The Mabinogion

Translated by Sioned Davies

Oxford World's Classics

The Mabinogion is a collection of eleven medieval Welsh tales, whose invention and fantastical interweaving of Celtic mythology and Arthurian romance have made it one of literature's greatest epics. This is the first new translation for 30 years.
Sioned Davies's magnificent new translation is the first to place due emphasis on the tales' oral origins.
The Introduction places the tales within their storytelling context and examines their central themes and the central role that public performance played in their evolution.
Invaluable explanatory notes illuminate aspects of medieval Welsh society, highlight the relationship between the tales, cross-referencing them in a way that has never been done before.
Glossaries of personal names and place-names translate their meanings and identify locations. A map shows the locations of the Mabinogion.
A pronunciation guide aids the pronunciation of Welsh names.

The Mabinogion

Translated by Sioned Davies

Description

'I cannot be killed indoors,' he said, 'nor out of doors; I cannot be killed on horseback, nor on foot.' 'Well,' she said, 'how can you be killed?'

Celtic mythology, Arthurian romance, and an intriguing interpretation of British history - these are just some of the themes embraced by the anonymous authors of the eleven tales that make up the Welsh medieval masterpiece known as the Mabinogion. They tell of Gwydion the shape-shifter, who can create a woman out of flowers; of Math the magician whose feet must lie in the lap of a virgin; of hanging a pregnant mouse and hunting a magical boar. Dragons, witches, and giants live alongside kings and heroes, and quests of honour, revenge, and love are set against the backdrop of a country struggling to retain its independence.

This new translation, the first for thirty years, recreates the storytelling world of medieval Wales and re-invests the tales with the power of performance.
ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

The Mabinogion

Translated by Sioned Davies

Oxford World's Classics

Introduction
Translator's Note
Guide to Pronunciation
Select Bibliography
map of Wales at the time of theMabinogion
The First Branch of the Mabinogion
The Second Branch of the Mabinogion
The Third Branch of the Mabinogion
The First Branch of the Mabinogion
Peredur son of Efrog
The Dream of the Emperor Maxen
Lludd and Llefelys
The Lady of the Well
Geraint son of Erbin
How Culhwch won Olwen
Rhonabwy's Dream
Explanatory Notes
Glossary of Personal Names
Glossary of Place-Names

The Mabinogion

Translated by Sioned Davies

Oxford World's Classics

Author Information

Translated by Sioned Davies, Chair of Welsh, Cardiff University

The Mabinogion

Translated by Sioned Davies

Oxford World's Classics

Reviews and Awards

"[This] translation into English by Professor Sioned Davies has not only enhanced public understanding of the text but has led to new perfomrances and inspired a series of modern stories." - Challenge Cardiff

The Mabinogion

Translated by Sioned Davies

Oxford World's Classics

From Our Blog

The first branch of the Mabinogi

The Mabinogion is the title given to eleven medieval Welsh prose tales preserved mainly in the White Book of Rhydderch (c.1350) and the Red Book of Hergest (c.1400). They were never conceived as a collection'the title was adopted in the nineteenth century when the tales were first translated into English by Lady Charlotte Guest.

Posted on August 2, 2013

Read the blog post