Through the Ancestors' Eyes: Enlivening Y Mabinogi
"In the meantime, Branwen reared a starling at the end of her kneading-trough, and taught it to speak, and told the bird what kind of man her brother was. " fromThe Second Branch Branwen illustration by Margaret Jones |
Recommended Resources |
From beneath the young birch tree, |
Translations----Other Books----Websites----Media
The Mabinogion, a new translation by Sioned Davies; Oxford University Press, 2007; ISBN 978-0-19-283242-9
This is, in my opinion, an excellent translation of the Mabinogi, with an enlightening Introduction, Map, and Explanatory Notes. She approaches the Mabinogi in the spirit of the Oral Tradition.
The Mabinogion, translated by Lady Charlotte Guest (Schreiber); found easily for free online and the most printed translation out there.
Certainly, this was the translation that popularized the Mabinogi in the 19th Century, but it is very flowery and often inaccurate.
The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales, translated by Patrick K. Ford
This is probably THE version of the Mabinogi used most often in universities, and is well worth the price because it is very scholarly, accurate, and the Introduction and Notes are a must-read for anyone who really wishes to study the Mabinogi. It has recently been re-published as a 2nd Revised Version in 2008.
The Mabinogi: Legend and Landscape of Wales, translated by John K. Bollard; Gomer Press, March 2006; ISBN-10: 1843233487 OR ISBN-13: 978-1843233480
Wonderfully filled with maps and pictures, this is a well-done translation, and the text is accompanied with the most stunning photographs of the places in the Mabinogi.
The Mabinogion, translated by Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones
An edition I have had trouble finding on-line but certainly available in the UK. This is a beautiful translation with slightly archaic language, but also accurate and gives you a better sense of the Mabinogion as a medieval work. I have heard many people praise it.
A History of Wales, by John Davies; Penguin, 1995; ISBN-10: 0140145818; ISBN-13: 978-0140145816
This is really a work of love, from what I can tell--this book covers Wales from pre-historic times up until the modern times, and in my opinion, a must-read for anyone serious about Wales. It is by far, probably, THE best book out there on Welsh history--that I have seen anyway, and highly recommend it.
The Legal Triads of Medieval Wales, by Sara Elin Roberts; University of Wales Press, 3 Jul 2007; ISBN-10: 0708321070; ISBN-13: 978-0708321072
I haven't actually read this book myself but keep meaning to because it looks quite good. Medieval Celtic Law (both Irish and Welsh) are one of the best studies you can do, if you wish to know more about their societies, because it shows the system of thought and even some customs (like what happens when two people marry, and the 7 different levels of "marriage").
Cattle Lords and Clansmen: Social Structure of Early Ireland, by Nerys Patterson; University of Notre Dame Press, 2004; ISBN-10: 0268008000, ISBN-13: 978-0268008000
One of the best book purchases I ever made for my Celtic Collection because she really gets below the surface of early Irish Society, challanging some previous scholarship, taking into account the actual geography and climate of Ireland, as well as important but often overlooked topics like clientship, marriage and care of children/elderly. Her premise is that it was the cattle-herds and their owners who were the real power holders in Early Ireland, and their ties into the structure of the Clan and even the Irish Cattle Raids (and stealing of brides). An important read if you wish to do any comparative study between Ireland and Wales.
BBC Wales on the Mabinogi, with tale summaries, commentary and background
Will Parker's Translation of the Mabinogion, free on-line with bibliography and notes; not sure how good the translation is but looks good in passing
The Mabinogion; an informative overview
The Mabinogi: A Collection of Essays; thanks to Google Books, this fantastic book of essays is online for your perusal.
A Blog Entry on the Mabinogi and Oral Tradition, based on Sioned Davies' translation and interpretation.
Nemeton, this site on Cymric deities is one of my favourites and always inspiring. Make your own judgment call for yourself though.
Otherworld: S4C's animated telling of the Mabinogi; this is the website, and finding the actual program is even harder, but well-worth finding, in both Welsh and English.
Bragod: the only real group out there that I know of dedicated to Welsh Medieval Music