The Mabinogion

Author/Guide: Sioned Davies

Why a Booktrail?

12th–13th C: The eleven tales that make up the Welsh medieval masterpiece – The Mabinogion

ISBN: 978-0199218783
Translator: Sioned Davies
Genre: Folklore, Historical

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What you need to know before your trail

Celtic mythology, Arthurian romance, and an intriguing interpretation of British history – these are just some of the themes embraced by the anonymous authors of the eleven tales that make up the Welsh medieval masterpiece known as the Mabinogion.

They tell of Gwydion the shape-shifter, who can create a woman out of flowers; of Math the magician whose feet must lie in the lap of a virgin; of hanging a pregnant mouse and hunting a magical boar. Dragons, witches, and giants live alongside kings and heroes, and quests of honour, revenge, and love are set against the backdrop of a country struggling to retain its independence.

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Travel Guide

VISIT WALES

Stories about the mythology of Wales, the country, the people and the folklore –

The Mabinogion

Wales was once a country where shape shifting creatures roamed the dark green lands, animals who could talk, with mythical creatures and beasts hiding in the shadows.

These stories interweave Celtic mythology and Arthurian romance. The King Arthur Labyrinth in Machynlleth should definitely be the place to go and read this book. The stories come from the old oral storytelling tradition so they deserve to be read out as they are represented on the page to be spoken.

The chapter on Welsh pronunciation is useful as are the footnotes – use this to really look into the heart and soul of Wales.