Celts and Cymry

[Jalilah]

This thread is for the original tale winner of our September 15-November 14 Fae themed group read, Celts and Cymry iwhich can be found in The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves and Other Little People by Thomas Keightley!

[Melanti]

The above title is the most recent edition's title. If you're going for paper, look for that title.

If you're reading on an ereader, look for the original title: The Fairy Mythology Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries

It's out of copyright, so check your favorite e-book store. It's free most places.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/...
http://www.m.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41006
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

[Monica]

I hope to get to this one soon. Did we decide to read the entire section titled "Celts and Cymry"? (About 70 pages.)

[Margaret]

That's what I nominated (the 70 pages).

I may start today or tomorrow.

[Monica]

Thanks, Margaret. The first portion was more of "summarizing tales", but then I got into the story of "Clever Tom and the Leprechaun". Now that's an "original tale"...written in the 'old language'...delightful:

"Tom was jist turned o' nine-an'-twinty, whin he met wid the follyin' advinthur, an' he was as cliver, clane, tight, good-lukin' a boy as any in the whole county Kildare..."

[Monica]

Finished the sections "Ireland" and "Scottish Highlands". Ireland stories were more about leprechauns, although enjoyable. The Scottish Highlands went to the Fae (Fairy, Brownie, Changling, Urisk). Next up..."Isle of Man".

This is a very good book, Margaret...great nomination! At some point I will read the entire book.

[Jalilah]

Monica wrote: "Finished the sections "Ireland" and "Scottish Highlands". Ireland stories were more about leprechauns, although enjoyable. The Scottish Highlands went to the Fae (Fairy, Brownie, Changling, Urisk)...."

Good to know! I am looking forward to it!

[Margaret]

I'm glad it's good!

I thought I would begin and finish this week, but I did not anticipate the amount of extra work I'm having to do before going on a family vacation this weekend (through next week). Alas, it will be after October 16th before I can start. But I'm looking forward to it!

[Monica]

Finished the "Isle of Man" section. Some interesting stories and a couple of odd ones; "The Fairy Christening", "The Phynnodderee" and "The Fairy-Whipping" .

Two sections left to read: "Wales" and "Brittany".

[Monica]

Finished! Interesting to see the subtle (and some not so subtle) variations in how the sub cultures among the Celts and Cymry view the Fae. A worthwhile read.

[Margaret]

Finished the Ireland and Scotland sections. Like you Monica, I'm glad it moved away from summarizing stories (in the intro to Ireland) into the actual stories.

I didn't know that fairies lived in moats!

I'm quite enjoying the stories. I like the little bits of humor. The changeling tale is a bit disturbing, but then, most changeling tales are! How many fussy babies have been 'put to the test'? As I always do, I loved the selkie tale. And I'd never actually read any leprechaun tales before. Slippery little guys!

[Monica]

I really enjoyed the variety. Some of the stories I'd read before in one version or another, but many were new to me. These stories hold up quite well throughout history.

[Margaret]

I'd read a couple, but I enjoy rereading fairy tales.

[Margaret]

The Isle of Man tales sure do show how capricious and cruel fairies can be.

The welsh tale the spirit of the van reminds me of the king of elfland's daughter, how the fairy bride reacted opposite to the human norm, laughed at funerals, and never could fit in.

[Monica]

The Fairy Whipping tale was odd. Interesting how some areas view the fairies as mischievous and others are cruel; some ride "wee" horses ad others have normal sized mounts.

[Margaret]

Finished! Great collection. Maybe we'll be able to read more as a group read at some point.

I'd read several of the Brittany tales, or variations of them.

[Jalilah]

I regret I won't have the time to read most of these tales this time around! My copy is an inter-library loan due tomorrow with no possibilities of renewal.
I had other books to read, but it did not help that the print was tiny. I normally don't need reading glasses, but reading this small print was not fun.
I did have a look around. It was interesting to learn that there is a theory that the word fairy might be derived from the Persian word Peri. I knew about Persian Peris and always wondered about the connection.

[Monica]

At least it's available as an ebook in the public domain if you ever needed to reference it. Some very interesting tidbits...such as the Peri connection. It was interesting for me to compare the likenesses and differences in the stories between cultures. Like Margret said, at some point it would be fun to read another section of the book as one of our group themes.

[Jalilah]

Monica wrote: "At least it's available as an ebook in the public domain if you ever needed to reference it. Some very interesting tidbits...such as the Peri connection. It was interesting for me to compare the li..."

That's good to know even though I don't have a kindle. I also found it interesting to compare cultures.

[Margaret]

One of the tales I recognized from Beauty and the Beast Tales from Around the World, except it was an Indian tale. It was the first part that was similar--a prince that can turn into a bird, and visits an unhappy sultan's wife and keeps her happy in bed. And then the sultan finds out. The premise is the same, but I believe the endings are different. I've forgotten the ending on the India version, though!

I always enjoy finding cross-cultural stories.

[Jalilah]

Some of the tales in the Celts Cymry section seemed familiar. I think I might have read them in Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry and some of the the Persian tales in Persian Folk and Fairy Tales