British Goblins; Welsh Folk-Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends, and Traditions

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

British Goblins; Welsh Folk-Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends, and Traditions

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Wirt Sikes presents a Victorian collection of Welsh folk tales and fairy mythology, preserving Tylwyth Teg stories, local legends, wells, stones, and rural customs. This anthology explores the transition from ancient pagan beliefs to Christian interpretations, offering a poetic yet skeptical look at the enchantment of the Welsh landscape.

Summary up to 500 words

In 'British Goblins; Welsh Folk-Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends, and Traditions,' Wirt Sikes presents a comprehensive compilation of Welsh folklore, arguing that fairy tales are not mere nonsense but enduring relics of ancient mythology. Published in 1880, the work bridges the gap between scientific skepticism and the romantic magic of the past, suggesting that these stories possess a 'good and sufficient reason' for existing. Sikes contends that while modern knowledge displaces old faiths, the fairy legends remain enchanting when viewed through the crucible of science rather than dismissed as rubbish. The text is structured to explore the geography and nature of the Welsh faerie realm. Sikes locates fairy-land primarily in the shadowy North, the Vale of Neath, and the sea-bound islands of Gwerddonau Llion. He identifies Gwyn ap Nudd as the sovereign ruler of the Annwn (the shadow land) and the goblin tribe. A central narrative thread involves the perilous encounters between mortals and the Tylwyth Teg, the fairy queen's kin. Sikes details numerous anecdotes where individuals are lured by phantom music or compelled to dance within fairy rings, only to vanish or age rapidly upon their return to the human world. One harrowing account describes a farmer who, after dancing in a fairy circle, instantly crumbled into dust once released from the spell. Sikes also examines the 'poetico-religious theory' prevalent in Wales, which posits that fairies are the souls of unbaptized Druids or those who died without salvation. These spirits are doomed to an endless cycle of fruitless toil and unsatisfying play until the resurrection. This theory explains why fairies appear more frequently in Wales, a region that lost the light of true religion centuries ago. The book further explores the protective power of piety, recounting the legend of St. Collen, who banished a fairy court with holy water, and notes the historical antipathy fairies held toward dissenting preachers and Methodists. Through these narratives, Sikes captures the childlike belief in these spirits that persisted among the rural Welsh populace for centuries. He illustrates that while educated observers often relegated such beliefs to a distant past, the common folk maintained a vivid, poetic faith in giants, monsters, and enchantment. Ultimately, the work preserves the 'scintillant fragments' of primeval magic, allowing modern readers to shake hands with the Olympian gods of Welsh tradition.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/wirt-sikes_british-goblins.epub

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Categories

• Folklore
• Mythology