Breton mythology

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Breton mythology

The mythology Breton constitutes the foundation of the beliefs of Brittany. peoples celts d'Armorique probably know with their mythology Celtic several specific deities and creatures associated with nature cults, some traces of which can be found in certain Breton saints. This mythological foundation was accepted by the Romans and then clearly Christianized, causing the irremediable loss of the great stories and the destruction or conversion of pagan places of worship.

Breton mythology (texts)

Historia regum Britanniae, Tristan and Iseult

Breton mythology: Historia regum Britanniae

• Context of the Arthurian legend
• The myth of Taliesin
• The life of Saint Cado
• The life of Glidas (in)
• Tristan and Iseult
  • The childhoods of Tristan
  • The Morholt of Ireland 
  • The Quest for the Golden Haired Beauty 
  • The potion 
  • Brangien delivered to the serfs 
  • The big pine 
  • The dwarf Frocin 
  • The vault of the chapel 
  • The Morois forest 
  • Hermit Ogrin 
  • The Adventurous Ford 
  • Judgment by the hot iron 
  • The voice of the nightingale
  • The wonderful bell
  • Iseult aux Blanches Mains
  • Kaherdin
  • Lidan dinas
  • Crazy tristan
  • The death

Marie of France

Here are the texts of Marie de France concerning Breton Mythology:

• Guigemar
• Equitan
• Fraisne
• Bisclavret
• Lanval
• The Dous Amanz
• Yonec
• Laüstic
• Milun
• Chaitivel
• Chievrefueil
• Eliduc 

Chrétien de Troyes and Robert de Boron

Breton mythology and Arthurian myth by Chrétien de Troyes, Robert de Boron and Anonymous

• Erech and Enid explained by Jean-Marie Fritz
  • A spouse
  • Onomastics
  • Madness
  • The role of women
  • Heroism and anti-heroism
  • Geography
  • Detailed explanation of the story
• Cligès or the False Morte
  • Summary in modern French

Méliador by Jean Froissart

Breton mythology, Méliador by Jean Froissart

• Meliador Analysis
• Towards 1 to 30772

Gyron the courteous

Breton mythology by Gyron le courtois

• Romance by Méliadus
• Roman de Guiron
• Guiron Suite

The Canterburry Tales by Geoffroy Chaucer

Breton mythology, Les Contes de Canterburry by Geoffroy Chaucer

• Tale of the knight
• Miller's Tale
• Steward's Tale
• Cook's Tale
• Tale of the Lawyer
• Tale of the sailor
• Tale of the prioress
• Tale about sire topaz
• Tale about mellibée
• Monk's tale
• Tale of the priest of nuns
• Doctor's tale
• Tale of the forgiver
• Tale of the wife of bath
• Brother's tale
• Tale of the sower
• Tale of the cleric
• Tale of the merchant
• Tale of the squire
• Franklin's tale
• Tale of the second nun
• Tale of the canon's servant
• Tale of the manciple
• Tale of the parish priest

Gauvain le neveu d’Arthur

Breton mythology about Gauvain, Arthur's nephew:

• The Perilous Hearth
• Sire Gauvain and the Green Knight (Old English)
• The Lady with the Mule
• The Knight with the Sword
• The Wonders of Rigomer

Various tales of the Arthurian legend

Various Arthurian tales from the Middle Ages and High Middle Ages:

• The Roman de Brut (in)
• The Roman de Rou
• Méraugis of Portlesguez
• The Bel Unknown
• Meliadus de Leonnoys
• Wigalois, the knight at the wheel
• Fergus' novel (nl)
• The death of Arthur
• Blandin de Cornouaille
• The Chevalier au pagegau
• Gliglois
• Hunbaut
• The Book of Caradoc
• Perlesvaus or the High Grail Book
• Roman de Jaufré

The Four Branches of Mabinogi

Breton mythology, the Four Branches of Mabinogi

• Pwyll Prince of Dyvet
• Branwen daughter of Llyr
• Manawyddan, son of Llyr
• Math son of Mathonwy

The Arthurian Mabinogion:

• Macsen's dream
• Lludd and Llevelys
• Kulhwch and Olwen
• Rhonabwy's dream
• Ystoria Tristan

 Breton mythology, the three romances

• Peredur son of Evrawc
• Gereint and Enid
• The lady of the fountain

The Mabinogion or the Four Branches of the Mabinogi (Pedair cainc y mabinogi en Welsh) are four medieval texts (chwedl or cyfarwyddyd, words meaning tales), written in Middle Welsh (a language in use from the 12th century to the 16th century), which refer to Celtic mythology from Antiquity. Traditionally, other tales relating to the legend Arthurian.

