Product Description
Wirt Sikes's 1881 tome defines and records Welsh fairy legends as they existed -- still vital, alive, not just a mordant mythology but living folklore in that year. Like many texts of the time, it treats the subject mechanically, detailing fairy legends with such care and precision as to leach away a measuyre of the magic. But all the same, there's plenty of magic here: this is the myth that modern fasntasy grows from; and the truth is that it's not to be found elsewhere still alive.(Jacketless library hardcover.) ... Read more

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A little-known lecture by Lévi-Strauss is the inspiration for this work. In this lecture, he intuitively suggested that in medieval Europe there once existed a set of myths, centred on the grail, which are structurally the opposite of the goatsucker myths that he famously analyzed in his mythologiques series. This work uses Lévi-Strauss' inspirational lecture as a launchpad for an exploration of a group of related medieval Welsh myths, two of which have been briefly considered previously by Lévi-Strauss himself. The root of the methodological approach this book employs throughout is the Structuralism of Claude Lévi-Strauss; however, it has been modified to incorporate the suggestions of later neo-Structuralists. This analysis tool is applied to a group of myths, which have become conveniently--if somewhat erroneously--known as the Mabinogion. The name Mabinogion appears as part of a colophon at the end of one of the myth of Pwyll and it was later adopted first by Pugh (1835), and then by Lady Charlotte Guest (1838) as a title for their now famous translations of Welsh mythology. Consequently, the title has stuck to describe the material that is contained within their translations and, while it is a somewhat inaccurate way to describe the myths, it has the virtues of being both a succinct and widely recognised signifier. The term has come to signify eight myths, or perhaps more accurately eight groups of myths, which are all present in the late fourteenth-century manuscript Llyfr Coch Hergest (The Red Book of Hergest), and all but one of which can be found in the slightly earlier Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch (The White Book of Rhydderch). As such, the Mabinogion is the key collection of medieval Welsh mythology and an important source for early Arthurian material.Although Structuralism and the Mabinogion have attracted a good deal of attention from the academic world, there has been never been a sustained attempt to follow Levi-Strauss' intuitive insights with a methodical Structuralist analysis of this material. In the year of Lévi-Strauss' centenary celebrations, this work is the first sustained attempt to follow his intuitive suggestions about several Mabinogion myths with a detailed Structuralist analysis of the Mabinogion. This work is therefore a unique anthropological presentation and analysis of the Mabinogion, which argues for a radical, new interpretation of these myths in light of the existence of a central system of interlocking symbols that has the Grail at its heart. Through the analysis, the book reveals a logical organizational principle that underlies a body of material that has previously been viewed as disparate and confusing. This underlying structure is demonstrated to be, as Lévi-Strauss suggested it may, the opposite of that which Lévi-Strauss himself uncovered in the Americas. The revelation of this new form of underlying structure leads to a rethinking of some important aspects of Structuralism, including the Canonical formula, at the same time as acting as a tribute to the farsightedness of Lévi-Strauss. This book makes important contributions to the fields of Arthurian studies, anthropology, Celtic studies, cultural studies, medieval studies, mythology and religious studies. ... Read more

Product Description
This new work offers an exhaustive survey of one of the world's most fertile and exciting mythological traditions. It covers the persons, themes, concepts, places, and creatures of Celtic mythology, in all its ancient and modern traditions, in 4000 entries ranging from brief definitions to extended essays on major tale cycles. An introductory essay explains who the Celts were, explores the history of the Celtic revival, and examines the meaning and role of mythology and tradition. An invaluable pronunciation guide for the major Celtic languages, a topic index of entries, thorough cross-references within Celtic mythology and to other mythologies, such as Classical and Norse, enables the reader to see the relationship between Celtic mythology, later Irish literature, and other literary and mythological traditions.
The Dictionary of Celtic Mythology is the first place to turn for an authoritative guide to this colorful world of tragedy, revenge, honor, and heroism of Celtic myth.Amazon.com Review
The full richness of Celtic mythology, with legends, sagas,and folklore, with traditions, places, and personalities, are nowevocatively yet concisely conveyed in James MacKillop'sdictionary. The 4,000 entries include brief descriptions (such as theshort explanation of Arthen, the bear-and-river god of early Wales) aswell as extended stories of bloody vengeance (following actual orsupposed treachery), romantic love, and frequent adultery, plus talesof mysterious monsters on lonely hillocks. From Deirdre andCúchulainn to leprechauns, from Galahad, cauldrons, andarchaeology to druids, MacKillop provides an impressive amount of loreand research in a reliable, browsable, and enjoyabledictionary. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Must-Have for Celt-o-philes and Celtic-leaning Wiccans and Pagans!
So you listen to Loreena MacKennitt and love you a good Celtic knot. You know vaguely that Brigid is a Christian saint who started as an Irish goddess, and that Taliesin had something to do with bards. If you want to learn more, pick up this book. Sure it's a dictionary, but if you have a couple hours, you could read it cover to cover and come away with more colorful stories of heros and gods and beasts than you ever could have imagined. For being a reference book, it reads as well as most short story compendiums. Informative and a fun read!

