TO THE ANCIENTS, THE MEANING OF THE STORY WAS MOST IMPORTANT, NOT THE LITERAL TRUTH OF THE DETAILS OF A CERTAIN VERSION OF A TALE.
Mythology (from the Greek ‘mythos’ for story-of-the-people, and ‘logos’ for word or speech, the spoken story of a people) is the study and interpretation of often sacred tales or fables of a culture known as ‘myths’ or the collection of such stories which usually deal with the human condition, good and evil, human origins, life and death, the afterlife, and the gods. Myths express the beliefs and values about these subjects held by a certain culture.
Myths tell the stories of ancestors and the origin of humans and the world, the gods, supernatural beings (satyrs, nymphs, mermaids) and heroes with super-human, usually god-given, powers (as in the case of Heracles or Perseus of the Greeks). Myths also describe origins or nuances of long-held customs or explain natural events such as the sunrise and sunset, the full moon or thunder and lightning storms.
Celtic Myth 12, the Triumph of Lleu (perhaps the ancient origin of Sword in the Stone) When the Welsh hero Lleu was speared by his wife’s lover, Gronw, he did not die. Instead, he turned into an eagle and flew …
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Celtic Myth 11, the Story of Pryderi, a Mother Falsely Accused A tale from the Mabinogion, described how Pwyll, Lord of Dyfed in Southwestern Wales, won the hand of the fairy princess Rhiannon. Yet the marriage was to prove no …
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Celtic Mythology 10, Tadg’s Voyage to the Otherworld; a Heroic Quest in Irish Folklore A significant body of Irish mythological tales recount journeys to the Otherworld. Their protagonists are usually ordinary people rather than great warriors. Many of the tales …
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Celtic Myth 9, the Dream of Maxon (aka Emperor Macsen) This tale is based on the true story of Magnus Maximus, a 4th Century Roman general based in Britain who made a failed bid to become emperor. Macsen, unlike his …
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Celtic Mythology 8, the Dream of Angus, the Irish god of Love The god of love Angus himself was not immune to the effects of love. One story relates how, every night for a year, he dreamed of a beautiful …
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