A Brief Guide To Celtic Myths And Legends - Brief Histories

Product Description

A very readable guide which fills the gap between academic analysis & less critical retellings of the myths & legends. Marytn Whittock provides an accessible overview while also assessing the current state of research regarding the origins & significance of the myths. Since all records of the myths first occur in the early medieval period, the focus is on the survival of pre-Christian mythology & the interactions of the early Christian writers with these myths. A wide-ranging & enthralling introduction to Celtic mythology, from the Irish gods before gods, the Fomorians, to the children of Llyr, the sea deity; from the hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill, whose exploits are chronicled in the Fenian Cycle, to C? Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster; & from the Welsh heroes of the Mabinogion to Arthur, King of Britain, though the mythical, Welsh version who predates the medieval legends.