the battle:

{{quote|
...&nbsp;a strange madness came upon him. He crept away and fled to the woods, unwilling that any should see his going. Into the forest he went, glad to lie hidden beneath the ash trees. He watched the wild creatures grazing on the pasture of the glades. Sometimes he would follow them, sometimes pass them in his course. He made use of the roots of plants and of grasses, of fruit from trees and of the blackberries in the thicket. He became a Man of the Woods, as if dedicated to the woods. So for a whole summer he stayed hidden in the woods, discovered by none, forgetful of himself and of his own, lurking like a wild thing.}}