The word Mabinogion is the plural of Mabinogi. Various explanations of the meaning of the word have been put forward, but it probably comes from the god Mabon (Maponos in Gaul) which features in the tale Kulhwch and Olwen, and which is part of the same collection. The four stories are titled: Pwyll, Prince of Dyved, The Mabinogi of Branwen, Manawydan son of Llyr and Math son of Mathonwy.

The Mabinogion were elaborated from two manuscripts, the Book White of Rhydderch whose writing spreads out from 1380 to 1410, and the Red Book of Hergest which is dated approximately 1350. Remember that in the Celtic world, poetry was the specialty of the bards. The themes developed are found in the Irish tradition, which attests to their antiquity.

One can cite, by way of example, the relationship between the druid (or magician) and the king, the obligations of Sovereignty, the Other World (the Sidh of the Tuatha Dé Danann, in Ireland), war, the practice of craft functions. It is the illustration of the trifunctional ideology of the Indo-Europeans, as it was exposed by Georges Dumézil. Just like for mythological texts Irish, a Christian veneer is sometimes superimposed on the stories.

In the wave of 19th century Celtomania, a first publication redacted in English was made by Lady Guest between 1838 and 1849, parts of which were translated into French by Théodore Hersart de la Villemarqué, but it was Joseph Loth who established the first complete French edition.

The late writing indicates a long oral tradition, these myths have been transmitted from generation to generation, through the centuries; therefore it is not possible to specify its origin (see the article devoted to the druids).

The Holy Grail Quest

The Arthurian cycle

• Lancelot or the Knight of the Cart
• Yvain or the Lion Knight

The Lancelot-Graal cycle / Lancelot in prose / Vulgate cycle / Pseudo-Map cycle

• History of the Holy Grail
• The Story of Merlin the Enchanter 
• Lancelot's childhood
• The Loves of Lancelot du Lac
• Galehaut, Lord of the Distant Islands
• The Knight with the Cart
• The adventurous castle
• The Holy Grail
• The Death of Artus

Little Grail Cycle / Trilogy by Robert de Boron

• Joseph of Arimathea
• Merlin
• Perceval

Bardic stories

• The Gododdin
• The myth of Taliesin
  • Taliesin's First Address
  • The Elegy of the Thousand Sons
  • The Fold of the Bards
  • The Pleasant Things of Taliesin
  • O God, God of Formation
  • The Great Prophesy of Britain
  • The Hostile Confederacy
  • The Battle of the Trees
  • The Childhood Achievements of Taliesin
  • Daronwy
  • Song on Lleenawg
  • The Praise of Taliesin
  • The Chair of Taliesin
  • Song Before the Sons of Llyr
  • The Chair of the Sovereign
  • The Chair of Cerridwen
  • The Song of the Wind
  • A Rumor has Come to Me
  • The Song to Meed
  • The Song to Ale
  • In Praise of Tenby
  • The Plagues of Egypt
  • The Satire on Cynan Garwyn
  • The Rod of Moses
  • Song of the Horses
  • The Contrived World
  • On the Face of the Earth
  • Alexander the Great
  • God the Possessor
  • The Spoils of Annwn, or, The Raid on Annwfn
  • The Battle of Gwenystrad
  • A Song for Urien Rheged
  • The Battle of Argoed Llwyfain, song to Urien
  • A Song for Urien Rheged
  • The Spoils of Taliesin, a Song to Urien
  • Song on Gwallawg ab Lleenawg
  • The Satisfaction of Urien
  • The Death-song of Erof
  • The Death-song of Madawg
  • The Death-song of Cu-Roi son of Daire
  • The Death-song of Dylan son of the Wave
  • The Death-song of Owain son of Urien
  • The Death-song of Aeddon
  • The Death-song of Cunedda
  • The Lesser Prophesy of Britain
  • The Death-song of Uthyr Pendragon
  • A Bright Festivity
  • May God exalt
  • The Eternal Trinity
  • The Praise of Lludd the Greater
  • Truly there will be to me a Roman friend
  • The Reconciliation of Lludd the Lesser
  • The Song of the Great World
  • The Song of the Little World
  • Darogan Katwaladr
• Canu Llywarch Hen
• Canu Heledd

