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She doesn't reveal fates, she assigns them. And can unassign them.
~ World Turtle to Bigby Wolf, Fables #122 — "The Destiny Game, Part One"


The Lady of the Lake, also known as the Green Woman and Lake, as well as by several other titles, is a Fable fairy who is one of the Great Powers. She is a messenger of the Fates and has the ability to assign and reassign different destinies to particular individuals. She first appears in Fables #122 — "The Destiny Game, Part One."

History

Early career

Lake is initially a sly and conniving woman. According to World Turtle, she looks attractive on the outside, but is a wicked person underneath. She doesn't just predict fates, she has the power to assign and unassign them as well. She sometimes lives in ponds.[8] Lake has the power to select from a multitude of possible futures and decide who will receive what. People say that she only acts selfishly; it's as if she doesn't care about anyone but herself. The World Turtle suspects that Lake is a personal courtier serving the Fates, ensuring that the essential destinies are conveyed to their rightful owners. She wonders if Lake is keeping some of the best fates for herself. But she also considers that Lake's peculiar decisions could be the results of the fates she has appointed. The Turtle is convinced that Lake makes agreements with the "lords and ladies of scythe and harrow," because many people perish before completing their destinies. Regardless, Lake has the power to hand out destinies as she sees fit.[3]

However, Lake turns more diligently after an encounter with Bigby Wolf.[3]

Excalibur

The famed sword Excalibur is given to King Arthur by the Lady of the Lake, who rises up from the water and holds up the sword for him, asking him to take up Excalibur and become the rightful King of Camelot.[3]

After Flycatcher's heroic deeds in the Homelands kingdom of Haven, he asks Lancelot to throw Excalibur into the biggest lake he can find, and tells him to not be surprised if a "green bejeweled hand" reaches up to grasp Excalibur before it sinks out of sight.[9]

Later, in the mundane world, a mysterious old man comes out of a river in the Grand Canyon, carrying Excalibur and says that the "green woman's gift must not fall into evil hands," before thrusting the sword right into Jack Horner.[2]

Later life

Lake later marries Snow White and Bigby's cub, Ambrose,[6] and the two have six children together.[1]

Centuries after she withdrew from the fate business, Lake journeys to the Hall of the Mountain King to retrieve the debt that the Mountain King owes her, and presents a solution for settling it: By providing her with an exquisite fate with a happy ending and middle, but plenty of challenges along the way. The Mountain King complies with her request. Lake gathers five other fates from various other Great Powers[1] and bestows them upon her children, believing them to be the most beneficial fates she can find for each of them.[10]

Physical description

Both the Big Bad Wolf and the World Turtle characterize Lake as pretty, with Bigby describing her as having smooth, green skin; as he puts it, not-goblin-green, and not a wart or canker on her.[8]

Appearances


Original source

She is based on the Lady of the Lake, a water fairy and enchantress from Arthurian legend. She is known by several different names, such as Viviane, Éviène, and Nimuë. Her most famous role was presenting King Arthur with his legendary sword, Excalibur, pulled from the depths of her lake. When Arthur is fatally wounded in battle, he returns Excalibur to its watery home as a final act.[11]

References

See also

Fables
Series FablesJack of FablesFairestEverafter: From the Pages of FablesFables: The Wolf Among Us
Specials Fables: 1001 Nights of SnowfallPeter & Max: A Fables NovelCinderella: From Fabletown with LoveCinderella: Fables Are ForeverThe LiteralsFables: Werewolves of the HeartlandFairest: In All the LandThe Unwritten FablesBatman vs. Bigby! A Wolf in Gotham
Characters Bigby WolfSnow WhiteRose RedPrince CharmingBeautyBeastBoy BlueFlycatcherKing ColeFrau TotenkinderGeppettoSnow QueenNorth WindJack HornerBufkin
Video games The Wolf Among UsThe Wolf Among Us 2 (unreleased)
Wolf family
"Patmat" Snow WhiteBigby Wolf
The cubs WinterBlossomThereseDarienConnerAmbroseGhost
Allies BeautyBeastCinderellaBriar RoseBoy BlueKing ColePrince CharmingSamHerneHerne, son of Herne
Enemies Mister DarkLeigh DuglasPrince BrandishPeter Pan
Locations Wolf ValleyThe Hesse
Other relatives North WindWinterLaudaLauda's husbandQueen of the Silver RealmRose RedWest WindEast WindSouth WindEtan WolfLakeTannika Wynn • Sam's great-grandson • Hel