The Song of Taliesin: Tales from King Arthur's Bard
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.31 (971 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0835608026 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 234 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-11-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
From Publishers Weekly Told in the voice of King Arthur's mythic bard, The Song of Taliesin, by John Matthews (The Winter Solstice), gathers 20 stories from Arthurian legend. The Sacred Pigs of the Isle of the Mighty, a cauldron with frightening powers, murderous lords and a giant who is responsible for the rising and setting of the sun are among the many fantastical details of these new interpretations of ancient stories. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.. 12 b&w illus
Wearing its learning lightly Mark Williams This is a book I have bee waiting for for a long time. Both John and Caitlin Mathhews' more (overtly) scholarly books have hinted at the possibility of more primitive, more whole versions of the Celtic stories that we have - and here John fascinatingly reconstructs them. My favorite is 'The Battle of the Trees', which takes hints from the medieval poem 'Cad Goddeu' and fleshes them out into a prose narrative, creating in effect a 'Fifth Branch of the Mabinogi'. The character of Gwy. "Taliesin's Tales Teach Well" according to Dale Overman. John Matthews has done a great service by bringing the old welsh pagan tales to print. The stories teach the old religion and celtic folkways through the eyes of a fictional christian monk. I really enjoyed the book though I did find a few mistakes here and thereno big deal. Try reading the Mabingion along with this book. Or reading Evangeline Walton's fine series based on the Mabingion as wellGreat stuff!. Excelsior! John Matthews is a poet and a scholar. In this translation, Mr. Matthews successfully invokes the spirit of the bard, taking these ancient Welsh tales and turning them into a readable, intelligable and excellent writing. The Song of Taliesin is so skillfully done, I recommend it to beginners, middlers and experts alike. Seek this book out if you have any interest in Celtic myth or culture.
Part legend, part fiction, part mythology, they are alive with the power of one of the most compelling mystical/literary traditions. "It is my hope," says Matthews, "that they provide a key to the secret lore of Britain, where once the Grail and the Cauldron were sought, and where the Sleeping Lord still awaits the One Who Is to Come, who will blow the Horn three times in the Cave of the Sleepers." Reading these lyrical, mysterious stories, we thrill that it is so.. But enough remains to convey much of the ancient Celts' passionate spirit and religious practice. Behind Taliesin's story lies a vast legacy of initiatic wisdom, much of it now lost. To create these tales, John Matthews has br