awesome dictionary of celtic icons
My copy of this tremendously helpful book is completely dog-eared.Interestingly enough, I bought the book not because of my interest in Celtic and Druidic studies, but because I play an online multiplayer game called Dark Age of Camelot.As I was playing I noticed a couple of "mobs" (monsters) which seemed curiously in tune with their natural meanings.I work at a bookstore and picked this book up on my break to look up a few more of the mobs and found them all in there.Over time, I found that the game was startling on target with mobs, non-player characters and mythic storyline.

I have since used it for a number of other Celtic "look ups" and just love having this book handy.It is nearly indespensible in my mind.

Great in some area, but very imbalanced overall
This book is wonderfully useful for Irish and Welsh mythology. Irish and Welsh entries are generally quite comprehensive and individually mostly of a high quality.

The major flaw, and it is quite a major one, is the horrific dearth of Scottish and Breton entries, which appear quite randomly and often are only of very low quality. So for instance, Irish "kings" of minor historical or mythological importance occur in abundance, yet figures such as Macbeth, Malcolm II and Malcolm III are totally unaccounted for. Dublin has a huge entry, Glasgow has no entry (although admittedly St. Kentigern does). There may be entries for Goidel Glas and Scota, of supreme importance in medieval Scottish origin myth, but nothing is said of them in relation to Scotland or in how they were used there. Every half-significant Irish geographical feature has an entry, yet a location like Scone has nothing. Likewise, there are no entries for the "Prophecy of Berchan" or the "De Situ Albanie." I could go on and on.

Useful but flawed
Quite frankly, if this is the best reference work on Celtic legends and culture, this only goes to show how very bad the rest are.Other reviewers have pointed out the irrelevant English items and very bad etymology; I would like to add that the book is infuriatingly uneven in its references.Some I have been able to track down; other entries have no origin listed at all, which has resulted, in one case, in a desperate and completely unavailing trawl through EVERY TITLE in the Brittany bibliography - and that for a reference which is absolutely fundamental to my research.I know this particular character and folk-tale exist; they must, because other facts I encountered confirm that they must; but because Mr. MacKillop has not given his source for his description, I am unable to proceed.And that is not the only case in which the entries let me down.It is pointless to write a reference dictionary if you are not going to give references!

Mostly Good
There is much in this book that is useful about Celtic folklore and mythology. However, the etymologies are usually incorrect. This may not matter to some. It does to me.

The back cover claims that this book has "authoritative...etymologies for Celtic names..." when they are in fact neither authoritative nor correct.

For example, MacKillop gives for the entry Deva an etymology from Latin meaning goddess "[L. goddess]." However, the Latin for Goddess is _diva_ not _deva_. The word _Deva_ is transparently Brittonic from (Proto)-Celtic *_deiwa_.

Especially annoying for me is the etymology of English words used as headings, which are out of place in a Dictionary of Celtic Mythology (I believe).

So, while the entry for "Stag" is indeed useful, giving the etymology of 'Stag' from "[OE stagga]," (while at least correct in this instance), is just absurd.

As for careerist motivations and cut and past "druidical" names: ...

Lastly, my motivations were not careerist, but one of informing others. A book that claims to be authoritative in Celtic etymologies, I belive ought to live up to that claim. Unfortunately, this one doesn't, and others should be aware of that. ... Read more

