Composed in a golden age of Celtic storytelling in the thirteenth century or earlier, this collection of 12 Welsh prose tales is a masterpiece of European literature. Though written down in the Middle Ages, these stories are thought by scholars to be probably much older, perhaps going back to the dawn of Celtic civilization.
They fall naturally into several groups: the Mabinogion (stories) proper, composed of the four tales of Pwyll, Branwen, Manawyddan, and Math; the two short pieces The Dream of Maxen Wledig and Lludd and Llevelys; the incomparable Kilhwch and Olwen, one of the earliest Arthurian tales in Welsh; The Dream of Rhonabwy, a romantic look back to the heroic age of Britain; and the three Arthurian romances proper: The Lady of the Fountain, Peredur the Son of Evrawc, and Geraint the Son of Erbin, with their abundant evidence of Norman-French influences. Also included is Lady Guest's translation of Taliesin, the story of the famous bard. Destiny, magic, chance, knightly feats of arms, love, and betrayal — all are here in these ancient, beautifully crafted stories, sure to delight scholars, students, general readers, and any lover of myth and legend.

Reprint of a standard edition.

Pwyll Prince of Dyved; Branwen the Daughter of Llyr; Manawyddan the Son of Llyr; Math the Son of Mathonwy; The Dream of Maxen Wledig; Lludd and Llevelys; Kilhwch and Olwen; The Dream of Rhonabwy; The Lady of the Fountain; Peredur the Son of Evrawc; Geraint the Son of Erbin; Taliesin; Prose stories; Britain; Middle Welsh; Culhwch and Olwen; Lludd and Llefelys; Four Branches of the Mabinogi; pre-Christian Celtic mythology; international folklore