Clearly, witchcraft — as part of the broader set of beliefs we call paganism — was an aspect of a nature religion in the folk culture of medieval Wales. But sometimes we need to be a bit careful with our terms . . .
Category Archives: Welsh Folklore
The Mabinogi Challenge: Day 1
A recording of the first day of the Mabinogi Challenge. Over the course of 5 days we’re working through a simple process by which you can begin to interpret and understand a short folk-tale from the Mabinogi tradition. 0:00 The Welsh storytelling tradition. 17:06 The Story of Llyn Barfog. 32:35 Q&A. 40:45 Challenge questions. .Continue reading “The Mabinogi Challenge: Day 1”
From Celtic Gods to Celtic Spirits
What happened to the Celtic gods of Iron Age Europe? Where are they in later Celtic folklore?
The Witch, the Hare and the Saint
The witch transformed into a hare is an old folk tale found across many parts of Europe. In Wales, the story appears to have a connection to Saint Melangell, the protector of ŵyn Melangell (‘Melangell’s lambs’), the traditional Welsh name for hares. Don’t forget that the next courses, The Taliesin Tradition and The Four BranchesContinue reading “The Witch, the Hare and the Saint”