The Mabinogion

The Red Book of Hergest, from whichThe Mabinogionare taken, is a collection of tales and poems written during the fourteenth century. Some of the Mabinogion in it have been reconstructed in Norman and Crusading times, but they contain reminiscences of a more distant period, often but half understood by the later story-teller. Among these are ＂The Dream of Rhonabwy,＂ ＂The Lady of the Fountain,＂ and ＂Peredur the son of Evrawc＂-the three which happen to come first in the Red Book. These are Christian, but with distant glimpses ofCeltic heathenism. The adventures are all grouped around Arthur and his knights; and a kind of connection is given to the three tales by the presence of Owen and his mysterious ravens. Others, especially the four Mabinogion properly so called and the Tale of Lludd and Llevelys, are far older; they are older than Christianity, and older than Arthur.