10th-Century Welsh Poems Reveal Merlin as Early Environmentalist
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: Recently discovered early Welsh poems reveal Merlin as an environmentalist deeply concerned about human impacts on nature, adding new depth to his traditional portrayal as a wizard.
📈 One key stat: Welsh scholars have translated and edited over 100 poems about Merlin dating back to the 10th century, uncovering his forgotten environmental perspective.
💬 One key quote: “One could even argue that Merlin’s fixation on nature and how humans affect the world makes him one of the earliest environmentalists,” says David Callander from Cardiff University.
1️⃣ The big picture: A groundbreaking research project examining early Welsh poems has revealed a surprising new dimension to the legendary figure of Merlin. Rather than the familiar wizard from Arthurian tales, these 10th-century poems portray him as a prophet deeply worried about humanity’s impact on the natural world. Scholars from three Welsh universities spent three years studying over 100 poems in Welsh that show Merlin empathizing with animals and warning about environmental destruction. The research also uncovered new information about Merlin’s sister Gwenddydd and found previously unknown endings to important poems.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: This discovery adds rich new context to contemporary environmental discussions by showing deep roots of ecological concern in British cultural heritage. The research makes these important historical texts accessible to modern readers through new translations and a digital platform. The project highlights the sophistication of early Welsh literature and its relevance to current global challenges. By revealing Merlin as an early voice for environmental protection, these poems provide historical precedent for modern conservation efforts.
3️⃣ What’s next: The research team plans to publish the complete version of their website by the end of the year, making all poems available in both Welsh and English translations. This will allow broader access to these important cultural texts. The project may inspire new interpretations of other medieval literature through an environmental lens. Future research could explore how these early ecological concerns relate to modern environmental movements.
Read the full story here: The Guardian – Early poems about Merlin portray him as environmentalist, say scholars
