Tales from the Mabinogion

An absolutely wonderful view of Cadair Idris!
There is a legend that anyone sleeping on the slopes of this mountain will either awake with the gift of Awen (poetic inspiration), or be driven mad...

It's #WorldBookDay today!
The Mabinogion has been translated surprisingly little beyond English, a reflection of the long marginalisation of the Welsh language.
Still, excellent translations exist. Here are a few recommendations that people have shared with me over the past couple of weeks.

If you're into mythology and video games, then there's a very good chance you'll find this interesting... :)

#LegendaryWednesday
Wales is not generally known for its lion population, but there is one famous example!
In Owain, or The Lady from the Fountain, the eponymous hero rescues a lion from a serpent. The beast repays his kindness by becoming his loyal companion, fighting at his side against many foes!

In any case, I'm looking, and while I can't make any promises, I'm hopeful that we'll be able to have Japanese version at some point... :)
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There are a lot of particularities with the language, the phonology, and respect for the source material - it's more like an academic/literary translation in many ways than a traditional video game localisation.
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その熱意、ありがとう！
Apologies for replying in English, I hope it's okay for you!
I'd love to be able to do a Japanese localisation also, it's high on the list of priorities. But it's very challenging to find good translators for this project.
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Through his work we can draw a faint, but traceable, line from the mythic Welsh landscapes of the Mabinogion, through to the cosmic dread of Cthulhu!
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H. P. Lovecraft explicitly regarded Machen as one of the modern masters of supernatural horror. Elements of the Cthulhu Mythos, and particularly its sense of ancient survivals and forbidden knowledge, clearly reflect Machen's influence.
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Drawing on a wide range of influences, including The Mabinogion, his supernatural horror stories would become hugely influential, inspiring writers from Robert E. Howard and Arthur Conan Doyle to Stephen King and Aleister Crowley.
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"In every grain of wheat there lies hidden the soul of a star."
Welsh author and mystic Arthur Machen was born on this day in 1863.
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I don't actually own a copy, I've only read a few sections online...
I found the language too dated for my taste personally - I know a lot of people do love it though! If you want to immerse yourself in a version that reads with a more archaic tone, it can absolutely be a great translation for you!

If you're more interested in the stories than tackling the medieval text, try Evangeline Walton's Mabinogion Tetralogy. It's an interpretation of the text, rather than a translation, but stays faithful to its source in a much more accessible style.
Add any other recommendations below!
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If you just want a copy to look good on your shelf, and bring down occasionally to flip through, the Charlotte Guest version that includes the illustrations by Allen Lee is gorgeous (if you can find a copy!).
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For more academic study I'd say go for the Patrick Ford translation. It's a touch drier than Davies, and doesn't include all the stories, but has some great accompanying analysis and commentary.
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I find most people recommend the Sioned Davies translation as being both readable and accurate, and I agree that it's a solid choice.
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#MythologyMonday
March is National Reading Month in the U.S. - as good a reason as any to share my suggestions for which of the many versions of The Mabinogion you should read!
Brief, it depends what you're looking for.
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Penderyn Portwood 70cl This Portwood-finish whisky is a firm favourite among our customers in France and is a full-bodied whisky. It is bottled at 46% abv.

With it being Wales' national day today, 'Dydd Gŵyl Dewi', I feel I have to give a shout out to my favourite Welsh whisky!
www.penderyn.wales/product/pend...

Michael Sheen gives rousing speech for Wales football team on A League of Their Own YouTube video by Guardian Football

"One Nation, singing with One Voice,
a song of hope, a song of courage...!"

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus i bawb!

#BookWormSat
The Mabinogion's Efnysien is an impulsive brat.
He mutilates animals, hurls his own nephew into a fire, and starts a devastating war between nations, and all out of petty spite.
Yet in a final act of conscience, he gives his own life to stop the ruin that he himself had wrought.

Very little remains of Morlais Castle, near Merthyr Tydfil, which is perhaps why it's not better know - I only learned about it today!
But the entrance to this secretive underground crypt alone makes it worth the discovery!

If you ever want to get a feel for Welsh mythology, but don't have the energy to engage with the underlying works, 'The Chronicles of Prydain' are an excellent taster.
For something closer to the original source material, 'The Mabinogion Tetralogy', by Evangeline Walton, is also very accessible.

Tales from the Mabinogion on Steam Venture into the medieval kingdom of Dyfed in Tales from the Mabinogion. As King Pryderi, traverse dense forests, rugged mountains, and windswept coastlines. Uncover long-held secrets, face the forces...

Why yes, yes it would be great to have a digital interpretation of some of the stories from the Mabinogion...
And wouldn't you know, look what I found here! :D
(Releasing later this year).
store.steampowered.com/app/3067260/Tales_from_the_Mabinogion/

But this is not the end for young Gwion! Ceridwen becomes pregnant from the consumed magic, and soon gives birth, to the great poet himself.
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Despite her resolve to kill the child, he was so beatiful at birth that instead she case him adrift, where he was found by Elffin ap Gwyddno. As Elffin picked up the tiny babe, the infant spoke in perfect verse, a poem now known as Dehuddiant Elffin.
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#WyrdWednesday
The Hanes Taliesin describes the transformation of the young Gwion Bach, and his rebirth as the great bard Taliesin.
After accidentally drinking from the cauldron of the sorceress Ceridwen, Gwion flees in a magical shape-shifting chase, before ultimately being consumed by her.
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#LegendaryWednesday
In the early Arthurian tale 'Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain', our hero wins his Lady's love. But the call of knightly fame is too strong and he rides off in search of glory, promising to return.
He forgets.
She denounces him at Arthur's court, leaving him shamed and rejected.

Tales from the Mabinogion on Steam Venture into the medieval kingdom of Dyfed in Tales from the Mabinogion. As King Pryderi, traverse dense forests, rugged mountains, and windswept coastlines. Uncover long-held secrets, face the forces...

And wouldn't you know, look what I found here!
store.steampowered.com/app/3067260/Tales_from_the_Mabinogion/

Druid calls for Welsh mythology to be given digital makeover Deborah Rose Hālani says The Mabinogi should look to virtual reality to ensure the text survives.

Why yes, yes it would be great to have a digital interpretation of some of the stories from the Mabinogion, don't you think? :D :D :D

The dying King ordered that his head should be cut off, and buried as a protection against invaders from across the sea. This was done, and the head was buried at White Hill, where the Tower of London now stands. A flock of ravens watch over the High King's ancient burial place to this day.
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