Ys

Breton mythology, the legend of the city of Ys

• Life of King Grallons
• Dahut and the city of Is
• The Submersion of the city of Ys
• The Belles-de-nuit
• Saint-Guénolé
• Sunset Paradise
• The Marie-Morgane

Christian legends of Brittany

The Good Lord, Jesus Christ and the apostles traveling in Lower Brittany

• I. The old woman's cow
• II. The good Lord, Saint Peter and Saint John
• III. The good Lord, the clog maker and the miserly woman
• IV. Saint Peter's Cow
• V. The bread of Saint Peter
• VI. The old woman who wanted to act like the good Lord
• VII. The bride of Saint Peter
• VIII. Porpant
• IX. Saint philippe
• X. Janning, or the three wishes
• XI. The son of saint peter

The Good Lord, the Blessed Virgin and the Devil traveling in Lower Brittany

• I. Saint Eloi and Jesus Christ
• II. For working on Christmas day
• III. The three sons or the feast of Saint Joseph
• IV. The good Lord and the Blessed Virgin godfather and godmother (first version)
• V. The devil and the Blessed Virgin godfather and godmother (second version)
• VI. Jesus Christ and the good thief
• VII. A short prayer
• VIII. The carefree boy or the virtue of a good-hearted prayer
• IX. The three brothers who could not agree on the succession of their father

Heaven and Hell

• I. The devil's son
• II. The child doomed to the devil and the robber who turns into a hermit
• III. The robber and his brother the hermit
• IV. The robber saved before the hermit
• V. The hermit and the old brigand
• VI. The brigand and his godson
• VII. The little shepherd who went to take a letter to paradise (first version)
• VIII. The one who went to take a letter to paradise (second version)
• IX, He who redeemed his father and mother from hell
• X. The Marquis de Tromelin, who sold his son to the devil and went to hell to withdraw the title from the sale
• XI. Pope Innocent

Death on the Journey

• I. Sans-Souci or the farrier and Death
• II. The righteous man
• III. The Ankou and his friend

Hermits, monks, robbers, saints.

• I. The hermit traveling with a stranger
• II. The hermit and the shepherdess
• III. The brother, sister and their son the Pope of Rome
• IV. The two monks and the two women
• V. The Dirty Daughter Who Went To Heaven
• VI. Spiritual canticle on the admirable charity shown by Saint Corentin
• VII. The miracle of the three drops of blood 59
• VIII. Saint Touina
• IX. Saint Deodié
• X. The hermit Jean Guérin

Devils, ghosts and damned.

• I. The London Bridge three times bigger than the grace of God
• II. The shadow of the hanged man
• III. The damned soul
• IV. The evil lawyer carried away by the devil
• V. The two sisters who hated each other
• VI. Damned, though devout
• VII. The spoiled child
• VIII. Carried away by the devil
• IX. The holy vicar and the devil
• X. The two wicked sisters
• XI. Fantic Loho, or the shroud of the dead
• XII. Whatever company we follow, we always have our share
• XIII. Teuz ar Pouliet

Various stories.

• I. The ungrateful son
• II. The bread turned into a skull
• III. The loaf of bread
• IV. It is good to be charitable to the poor
• V. The woman who did not want to have children
• VI. Marie Petit-Coeur
• VII. The good little maid
• VIII. Destiny
• IX. François Kergargal and François Kergros
• X. The card game used as a Mass book
• XI. The good woman and the bad woman
• XII. The little white lamb
• XIII. The two brothers and their sister
• XIV. The blue Bird
• XV. The soldier who delivered a princess from hell

Captions by Elsie Masson

Breton mythology by Elsie Masson:

• The Castle of Comorre
• The Basin of Gold and The Diamond Lance
• Lady Yolanda's Thimble
• The Witch of Lok Island
• Little White-Thorn and the Talking Bird
• Princess Ahez and the Lost City
• The Changeling
• The Foster Brother
• The Hunchback and the Elves
• The Four Gifts
• The Magic Rocks and the Beggar
• The Country Bumpkin and the Hobgoblin
• The Wasp, the Winged Needle and the Spider
• Yannik, the Fairy Child
• The Hazel Scepter

Legends by Emile Souvestre

Breton mythology by Emile Souvestre

• The Three Wayfarers
• The Legend of St. Galonnek
• The Korils of Plauden
• The Blessed Mao
• The Fate of Keris
• The Stones of Plouhinec
• Teuz-à-Pouliet; gold, the Dwarf
• The Specter Laundresses
• Robin redbreast
• Comorra
• The Groac'h of the Isle of Lok
• The Four Gifts
• The Palace of the proud King
• The piper
• The White Inn
• Peronnik the Idiot

Various legends of Brittany

• The Prophecy of Gwenc'Hlan
• The Petrified of Brehat
• Cat's Gold
• The Fountain of Barenton
• Ankou

Popular tales by François-Marie Luzel

Breton mythology by François-Marie Luzel:

• I. - JOURNEYS TO THE SUN
  • I. The Girl Who Married to a Dead
  • II. The Woman of Death
  • III. Turkish Prince Frimelgus
  • IV. The Crystal Castle
  • V. The Princess of Tronkolaine
  • VI. The Three Hairs of the Devil's Golden Beard
  • VII. Trégont-à-Baris
  • VIII. Thorn flower, etc

• II. - SEARCH FOR THE PRINCESS WITH GOLDEN HAIR
  • I. N'oun-Doaré
  • II. The Fourteen Mares and the Horse of the World
  • III. The Blond Princess
  • IV. Princess of the Shining Star
  • V. Princess Troïol
  • VI. The Magician Ferragio
  • VII. The Princess of the Enchanted Palace

• III. - MYTH OF PSYCHE
  • I. The Wild Sow
  • II. The Man-Poulain
  • III. The Gray Wolf
  • IV. The Gray Wolf's Wife
  • V. L'Homme-Marmite
  • VI. The Toad Man

• IV. - THE FAITHFUL SERVANT
  • I. King Dalmar
  • II. The King of Portugal
  • III. Iouenn Kermènou (the man of his word)

• V. - BODY-WITHOUT-SOUL
  • The Soulless Body

• VI. - THE MAGICIAN AND HIS SERVANT
  • I. The Rusty Saber
  • II. The Magician Marcou-Braz
  • III. The Two Golden Frogs
  • IV. Peronic
  • V. Ewenn Congar
  • VI. The Life of Doctor Coathalec

• VII. - THE THREE BROTHERS
  • I. The Hunchback and his two Brothers
  • II. The Princess transformed into a mouse
  • III. The Price of the Beautiful Apples
  • IV. The Three Sons of the Widow or the Guardians of Partridge
  • V. Princess Marcassa
  • VI. The Three Brothers or the Cat, the Rooster and the Ladder
  • VII. The Princess of Hungary
  • VIII. The Parrot Sorcerer

• VIII. - FABULOUS CHARACTERS AND ANIMALS AND APOCRYPHS
  • I. The Two Hunchbacks and the Dwarves
  • II. The Morgans of the island of Ouessant
  • III. Robardic the Shepherd
  • IV. The Murlu or the wild man
  • V. Captain Lixur or the Satyr
  • VI. The Girl Who Was Born With A Snake Around Her Neck
  • VII. Pipi Menou and the Flying Women
  • VIII. Barbauvert or the Prince who lost his head at the game
  • IX. Children of the Cross-Ruduno
  • X. The Mermaid and the Hawk
  • XI. Bihanic and the Ogre

• IX. - TALES IN TALISMANS
  • I. Crampouès or the Talismans
  • II. The Plowman, the Priest and the Cleric
  • III. The Little Bird with the Golden Egg
  • IV. The Tailor and the Hurricane
  • V. The Iron Man

• X. - STEAMS AND WITCHES
  • I. The Night Dancers and the Woman transformed into Cane
  • II. The Night Dancers (2nd version)
  • III. The Cat and the Two Witches
  • IV. The black Cat
  • V. The Nine Brothers Metamorphosed into Sheep

