Fairies and Fantasy in Wales - Short Stories from the Mythical Past to the Modern Day (Fantasy and Horror Classics)

Various

• Publisher: Fantasy and Horror Classics
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781447406365
• eBook ISBN: 9781473390386

Step into the land of the Tylwyth Teg (The Fair Folk) and the shadows of Arthurian legend.

This expansive volume is a literary journey through the rich, mystical heart of Wales, where mythic history and folklore breathe life into terrifying and fantastic short stories. Spanning centuries, from ancient chronicles to early modern fiction, this collection showcases the enduring power of Welsh legend.

Prepare to encounter powerful magic, restless spirits, and the true, often frightening nature of the Fairy Kingdom:

• Merlin and the Magicians by Geoffrey of Monmouth: Selections from the foundational text of Arthurian legend, where the enigmatic wizard Merlin shapes the destiny of Britain through prophecy and powerful sorcery.

• The Fairy People by Giraldus Cambrensis: A direct look into 12th-century Welsh folklore, offering an early, chilling account of encounters with the Tylwyth Teg the often-dangerous Fairy People.

• Lludd and Llevelys by Anon: A classic of Welsh myth from the Mabinogion, this tale recounts a king's efforts to free Britain from three terrible plagues using wisdom and powerful magic.

• The Living Dead Man by Walter Map: A fascinating medieval account that blurs the lines between life, death, and the supernatural, reflecting the earliest European horror traditions.

• Arthur and Gorlagon by George Lyman Kittredge: A crucial piece of Arthurian scholarship and folklore, focusing on King Arthur's venture into the savage realm of the werewolf.

From Myth to Modern Fantasy:

• Out of the Earth by Arthur Machen: A master of cosmic horror, Machen (a native of Wales) delivers a disturbing tale that suggests the existence of ancient, malignant entities dwelling just beneath the surface of the modern world.

• The Chronic Argonauts by H. G. Wells: An early science-fiction gem. Before his major novels, Wells's short work explores the shocking possibilities of time travel, suggesting that the laws of nature itself can be bent by science and will.

This collection is a complete primer on the Welsh imagination, moving from the medieval origins of fantasy to the birth of modern horror and science fiction. It is essential reading for those who believe the magic of legend still echoes in the hills.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Out of the Earth
• The Living Dead Man
• Arthur and Gorlagon
• The Fairy People
• The Chronic Argonauts
• Merlin and the Magicians
• Lludd and Llevelys