As you may know, behind Aeternum is a small business based in Brittany (specifically in the south of Finistère). It is well known that this region lives to the rhythm of legends, myths, and magical practices, some more or less known (Brocéliande, Merlin, the Fairy Viviane, the Alignments, and many others). Thus, to highlight our beautiful region, we will regularly publish lesser-known legends from Breton history.
For a change, this time we find ourselves in the heart of the Brocéliande forest for a seemingly simple story that sparked a true cataclysm.
Photo: Destination Brocéliande
Near the Golden Tree, a sacred oak at the heart of the woods, an event took place that forever changed the fate of the fairies. Observing humans transform over the ages, the fairies, immortal and wise creatures, made a fateful decision: to protect themselves from human evolution, they made a solemn pact. This oath bound them to remain forever hidden from mortal eyes, safe from their greed and desire to tame the magical world.
Thus, the fairies withdrew to places where no man would dare seek them. Some fled into the deep waters of rivers, others took refuge in the hollows of ancient trees, and still others blended into the wild lands where no human footprint had ever been left. Among them, seven fairies chose to live in a secret lake in Brocéliande. This lake, with its crystalline and mystical waters, became their sanctuary. They spent their days hidden beneath the surface, and each night, by starlight, they silently emerged to gaze at their reflections in the water, like a sacred dance celebrating their immortal beauty.
One evening, a handsome knight, drawn by the surrounding magic, approached the lake. His eyes, sharp and full of curiosity, seemed to search the depths for hidden secrets. The fairies, surprised, retreated into the shadows, their hearts beating with worry. Only the youngest among them, Morgane, felt a different stirring. She did not feel the fear that animated her sisters; no, she felt irresistibly drawn to this mortal. In an instant, her heart ignited with an intense and irrational love.
Revealed by this budding love, Morgane broke the sacred pact, awakening the anger and fear of her kind. By allowing herself to be overwhelmed by this forbidden feeling, she triggered the first of the great fairy wars. Fury erupted in the Brocéliande forest, where the magic and ferocity of the fairies intertwined, and the war lasted for centuries. The battles were so intense that the forest floor still bears the marks of that violent era. The earth, tinged with shades of red and brown, carries the traces of the blood of the fairies who perished in great numbers.
Today, the elders whisper that the descendants of these seven original fairies still live deep within Brocéliande. Their melodious songs sometimes rise through the trees for those who know how to listen. Perhaps, if you venture into the heart of the forest and if the magic invites you, you will have the chance to encounter one of them and hear the echo of this old legend...
