Y Mabinogion — the great collection of medieval Welsh tales, preserved in the Red Book of Hergest and the White Book of Rhydderch — is one of the foundational texts of European literature, its stories of Celtic mythology, Arthurian legend, and early medieval Wales predating most comparable narratives in other languages. Reading the Branwen or Manawydan before walking the Conwy valley transforms the landscape into a story. This is Experience #79 of the Snowdonia 100.
The Translation to Read
Sioned Davies's 2007 translation (Oxford World's Classics) is the authoritative modern English version — scholarly, readable, and attentive to the oral storytelling quality of the original Welsh. The introduction provides essential context for the tales' origins, their manuscript tradition, and their relationship to the oral bardic culture from which they emerged. This is the version to buy.
| The Four Branches | Pwyll, Branwen, Manawydan, Math — the core cycle |
| Culhwch and Olwen | The oldest Arthurian tale — extraordinary in its scope |
| The Dream of Macsen Wledig | Roman-British mythology at its most vivid |
| Recommended edition | Sioned Davies (2007), Oxford World's Classics |
Before Visiting the Conwy Valley
The tale of Branwen takes place partly in the Conwy valley and the mountains of Gwynedd. Math son of Mathonwy — whose kingdom is Gwynedd, whose court is at Caer Dathyl — transforms Lleu Llaw Gyffes and Blodeuwedd in landscapes that are recognisably those of Eryri. Reading Math before walking through Gwydyr Forest or crossing the Aberglaslyn gorge gives the landscape a narrative layer that no guidebook can provide.
For a full synopsis of all eleven tales before you buy or borrow a translation, see our complete guide to Y Mabinogion.
Experience #79 of 100 — Language and Culture category.
Independently written — Snowdon.com