With the archetype of the Lady of the Lake dating back to Middle Ages, many may question her relevance in today’s world. However, it is arguable that she is more relevant today than ever before. The Lady of the Lake is powerful, respected, and has a sphere of influence that cannot be contained in one realm. In an era that strives for gender equality, here is a strong female character derived from hundreds of years ago. Given the chance to learn from Merlin, her talents grow to outshine even that of her teacher. It is a reminder that power is not only an attribute of men, but of women too. Yet, it also points out the indifference of gender when it comes to the corruption of power. These timeless messages make the archetype of the Lady of the Lake still worthwhile today.
Depending on one’s belief of the supernatural, a Lady of the Lake may be found in real life. Over the past 70 years, strange stories about a girl haunting White Rock Lake has been circulated by eye witnesses, news articles, and those who just enjoy a scary story alike. The girl is simply referred to as the Lady of White Rock Lake. As the Lady of the Lake in the legends of King Arthur has numerous variations, the Lady of White Rock Lake follows suit. The similarities from story to story imply she is a young girl in a nice dress who drowned in the White Rock Lake. Those who encounter her report a girl drenched in lake water asking for a ride home. Once in the car, the Lady of White Rock Lake disappears, leaving only a damp car seat as evidence of her presence. Her existence, or the idea of it, in modern times raises belief of a Lady of the Lake existing throughout the ages.
While there is only a single goddess of sacred springs and lakes in Celtic mythology, to the Native American Micmac there are many magical beings of water. They refer to these beings as the Sabawaelnu. They have many names including “The Halfway People” and “The Water People”. Resembling merfolk, they have an upper torso of a human and a fish tail for a lower body. The ability to control storms is the Sabawaelnu’s primary supernatural strength. This power signifies their power over life itself. Humans who treat them kindly find their lives enriched with good fortune. However, people who treat the Sabawaelnu rudely face dangerous storms, often resulting in the loss of their life. Children that are mistreated by their parents are taken by the Sabawaelnu to live underwater. In all, these magical beings are very powerful and are to be shown respect.