Product Description
Contents

Volume I

Title Page

Preface

Chapter I: Undine's Kymric Sisters

Chapter II: The Fairies' Revenge

Chapter III: Fairy Ways and Words

Chapter IV: Manx Folklore

Chapter V: The Fenodyree and his Friends

Volume II

Chapter VI: The Folklore of the Wells

Chapter VII: Triumphs of the Water-World

Chapter VIII: Welsh Cave Legends

Chapter IX: Place-Name Stories

Chapter X: Difficulties of the Folklorist

Chapter XI: Folklore Philosophy

Chapter XII: Race in Folklore and Myth

Additions and Corrections

393 pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Celtic Folklore: Welsh & Manx Vol 1 & 2 by John Rhys
This is a two volume set originally published in 1901. Covers folklore, beliefs, customs, superstions of people at that time in rural Wales and the Isle of Mann. This is probably 80% or more dealing with the Welsh and covers things like beliefs in fairies, spirits living in wells, trees and lakes and the stories surrounding them, plus lots more. Rhys also goes into the racial aspects of folklore and myth. One thing that made this book great is Rhys actually went to the most isolated places where these beliefs were part of everyday life and interviewed and talked with people compiling first hand reports.

I'm a big believer that folklore and folk customs in the British Isles are a vital source for understanding the Pagan religions of the British Isles because I think much of this stuff is a direct surviving part of Heathenry. These two volumes are one of, if not the, best source for Welsh folk customs.

A Book of Impressive Scholarship
Celtic Folklore : Welsh and Manx is one of those beautifully written books that makes you grateful: grateful that an author of such brilliance devoted his energy to a topic of interest to you; grateful that an accomplished scholar was able, in the last quarter of the nineteenth century to interview old Welsh and Manx folk whose recollections reached back to the period prior to 1825, and who recalled the stories of their own grandparents, thus bringing us a view of folkways now over 200 years old;and finally, grateful that this wonderful book is still in print. Sir John was Professor of Celtic and Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, at the turn of the century. He lived at just the right time, and I think I can say the world he wrote of is very nearly gone now. At the period when he did his field work very evident remains of the pre-Christian past were discernable, and these he records in wonderful detail. Snap up a copy of Celtic Folklore : Welsh and Manx while you can. ... Read more

Product Description
This study of Arthurian and Welsh mythology is one in a series of seven that consists of comprehensive analyses of each of the six major Indo-European mythologies.
The Indo Europeans are defined by a common group of languages that extend, as the name implies, from India to Ireland.Among these peoples extensive mythologies have survived in Indian, Persian, Greek, Norse or Germanic, Irish, and Welsh and Arthurian stories.We caution that our account is not for the faint-hearted since our studies have analyzed all of these six mythologies individually in a long and intensive study to a depth that has not even been attempted for a hundred years or more.
Arthurian and Welsh mythology is found in Welsh, Latin, and French and German sources.However, almost all of these have been strongly contaminated by the false identification of much of the stories with the semi-historical figure of the British hero who briefly stemmed the Saxon invasions of Britain.Such a figure is found and named by Bede but his name was not Arthur, and this name and his identification with the Welsh hero is due to the Welsh monk Nennius.
Nevertheless the charm and vigor of the story as told later by Geoffrey of Monmouth led to its immense popularity of the story of Arthur in many European courts and to the telling, re-telling, and probable fabrication of many stories over several hundred years.Said to be to be translated into Latin from a “little Welsh book”, Geoffrey’s work was quite probably translated from “Breton Welsh” by an ally of the Norman invaders.Two-thirds concerns a supposed history of the descent of British kings from survivors of Troy and the last third is the first recognizable account of the “traditional” story of Arthur.
However though much has been lost, hidden within all of the stories are elements of the older true stories and our analysis shows that some striking, largely unrecognized, links with the other Indo-European myths are present.This volume presents those links.
... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: King Arthur. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 427. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: King Arthur is a legendary British leader who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early sixth century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians. The sparse historical background of Arthur is gleaned from various sources, including the Annales Cambriae, the Historia Brittonum, and the writings of Gildas. Arthur's name also occurs in early poetic sources such as Y Gododdin. The legendary Arthur developed as a figure of international interest largely through the popularity of Geoffrey of Monmouth's fanciful and imaginative 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain). Some Welsh and Breton tales and poems relating the story of Arthur date from earlier than this work; in these works, Arthur appears either as a great warrior defending Britain from human and supernatural enemies or as a magical figure of folklore, sometimes associated with the Welsh Otherworld, Annwn. How much of Geoffrey's Historia (completed in 1138) was adapted from such earlier sources, rather than invented by Geoffrey himself, is unknown. Although the themes, events and characters of the Arthurian legend varied widely from text to text, and there is no one canonical version, Geoffrey's version of events often served as the starting point for later stories. Geoffrey depicted Arthur as a king of Britain who defeated the Saxons and established an empire over Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway and Gaul. Many elements and incidents that are now an integral part of the Arthurian story appear in Geoffrey's Historia, inclu...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=16808 ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Salmon of Wisdom or Salmon of Knowledge (bradán feasa) is a creature figuring in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. The Salmon figures prominently in The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn, which recounts the early adventures of Fionn mac Cumhaill. According to the story, it was an ordinary salmon that ate the nine hazel nuts that fell into the Well of Wisdom (aka Tobar Segais) from nine hazel trees that surrounded the well. In doing so, the salmon gained all the knowledge in the world. Moreover, the first person to eat of its flesh would, in turn, gain this knowledge. The poet Finn Eces spent seven years fishing for the salmon. When he finally caught it, he instructed his apprentice, Fionn, to prepare it for him. Fionn burned his thumb when spattered with a drop of the hot fat from the cooking salmon and immediately sucked on it to ease the pain. Unbeknownst to Fionn, all the wisdom had been concentrated into that one drop, and Fionn had just imbibed it all. ... Read more

