Celtic Myths & Legends

Myths & Legends

by Philip Ardagh, G. Barton Chapple (Illustrator)

Retells traditional Celtic myths about heroes, giants, warrior kings and queens, and the Little People. Includes a who's who of key figures in Celtic mythology and an explanation of how these stories have survived

Genres: Mythology, Childrens

48 pages, Library Binding

Published March 1, 1999

About the author

Over six-and-a-half feet tall, with a bushy beard, Philip Ardagh is not only very big but also very hairy. He is the author of the Eddie Dickens Trilogy and when not writing silly books, Mr. Ardagh is quite serious and frowns a great deal. He lives in a seaside town somewhere in England with his wife and their son, Fred.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of eight titles in Philip Ardagh's World Book Myths & Legends Series, this collection of Celtic tales is taken from the Welsh, Irish and Scots tradition. With seven selections, extensive suggestions for further reading at the rear, as well as a mythological "Who's Who," a glossary, and an inclusive index - all fit into a brief 64 pages - this is less of an introduction to the subject matter, than a brief sampling of the available tales.

The stories begin with the Welsh Llew Llaw Gyffes - The Bright One, in which the cunning Gwydion continuously tricks unwilling mother Arionrod into providing for their son. Next are two Irish tales: Lug - The Master of Masters, which relates the adventures of the immortal High King who led the Tuatha Dé Danann in their fight against the Fomori; and Deirdre - A Life of Sorrow, in which the doomed loved of Deirdre and Naoise - and King Conchobar's reaction to it - brings about the downfall of Ireland. Two Arthurian tales follow: the classic Arthur and the Sword in the Stone, in which Arthur's destiny as king is revealed; and The Death of King Arthur, which sees the fall of Camelot. The selections conclude with another Irish tale, Cuchulain - Hound of Culan, and a story from the Western Isles of Scotland, The Changeling of Green Knoll.

I hesitated, in rating this entry in the series, as I'm not sure it was really appealing enough to warrant three stars. On the other hand, it was not unappealing, so I decided to err on the side of generosity. Like Ardagh's Ancient Greek Myths & Legends , there are far superior works out there on the subject. Still, young readers looking at this entire series might want to take a look at this one.

[Stéphanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

yeasshhh... reading this lovely childrens book. a few pages every night. it will probably give me better dreams than a book filled with sex or murder.

[Mafalda · Rating 3 out of 5]

As ilustrações deste livro são belíssimas, mas quanto às lendas, estas são contadas de forma tão resumida e numa ordem tal, que é difícil envolver os leitores (pequenos ou graúdos) no fantástico mundo do folclore celta.

Contos incluídos:
- Llew Llaw Gyffes, "O Brilhante" - mito gaulês que conta como este herói ganhou o seu nome e como o seu pai enganou constantemente a sua mãe para conseguir levar a sua avante.
- Lug - O Mestre dos Mestres - conta como Lug conseguiu esse seu título e como se tornou rei dos irlandeses.
- Deirdre - Uma Vida Triste - mito irlandês sobre a trágica vida de Deirdre e sobre como ela levou a Irlanda à ruína.
- Artur e a Espada na Pedra - a famosa história de como um "simples" rapaz retirou a mística espada da pedra onde se encontrava cravada, e se tornou rei dos Bretões.
- A Morte do Rei Artur - conta a história da traição e da queda do lendário Rei Artur.
- Cuchulain - O Cão de Culan - conta como este guerreiro irlandês ganhou este novo nome e relata-nos algumas das suas aventuras.
- O Filho Trocado do Outeiro Verde - este mito celta é o único deste livro que fala sobre o Povo Pequeno, os duendes e gnomos, e das suas maldades. Conta-nos a história de um filho de um ferreiro que foi trocado e escondido no lar dos pequenos diabretes.

[Hannah Cobb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series provides a good reference tool for instructors, but little illustration and not enough expansion of the stories to draw in young readers.