Lady of the Fountain

The Lady of the Fountain appeared in several different versions of the grail romances, together with the hero Yvain (Owain), the son of Urien.

The Lady of the Fountain was named Laudine. Some versions of Chretien de Troyes' Knight of the Lion don't give her name. In one of the Welsh poems called the Lady of the Fountain belonging to the Mabinogion, she was just known as the Lady of the Fountain or the Countess of the Fountain. For convenience sake, I will use the name Laudine. See Yvain and the Lady of the Fountain for the full story.

Lady of the Fountain
(Lunete and Yvain (Owain) are on
the left, behind the columns)
Alan Lee Illustration, 1984

Laudine was also known by her title as the Lady of Landuc and was the daughter of Duke Landunet.

Laudine was the Countess of the castle and the magical forest around the magical fountain or spring (Otherworld). By pouring water from a silver bowl on to a great stone, a sudden and fierce storm would arise, causing destruction throughout the forest and castle.

A strong and brave knight was needed to defend the fountain. Laudine married Esclados the Red, who was only known as the Black Knight in the Mabinogion. When her husband was killed by Yvain (Owain), her companion Lunete (Luned in the Welsh Mabinogion) convinced the countess to take Yvain as her new husband and the champion of the magical spring.

After they were happily married for some years, Yvain wanted to attend a tournament held by his uncle, King Arthur. Reluctantly, the Lady allowed her husband to attend the tournament, but he had to return within a year, or else he would never return at all. She also gave a ring to Yvain, not only to remind him of her, but also to return to her at the date she set.

Yvain failure to return to his wife and his duties to protect the fountain caused a separation between them. A damsel who was a servant and messenger of the lady removed the ring from his finger. Filled with remorse and shame, Yvain lost his wit and dwelled in the woods for a number of years as a wild man. After some years of exile and adventure, Lunete helped the hero to reconcile with Lady Laudine.