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Chapters: Welsh Language, Culture of Wales, Welsh Mythology, Cultural Relationship Between the Welsh and the English, Welsh Placenames, Eisteddfod, Saint David's Day, Investiture of the Prince of Wales, Welsh Surnames, Pontarddulais Male Choir, Côr Meibion Pontypridd, Miss Wales, Sunday Closing Act 1881, Welsh Holidays, the Square Festival, Survey of Anglo-Welsh Dialects, Welsh Mam, List of Welsh Video Games, Tir Iarll, Welsh Literature, Côr Meibion Pontarddulais. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 127. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Welsh ( or , pronounced ) is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, in England by some along the Welsh border, in the Welsh immigrant colony in the Chubut Valley in Argentine Patagonia, and the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The most recent figures (2004) presented in the 2004 Welsh Language Use Survey by the Welsh Language Board indicate 611,000 (21.7% of the population of Wales in households or communal establishments) were able to speak Welsh. This figure marks a 0.9 percentage point increase when compared with a figure of 20.8% from the 2001 Census. Of those 611,000 Welsh speakers, 62% claim to speak Welsh daily. This figure rises to 88% amongst those who consider themselves fluent in Welsh. A greeting in Welsh is one of 55 languages included on the Voyager Golden Record chosen to be representative of Earth in NASA's Voyager program launched in 1977. The greetings are unique to each language, with the Welsh greeting being Iechyd da i chwi yn awr ac yn oesoedd which translates into English as "Good health to you now and forever". See Welsh English, sometimes known as "Wenglish", for the English language as spoken in Wales. Officially, the English and Welsh languages have equal status in W...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=33545 ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington in 1880 in 471 pages; Subjects: Folklore; Mythology, Welsh; Mythology, Celtic; Legends; Folk-lore; Wales; Goblins; Mythology; Fiction / Fairy Tales, Folklore & Mythology; Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Country & Ethnic; Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / General; Body, Mind & Spirit / Spirituality / Celtic; Social Science / Folklore & Mythology; ... Read more

Product Description
From the stories suggested by the great cave paintings of the Paleolithic period to the thought experiments of modern scientists, From Olympus to Camelot provides a sweeping history of the development of the rich and varied European mythological tradition. David Leeming, an authority on world mythology, begins with a general introduction to mythology and mythological terms, and then turns to the stories themselves. Discussing well-known figures such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Thor, and Cuchulainn, and less familiar ones such as Perun, Mari, and the Sorcerer of Lescaux, Leeming illustrates and analyzes the enduring human endeavor to make sense of existence through deities and heroes.Following an initial exploration of the Indo-European sources of European mythology and the connections between the myths of Europe and those of India and Iran, the book proceeds to survey the major beliefs of Greek, Roman, Celtic, Germanic, Baltic, and Slavic cultures, as well as the mythologies of non-Indo-European cultures such as the Etruscans and the Finns. Among its contents are introductions to the pantheons of various mythologies, examinations of major mythological works, and retellings of the influential mythical stories. This work also examines European deities, creation myths, and heroes in the context of Christian belief, and considers the translation of traditional stories into the mythologies of modern European political, scientific, philosophical, and economic movements. European mythology is the core mythology of Western civilization. This wide-ranging volume offers a lively and informative survey, along with a provocative new way of understanding this fundamental aspect of European culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Form Olympus to Camelot, The World of European Mythology
This is an excellent book. Everyone should discover their pre christian past. This book gives insight into all the European Mythology including christianity. Leeming is an excellent writer. His explanations are concise and easy to read. ... Read more

