The Mabinogion

The Mabinogion is the earliest prose literature of Britain and it contains Arthurian tales, Welsh romances and other Celtic legends and myths. The meaning Mabinogi is obscure, but it clearly roots in the word 'mab' for son, child, young person: this is to be seen in the naming convention 'son of' in genealogies. The tales are:

The Lady of the Fountain

Peredur the Son of Evrawc

Geraint the son of Erbin

Kilhwch and Olwen

The dream of Rhonabwy

Pwyll Prince of Dyved

Branwen the daughter of Llyr

Manawyddan the son of Llyr

Math the son of Mathonwy

The dream of Maxen Wledig

The story of Lludd and Llevelys

Taliesin



Lady Charlotte Guest (1812-1895) was an English aristocrat who is best known as the first publisher in modern print format of The Mabinogion which is the earliest prose literature of Britain. Guest established The Mabinogion as a source literature of Europe, claiming this recognition among literati in the context of contemporary passions for the Chivalric romance of King Arthur and the Gothic movement.