When questioned concerning the cause of his mirth, he predicted that the youth would die within a few hours.
"Then said Merlin, 'See ye nought That young man, that hath shoon bought, And strong leather to do hem clout [patch], And grease to smear hem all about?
He weeneth to live hem to wear: But, by my soul, I dare well swear, His wretched life he shall for-let [lose], Ere he come to his own gate.'" ELLIS, _Merlin_.
[Sidenote: Merlin as a prophet.] A few more predictions of an equally uncanny and unpleasant nature firmly established his reputation as a prophet even before he reached court.

There he boldly told the king that the astrologers, wishing to destroy the demon's offspring, who was wiser than they, had demanded his blood under pretext that the walls of Salisbury would stand were it only shed.

When asked why the walls continually fell during the night, Merlin attributed it to the nightly conflict of a red and a white dragon concealed underground.

In obedience to his instructions, search was made for these monsters, and the assembled court soon saw a frightful struggle between them.

This battle finally resulted in the death of the red dragon and the triumph of the white.
"With long tailis, fele [many] fold, And found right as Merlin told.
That one dragon was red as fire, With eyen bright, as basin clear; His tail was great and nothing small; His body was a rood withal.
His shaft may no man tell; He looked as a fiend from hell.
The white dragon lay him by, Stern of look, and griesly.
His mouth and throat yawned wide; The fire brast [burst] out on ilka [each] side.
His tail was ragged as a fiend, And, upon his tail's end, There was y-shaped a griesly head, To fight with the dragon red." ELLIS, _Merlin_.
The white dragon soon disappeared also, and the work of the castle now proceeded without further hindrance.