Myths and Legends of the British IslesRichard W. Barber Boydell & Brewer, 1999 - 572 pages THE BRITISH ISLES have a long tradition of tales of gods, heroes and marvels, hinting at a mythology once as relevant to the races which settled the islands as the Greek and Roman gods were to the classical world.The tales drawn together in this book, from a wide range of medieval sources, span the centuries from the dawn of Christianity to the age of the Plantagenets. The Norse gods which peopled the Anglo-Saxon past survive in Beowulf/I>; Cuchulainn, Taliesin and the magician Merlin take shape from Celtic mythology; and saints include Helena who brought a piece of the True Cross to Britain, and Joseph of Arimathea whose staff grew into the Glastonbury thorn. Tales of the British Arthur are followed by legends of later heroes, including Harold, Hereward and Godiva. These figures and many others were part of a familiar national mythology on which Shakespeare drew for Lear, Macbeth and Hamlet, creating the famous versions that are known today. Here the original stories are presented again. RICHARD BARBER's other books include King Arthur: Hero and Legend, Arthurian Legends: An Anthology, and The Knight and Chivalry; he is currently working on a study of the legend of the Holy Grail.Borders.com: England and the British Isles have a rich and still thriving tradition of myths and legends - and this wonderful volume collects together more than thirty of the best from a number of sources... an incredible insight into the fascinating yet complex history of the British Isles and its peoples... Those fascinated by mythology will want to add this wonderful book to their collections. |
Contents
THE ORIGINS | 1 |
The Giants of the Island of Albion | 3 |
The Origins of the Scottish Nation | 9 |
The Book of the Takings of Ireland | 12 |
The Descent of the AngloSaxon Kings from Woden | 19 |
THE EARLY HISTORY OF BRITAIN | 21 |
Brutus Conquers Britain | 23 |
King Lear | 36 |
Branwen the Daughter of Llyr | 326 |
Manawyddan the Son of Llyr | 337 |
Math the Son of Mathonwy | 347 |
The Voyage of St Brendan | 361 |
The Life of Saint Cadog | 372 |
St Joseph of Arimathea and Glastonbury | 380 |
St George | 386 |
Helena and the True Cross | 391 |
Lludd and Llefelys | 40 |
The Dream of Maxen Wledig | 44 |
Hengist and Horsa | 51 |
The Story of Hamlet | 65 |
MARVELS AND MAGIC | 83 |
On the Marvels of Britain | 85 |
Culhwch and Olwen | 89 |
The Life of Merlin | 117 |
Taliesin | 146 |
The Wild Hunt | 153 |
HEROES AND SAINTS | 157 |
Arthur | 159 |
Beowulf | 184 |
The Deeds of Cuchulain | 258 |
The Four Branches of the Mabinogi | 310 |
Pwyll Prince of Dyfed | 311 |
HISTORY AND ROMANCE | 399 |
The Life of King Harold | 401 |
Hereward the Wake | 415 |
Richard Coeur de Lion | 433 |
King Horn | 441 |
Havelok the Dane | 453 |
Guy of Warwick | 467 |
Bevis of Hampton | 483 |
Robin Hood | 504 |
Macbeth | 556 |
Lady Godiva | 564 |
Epigraph | 565 |
567 | |
571 | |
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Common terms and phrases
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