Celtic Myths and Legends Author:Charles Squire There were Celtic myths long before there were legends of the illustrious Greek and Roman gods. These myths were born in the ancient rituals of the British Isles, a richly storied tapestry of heroes and giants, leprechauns and gnomes, warlocks and magicians, kings and princesses. — This exquisite collection is a wonderful introduction to the worl... more »d of Irish and Gaelic myth and legend. Here, meticulously and provocatively, Charles Squire, a well-known author and scholar, uncovers the original stories that have been embedded for centuries in a labyrinth of folklore, history, and story-telling. He presents many of the intriguing tales that later gave rise to pageantry, romance, and high drama.
Here are the original exploits of King Arthur of Camelot, including a cast of such legendary characters as his queen, Guinevere, Merlin the magician, Sir Lancelot, and the heroic Knights of the Round Table. Even the Knights' search for the Holy Grail is drawn from the Celtic Arthur's quest into Hades for a magic cauldron of inspiration, poetry, and fertility.
Celtic Myths and Legends also reveals the age-old secrets and literary magic of the lesser-known heroes, gods and mortals of Irish myth, including the charismatic Lugh -- carpenter, warrior, harpist, poet, sorcerer, physician, and even inventive chess player -- who so impressed the reigning gods that they offered him the throne; the sons of Tuiren, whose epic seven-year journey to avenge a murder foreshadowed the adventures of Ulysses; the beautiful maiden Emer and the heroic warrior Cuchulainn, whose passionate love inspired the chivalrous romances of medieval Europe; and the vulnerable King Lear and his daughter Cordelia, whose powerful bond was recreated in one of Shakespeare's greatest plays.
Just as the physical remains of Celtic legend still stand in such places as the Druids' Stonehenge, so, too, do these early myths of Irish and Gaelic gods and heroes still live in modern literature. As Charles Squire writes, "In the West of England, in Wales, Scotland, and especially in legend-haunted Ireland, the hills and dales still keep memories of the ancient gods of the ancient race." And in this beautifully written Celtic Myths and Legends, these memories are preserved, as well as celebrated, for all time.« less