Rhiannon help

[louielouie2000]

I was wondering if anyone knows a good book on the legend of Rhiannon. I was trying to relay the story to my best friend Chrystal today, and realized I'd forgotten a good deal of the story . Or perhaps you guys can give me the Readers Digest version? -Louie

[DownOnRodeo]

I've only ever heard about it in drips and drabs. Girl flies around putting people to peaceful sleep - birds fly out of her hair - I'm not quite certain on the details!
All I can suggest is the novel The Triad which originally inspired Stevie's song/s.

[Bella Figura]

There's a cool little pop-psychology new age girlie books which uses the entire Legend of Rhiannon and interweaves other Celtic heroines and their myths to draw life parallels.

It's called The Silver Wheel by Marguerite Elsbeth and Kenneth Johnson.

[RavenOfRhiannon]

You can usually find The Mabinogian (sp) if you look around. It is sometimes referenced in books on Celtic Mythology.

Also, 'The Song of Rhiannon' by Evangeline Walden. It is out of print, but can be found in used bookstores and online...

Randy

[myndpeace]

Sometimes I wonder if I'm a Stevie fan because I'm a Pagan mythology fan, or if it's the other way around. Anyways, Rhiannon was a goddess in Welsh culture, and oral stories about her originate perhaps from around 700-1000 AD. The earliest known written story of Rhiannon is found in the White Book, a 14th century manuscript. It was translated in the 1800s by Lady Charlotte Guest. Due to her, it is commonly, although erroneously, known as the Mabinogion.

The Guest translation can be found at http://camelot.celtic-twilight.com/mabinogion/. The first four stories form a sequence and Rhiannon appears in them. However, this translation was written in the Victorian era of British literature, and so certain details (yeah you know what I'm talking about) were removed. More complete translations exist.

The text itself is somewhat of a difficult read, due to the vast cultural differences which separate us from the ancient Welsh, as well as the fact that the stories contain a great deal of esoteric symbolism which is all but lost on the modern reader. There are also modern authors' interpretations of the work, which are more accessible but less historically accurate.

Given that Stevie knew nothing of the legend when she wrote the song, there are lots of parallels between the two. The birds, which bring merriment and tranquility, have been mentioned. The line "Rhiannon, you cry, but then she's gone, and your life knows no answers" speaks of Pwyll's (Rhiannon's lover) first meeting with her and had for three nights tried to follow her in vain until he simply called out to her and she came. Also of note is the line "Would you stay if she promised you heaven/ would you ever win" reflects the nature of promises and obligations, a strong theme in the first story.