Product Description
Book Description:

"Despite the title, this book is actually a study of Welsh fairy folklore." (Quote from sacred-texts.com)

Table of Contents:

Publisher's Preface; Fairy Tales And The Ancient Mythology; Classification Of Welsh Fairies; Lake Fairies; Mountain Fairies; Changelings; Living With The Tylwyth Teg; Fairy Music; Fairy Rings; Piety As A Protection From The Seductions Of The Tylwyth Teg; Fairy Money And Fairy Gifts In General; Origins Of Welsh Fairies

About the Publisher:

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, Esoteric and Mythology. www.forgottenbooks.org

Forgotten Books is about sharing information, not about making money. All books are priced at wholesale prices. We are also the only publisher we know of to print in large sans-serif font, which is proven to make the text easier to read and put less strain on your eyes. ... Read more

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Previous books of the Welsh Mabinogion: Prince of Annwn, The Children of Llyr, The Song Of Rhiannon. ... Read more

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In 1990, Robert Young's White Mythologies set out to question the very concepts of history and the West. His reflections on these topics provided some of the most important new directions in postcolonial studies and continue to exert a huge influence on the field. This new edition reprints what has quickly become a classic text, along with a substantial new essay reflecting on changes in the field and in the author's own position since publication.
An essential read for all those working in postcolonial theory, literature and history, this book cemented Young's reputation as one of the discipline's most influential scholars and, as a new preface by Homi Bhabha comments, made an original and invaluable intervention in the field, leading even the most established figures to rethink their own positions. Provoking further re-evaluation with the new introductory essay, this second edition will, like its predecessor, be a key text for every academic and student in the field. ... Read more

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A fairly new phenomenon in the Welsh literary tradition, the essay only became a recognized literary form in the Welsh language in the 1920s due to the pioneering work of its first great exponent T.H. Parry Williams. Since then, the essay has flourished in Welsh literature. This book gives the English reader access to this literary field. In addition to the essays, the editor provides a brief biographical note on each writer and useful explanatory information on incidents or references mentioned in each essay. The contributors include: R.S. Thomas, Saunders Lewis, Islwyn Ffowc Elis, Kate Roberts, D. Gwenallt Jones, O.M. Edwards, Ifan Gruffudd and Gareth Miles. ... Read more

Product Description
This study of Indian Mythology is one in a series of seven studies that consists of comprehensive analyses of each of the six major Indo-European mythologies.
The Indo Europeans are defined by a common group of languages that extend, as the name implies, from India to Ireland.The languages include the many Hindu and other Indian languages, that of the Persians, the Kurds, Armenians, the extinct Hittites, and the languages of Europe excluding Basque, Hungarian, and Finnish.Among these peoples extensive mythologies have survived in Indian, Persian, Greek, Norse or Germanic, Irish, and Welsh and Arthurian stories.We caution that our account is not for the faint-hearted since our studies have analyzed all of these six mythologies individually in a long and intensive study to a depth that has not even been attempted for a hundred years or more.
The key to this successful analysis of these mythologies is our discovery that all the major figures are known by many, many names.These are found linked together in Indian but only some are preserved in the other five mythologies.
We have discovered that their names, family relationships, and exploits are all to be found scattered through the mythologies of the Indo-Europeans. The mythologies that hold these stories are Indian, Welsh and Arthurian, Greek, Norse, Irish, and Persian.These histories are most completely preserved in Indian mythology and religion and in Indian terms they extend from Brahma to Krishna.We find that Indian mythology, because of its vast size, retains the names and stories of all of the six generations and so parts of all of the other five mythologies can be linked to Indian.Links between the other five also exist but are less extensive.
These accounts will surely be unfamiliar even to students of mythology since all of the principal figures were known by many names and in all cases the mythology has been transposed to the land of the teller.Different names often survive in different lands and we are led into arrays of names and genealogies that even scholars of these separate mythologies are unlikely to appreciate fully.
We recognize that individual readers are likely to be more interested in some parts than others and so we have provided separate accounts of each of the six mythologies.We have then combined the conclusions of these studies to give our best judgment of the lives of the seven principals.This last document is thus an account of the lives of “The Family of the Gods”.
... Read more

Product Description
Welsh Mythology. Mythology, The Dream of Rhonabwy, Welsh mythology in popular culture, Celtic mythology, Four Branches of the Mabinogi,Mabinogion, Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain,Welsh Triads, Matter of Britain ... Read more