The Age of Chivalry

Arthur, the Mabinogion and the Hero Myths of Britain

Thomas Bulfinch

• Publisher: Aeneas Press
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Literature
• eBook ISBN:
  9785486289415
• Subtopic: Classics
• Index: Literature

The Arthurian cycle told straight through — the sword, the Round Table, Tristram, the Grail — followed by the Welsh Mabinogion and the hero myths of the British race. Thomas Bulfinch was a Boston bank clerk who wrote the book that taught English-speaking readers their own legends, and it has never been out of print since 1858. He tells the stories rather than explaining them, which is why they stuck. Thirty-eight paintings from 1775 to 1910 by artists including David Roberts and Edmund Blair Leighton carry the castles, towers and harbours of the legends alongside the text.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Copyright
• Author’s Preface
• King Arthur and His Knights. Chapter I. Introduction
• The Training of a Knight
• Freemen, Villains, Serfs, and Clerks
• Tournaments
• Mail Armor
• Helmets
• Romances
• Metrical Romances
• Chapter II. The Mythical History of England
• Bladud
• Leir
• Ferrex and Porrex
• Dunwallo Molmutius
• Brennus and Belinus,
• Elidure
• Lud
• Cassibellaunus
• Kymbelinus, or Cymbeline
• Armorica
• Chapter III. Merlin
• Caer-Merdin, or Caermarthen (In Wales), Merlin’s Tower, and the Imprisoned Fiends.
• Chapter IV. Arthur
• King Arthur
• Arthur Chosen King
• Guenever
• Chapter V. ARTHUR (Continued)
• King Arthur Slays the Giant of St. Michael’s Mount
• King Arthur Gets a Sword from the Lady of the Lake
• Chapter VI. Sir Gawain
• Sir Gawain’s Marriage
• Chapter VII. Caradoc Briefbras; or, Caradoc with the Shrunken Arm
• “The Boy and the Mantle
• Chapter VIII. Launcelot of the Lake
• Sir Launcelot
• Chapter IX. The Adventure of the Cart
• Chapter X. The Lady of Shalott
• Chapter XI. Queen Guenever’s Peril
• Chapter XII. Tristram and Isoude
• Chapter XIII. TRISTRAM AND ISOUDE (Continued)
• Chapter XIV. Sir Tristram’s Battle with Sir Launcelot
• Sir Tristram as a Sportsman
• Chapter XV. The Round Table
• Chapter XVI. Sir Palamedes
• Chapter XVII. Sir Tristram
• Chapter XVIII. Perceval
• Chapter XIX. The Sangreal, or Holy Graal
• Sir Galahad
• Sir Gawain
• Sir Launcelot
• Sir Perceval
• Sir Bohort
• Sir Galahad
• Chapter XXII. Sir Agrivain’s Treason
• Chapter XXIII. Morte D’arthur
• The Mabinogeon. Introductory Note
• Chapter I. The Britons
• The Welsh Language and Literature
• The Welsh Bards
• The Triads
• Chapter II. The Lady of the Fountain. Kynon’s Adventure
• Owain’s Adventure
• Gawain’s Adventure
• The Adventure of the Lion
• Chapter V. Geraint, the Son of Erbin
• Chapter VI. GERAINT, THE SON OF ERBIN (Continued)
• Chapter VII. GERAINT, THE SON OF ERBIN (Continued)
• Chapter VIII. Pwyll, Prince of Dyved
• Chapter IX. Branwen, the Daughter of Llyr
• Chapter X. Manawyddan
• Chapter XI. Kilwich and Olwen
• Chapter XII. KILWICH AND OLWEN (Continued)
• Chapter XIII. Taliesin
• Hero Myths of the British Race. Beowulf
• Cuchulain, Champion of Ireland
• Hereward the Wake
• Robin Hood
• Glossary
• B
• C
• E
• F
• Fear
• Fortunate Fields
• G
• H
• I
• Isles of the Blessed
• J
• K
• L
• Libyan Oasis
• M
• Midas
• N
• O
• Oderic
• P
• Phocis
• Pole Star
• Pwyll, Prince of Dyved
• Pythian Games. Pythian Oracle
• Q
• R
• Romances
• Rome
• S
• Shalott, the Lady of
• Spring
• Swan, Leda and
• T
• Thessaly
• Thrace
• Trojan War
• Tyrians
• U
• V
• W
• Winds, the. Winter
• Wood Nymphs
• X
• Y
• Year, the
• Z
• About the Author