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. My pages on this site, the ‘Stories’, are friendly introductions, but these are retellings, not the full detailed originals.
FREE VIDEO
The Mabinogi tales have been put on stage a number of times very successfully. These two videos give most of the whole Mabinogi. It’s splendidly staged outdoors at Caernarfon Castle, with Rhiannon arriving on a powerful pale-white horse, and several dance sequences. Songs and music are by Robin Williamson (Incredible String Band). At the time he was reviving the mediaeval Welsh harp. Online, free.
KingtonSteve. 1984. ‘The Mabinogi” Part One‘, First Branch, performed by ‘Moving Being’ theatre company. Also transcript.
KingtonSteve. 1984. “The Mabinogi” Part Two‘, Second & Third Branch, performed by ‘Moving Being’ theatre company. Also transcript.
RECORDING
You can listen to Colin Jones read .the classic Guest translation Bandcamp £9.95 or 99p amazon kindle.
Charlotte Guest, read by Colin Jones. 2017. ‘Mabinogion, the Four Branches: The Ancient Celtic Epic’. (Bandcamp)
Tou can READ – FREE TRANSLATIONS IN ENGLISH by respected scholars.
My first, top recommend is always John K. Bollard’s beautiful version which has Anthony Griffith’s photography of the actual places where Mabinogi events take place in Wales. Bollard gives an excellent ‘Introduction’, Maps, helpful little notes on the edge of the pages, and lots of other useful stuff. The stories themselves are accurately translated, lively and flowing.
John K. Bollard ed. trans. 2006. Legend and Landscape of Wales: The Mabinogi (Gomer) DOWNLOAD PDF
Will Parker generously posted a FREE fully online, modern translation in 2002 on his Mabinogi.net
This is especially useful for quick checking, scrolling about looking for particular things, and for its accuracy. Parker also has articles about Mabinogi characters and mythology.
Another popular version is Sioned Davies‘ translation. Handy small sized book with basic ‘Introduction’ and brief summary notes. Clear, conversational style follows Davies’ research into oral storytelling. Amazon kindle £4.72 Paperback £8.40
Sioned Davies’ translation 2007, The Mabinogion (OUP)
It was Charlotte Guest who published and translated the complete Mabinogi, mid 19thC. Her romantic version continues very popular today and was the first version to go online 1999. Extensive Notes. Victorian illustrations by Samuel Williams, foremost engraver of the day.
Charlotte Guest. ed. trans. 1838–45. The Mabinogion: from the Llyfr Coch o Hergest and Other Ancient Welsh Manuscripts; with an English Translation and Notes (Wales: Tonn Prress & London: Longman). Available on many sites but this one also has her Notes and the illustrations.
Updated April 2025 from Jan 2015 original.
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