Some might like a video to bring the tales alive, others would want to read either in a book or on a website. Yet others prefer to close the eyes and listen. Or perhaps it depends on your mood.
Videos by Cyb the chuckling monk offer one of the gentlest and most fun introductions.
The FREE sample videos have the story for listening, with beautifully chosen photos, artwork, and music. Though beautiful this is not a complete set of the Four Branches, nor is it a close telling from the original. But lots of fun.
www.valleystream.co.uk/products.htm
Listen to readings by Colin Jones.
The complete First Branch is FREE on the website with an atmospheric musical background. Or there is the complete set of the Four Branches £17.95 download/DVD This is the classic Guest translation.
http://themabinogion.com/album/mabinogion-the-four-branches
If you only want to buy one book you have a choice of two recent classics.
Sioned Davies 2007 translation “The Mabinogion.” A handy small sized book with useful notes, and a clear, friendly style. Stay with the Four Branches for a bit as this book has all the other stories too.
John Bollard 2006 translation “Legend and Landscape of Wales: The Mabinogi.” A gorgeous book packed with magical photographs of the actual sites where the events happened by Anthony Griffiths.
(Will probably cost a bit more than Sioned Davies because of the photos but not enormously.)
For FREE online reading go to Will Parker’s generous website. www.mabinogi.net/translations.htm
If you prefer to read on paper you can copy and paste the four (longish) pages.
Lots of useful potesif you want to explore further, and based on reputable sources. Will Parker also has lots of thoughtful articles as intermediate studies.
For an easy and pleasant way to browse the characters besides the pages of this site, try Mary Jones website.
www.maryjones.us/jce/jce_index.html Be warned, you get lost in a lovely way.
The pioneering publisher and translator who made the Mabinogi available to us in the modern world, was Charlotte Guest. Check out her extraordinary life here, and pay a courtesy visit to her book which is freely available online.
www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/index.htm Lovely Victorian illustrations.
