Y Chwedlau a'r Rhamantau — The Tales and Romances

This list of titles and translations begin with the tales and Romances contained within two volumes Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch housed within the Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru the digital version of which can be found here and the Llyfr Coch Hergest which is currently housed in the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford and the (incomplete) digital image of this can be found here. The Llyfr Gwyn is the elder copy and ante-dates the Llyfr Coch possibly by as much as half a century (circa 1320). They are both copies from an older manuscript, some of which may survive only as fragments (Notably Peniarth 6 MSS). Though the Llyfr Coch contains the story of Breuddwyd Rhonabwy which is not in the extant version of the Llyfr Gwyn (and therefore excluded from the collection of tales known as the Mabinogion [the tales of youth]) it is included here. Being the elder manuscript I have given the Llyfr Gwyn precedence for the diplomatic versions given below, though portions of the Llyfr Coch are used to complete gaps. The text (in the middle Cymric) is an admixture of the two sources, using one to correct discrepancies or omissions in the other. The final text is represented as faithfully to the original as HTML and UTF8 encoding allow.

However, I have designed my own font Mabinogi Celtic for this, as no current font contains all of the characters necessary to typeset early Cymric manuscripts. To enjoy the full effects of the original manuscirpt I suggest that you follow the link to the Mabinogi Celtic page where you can download the font. I also present my own translations of these manuscripts both into Modern Cymric and into English. Though such a work would not be possible without the preceding works of J Gwenogvryn Evans and Ifor Williams, and the available digital images of the original manuscripts, all errors and mis-interpretatios are my own; after all translation is a matter of subjectivity. Translation also takes time and the remaining documents will be added as and when they are completed. In all cases my own additions to the manuscript (either in terms of clarity or to fill-in something that the scribe has obviously missed or forgotten) are enclosed in square brackets [ ].

If you simply want to access the texts and translations of the mabinogion they can be found here [remember to downlaod and install the Mabinogi Celtic font before viewing the original Cymraeg Canol {middle Cymric} text otherwise the special characters will not display]:

Each of the books of Old and Middle Cymric have their own page detailing the manuscript's origins and history as well as a table of its contents:

First come those titles known as 'The Four Ancient Books of Wales:
Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch
Llyfr Coch Hergest
Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin
Llyfr Taliesin

Other collections:
Cronicl Y Wech Oesoedd Llyfr Aneirin
Llawysgrif Hendregadredd
Llyfr Colan
Llyfr Coch Llandysul
Peniarth MS 16
Peniarth MS 20 (Including Brut y Tywysogion (The Chronicle of the Princes)
Llawysgrif Hendregadredd