The Mabinogion (Illustrated Edition) (Dodo Press)

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The Mabinogion is a collection of medieval Welsh tales that makes up a rich mythological tradition. The tales themselves are only tangentially related - only one character, Pryderi, appears in all four branches. Nevertheless the tales are fascinating, rich and varied in their interpretation. This translation, Sioned Davies, was recommended to me as a good starting point so I happily took it. I'll likely try out other translations as the year goes on. For the 60th anniversary edition of The Hobbit, Tolkien's 1937 classic, Lee won his second Chesley Award for Interior Illustration (he is a finalist eight times through 2011). [16] Where does the title 'Mabinogion' come from? Its use for this collection of tales dates from the 19th Century when Lady Charlotte Guest's version of these 11 myths appeared in book form. The stories drew on folklore, myths, and some history from Wales and other parts of Britain of the time just after the Romans left. Add in magic, dreams, and other worldliness and you have a heady mix of romance, violence, and manners. The stories have had newer stuff (and values) multilayered over the original, French appearing over Celtic, but some common themes still shine through. Some characters, who appear briefly or in minor character might have had bigger roles and their own stories in the past. Some historical people appear, sometimes under Welsh-name versions.

Preserved in written form in the White Book of Rhydderch (1300-1325) and the Red Book of Hergest (1375-1425), portions of the stories were written as early as the second half of the 11th century, and some stories are much older still. Manawydan declines to make more war to reclaim his rights. Pryderi recompenses him generously by giving him the use of the land of Dyfed, though he retains the sovereignty. Pryderi also arranges a marriage between the widowed Rhiannon and Manawydan, who take to each other with affection and respect. Pryderi is careful to pay homage for Dyfed to the usurper Caswallon to avert his hostility. Manawydan now becomes the lead character in the Third Branch, and it is commonly named after him. With Rhiannon, Pryderi and Cigfa, he sits on the Gorsedd Arberth as Pwyll had once done. But this time disaster ensues. Thunder and magical mist descend on the land leaving it empty of all domesticated animals and all humans apart from the four protagonists. Set largely within the British Isles, the tales (nonetheless) create a dream-like atmosphere by telescoping Saxon- and Norman-dominated present into the misty Celtic past of has been and never was.”

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I’ve been looking forward to reading this for years. It exceeded my expectations, and is a treasure house of strange, marvelous, alluring, surreal and fantastic medieval Welsh myth and legend. Its people and its stories are so distant from the familiar and rational world that they take on a superb, dreamlike quality. Is this dreamlike sense intentional? Considering that two of the tales are directly about events occurring within dreams — “The Dream of Maxen” and “The Dream of Rhonabwy” — I am inclined to say yes. But no one can be certain. Often there are deafening noises that come roaring out of nowhere and seem to cue some intrusion from the Otherworld. It’s not uncommon after such a noise to find the landscape completely devoid of people or to suddenly find oneself standing in front of a vast army of horses and men with banners whipping in the wind. Lee has also worked as a conceptual designer on the films Legend, Erik the Viking, King Kong and the television mini-series Merlin. The art book Faeries, produced in collaboration with Brian Froud, was the basis of a 1981 animated feature of the same name. A single character, Pryderi links all four branches. In the first tale he's born and fostered, inherits a kingdom and marries. In the second he's scarcely mentioned, but in the third he's imprisoned by enchantment and then released. In the fourth he falls in battle.

World Fantasy Award Winners and Nominees". World Fantasy Convention. Archived from the original on 22 September 2008.

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In 2000, he won the competitive, juried Spectrum Award for fantastic art in the grandmaster category. [18]