• XI. - MISCELLANEOUS TALES
  • I. The Silver Hare
  • II. The Enchanted Princess
  • III. January and February, or the Red Skin Ribbon
  • IV. Winter and the Wren
  • V. The Daughter of the King of Spain (Donkey Skin)
  • VI. The Princess of Tréguier
  • VII. The Three Baker's Daughters
  • VIII. The Companions who overcome everything
  • IX. The Six Lazy Brothers
  • X. Petit-Jean and the Princess Devineresse
  • XI. The Savvy Thief
  • XII. Abbot Sans-Souci

• XII. - FACESIOUS TALES
  • I. Jean and Jeanne
  • II. Pierre-le-Niais
  • III. Peg-Azé (Glue-there)
  • IV. The Miller and his Lord
  • V. The Little Monk and the Grand Monk
  • VI. Guyon-l'Avisé
  • VII. The Silver Goat
  • VIII. The Shepherd who had the King's Daughter for just one word

The evenings of François-Marie Luzel

Breton mythology by François-Marie Luzel:

• FIRST EVE
  • Revenant story: The Dead confessor
  • Tale: The Blond Princess
  • Popular song: The Little Minor of Traon-al-Lann,

• SECOND EVE
  • Conversation on ghosts, at the Coat-Tugdual manor
  • The ghosts of Kercabin castle,
  • The Horse of Margeot
  • The Maid of the White Room
  • Song
  • Farmer Marc's Adventure
  • Fancho's Vision
  • Paotrik he skod tan
  • The Ossuary of the Ursuline convent, in Morlaix
  • Pipi Ar Morvan and the Elves of Rune-Riou
  • a Sone

• THIRD EVE
  • Pipi Ar Morvan and the Devil
  • Vision of the rector of Plouaret
  • Tale: The Fisherman who sold his soul to the Devil
  • Body without soul
  • The black Cat
  • the Gwerz of Katel Gollet
  • Sone : Marie Ar Moal,

• FOURTH EVE
  • Story: Petit-Louis, son of a Charbonnier and godson of the King of France
  • The old spirit of leniency towards animals is lost
  • The Princess with Golden Hair
  • The Vision of Soëzik Jaguin
  • Kéradec's Vision
  • The Devil of Guernaham
  • Sone. Farewell to Youth
  • the Gwerz of the Lead Tower
  • Public vision, etc.

• FIFTH EVE
  • Tale: Les Finesses de Bilz
  • The tale of Cochenard and Turquin
  • London Bridge
  • Gwerz. The Toad in the Milk Jug
  • Song: The Vigil

Books on Celtic Mythology

Comics / Illustrated:

• Contes integrales – My most beautiful legends of the Middle Ages
• Medieval legends: Arthur – Perceval – Tristan & Iseult – Mélusine
• Celtic Stories – Legends and Wonderful Tales from Ireland, Scotland, Britain and Wales
• The legend of King Arthur illustrated
• Tales and legends of Ireland

In French :

• Keltoi – Legends of the Early Celts
• The mythology of the Celtic world
• Tales and legends of the Celtic countries
• Celtic Myths: The White Goddess
• On the road to the most beautiful Celtic legends
• The Legend of King Arthur – Complete Version
• The Four Branches of the "Mabinogi" and other medieval Welsh tales
• The Legend of the City of Ys: (from old texts)
• Four Scottish Folk Tales: Four Scottish Folk Tales
• The Gauls: Myths and Legends
• Tales and legends of Ireland
• The Irish Mythological Cycle and Celtic Mythology

Only in English:

• celtic fairy tales
• Cornish Folk Tales
• An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Castle Legends
• Welsh Legends and Myths
• Exploring the Magic of Welsh Legend & Lore
• The Folk-Lore of the Isle of Man
• The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends
• The Lost Tomb of King Arthur
• Celtic Mythology: Dive Into The Depths Of Ancient Celtic Folklore
• Irish Folk and Fairy Tales
• Celtic Mythology: A Concise Guide to the Gods, Sagas and Beliefs
• Ireland's Immortals: A History of the Gods of Irish Myth
• Scottish Myths & Legends
• The Book of Celtic Myths