#WyrdWednesday The great bard Taliesin was born from a magical grain of corn, consumed by an enchanted chicken! According to the legend, a young boy, Gwion Bach, accidentally stole the power of poetic inspiration from the sorceress Cerridwen. 1/5

#fairytaletuesday I've shared many images of Blodeuwedd, the enchanted woman crafted from flowers, over the past couple years. This one, by Welsh artist Aled Thompson, is my favourite yet. 1/6

#MythologyMonday The 'Crowning of the Bard' is one of the two most important events each year at the Welsh National Eisteddfod. A new bardic crown is crafted for each event, and awarded for the best 'pryddest', a poem written in free metre. This crown, from the 2024 Eisteddfod, remains my favourite!

"...one of the world’s most inspiring examples of how an Indigenous language can flourish through creativity, community and culture and has shown for generations that creativity can play a transformative role in sustaining a living language." nation.cymru/culture/glob...

Global cultural leaders to gather at Eisteddfod for Indigenous languages exchange

Nation.Cymru Staff Cultural leaders from across the world will gather in Wales to explore how the arts can help protect and strengthen Indigenous and minority languages. The international delegation o...

nation.cymru

If you missed it yesterday, you can catch up here with some of the Tales from the Mabinogion soundtrack from BBC radio yesterday! Our little section starts around 1h 6m, but the show is a lot of fun, check out the whole thing if you have chance! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio Wales - Game Tracks with Alex Humphreys, Memory, Meaning and Legacy

Alex Humphreys explores the legacy of video game music, from classics to modern anthems.

bbc.co.uk

#FolkloreSunday There is no more tragic tale than that of Gelert, the faithful hound. Returning from a hunting trip, Llewelyn finds his young child missing, the cradle overturned, and his dog, Gelert, smeared with blood. To all appearances, the hound has taken and savaged the babe. 1/2

Today is the first day of the National Eisteddfod, Wales' annual festival of competitive poetry, music and storytelling! The two highest honours awarded each year are the Eisteddfod Crown and Chair. Gotta say, this year's versions look somewhat more 'comfy' than some of their predecessors!

Coming up shortly! Listen in for a sneak peek at some of the soundtrack from Tales from the Mabinogion... :) www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Radio Wales - Listen Live - BBC Sounds

Listen live to Radio Wales on BBC Sounds

bbc.co.uk

#screenshotsaturday Flying pigs, one for the bloopers reel! (And don't ask about the random boar testicles that appear to be left floating mid-air!!).

#BookWormSat 'Cynghanedd' is a unique system of poetic stress and sound-arrangement that originated in Welsh-language poetry around a thousand years ago. Despite it's ancient origins, it's still often used in contemporary Welsh poetry today. 1/4

An intensely weird trailer, not quite sure what to make of it... The story has very strong 'Blodeuwedd' vibes to it though, so I expect I'll end up watching it at some point! Anyone else noticed this yet, and have any thoughts on it? youtu.be/j1t_yHoypks?...

Wicker | Official Trailer (Olivia Colman & Alexander Skarsgård, 2026)

YouTube video by Entertainment Tonight

youtu.be

At some point I want to do an expansion/DLC that tells the story of Culhwch and Olwen entirely from the point of view of King Arthur's dog, Cafall... (But yet again, I must push these ideas aside to focus on getting the existing game finished!).

Myriah Williams@myriahwilliams.bsky.social · 5d ago

Going to keep suggesting Culhwch & Olwen until some Hollywood producer takes notice

Last week I posted about Japanese translations of the Mabinogion, today it's time to look at the German versions! While there is no widely recognised complete translation of all eleven stories in German, there are some well-respected interpretations of parts of the full work. 1/6

This was an interesting piece to write, reflecting on how stories changes over time, how they both shape and are shaped by ideas of national identity, and how that feeds into my own current work. I've been following the HGN blog posts for a while now - it was lovely being invited to contribute!

Historical Games Network@historygamesnet.bsky.social · 6d ago

New post! ✍️ The first for our "Nations" theme, Stevan Anastasoff writes about the ongoing development of Tales of the Mabinogion (@mabinogiongame.bsky.social), translating Welsh history, stories and language into game design through layers of interpretation 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 www.historicalgames.net/making-tales...

#WyrdWednesday Arawn is Lord of the Welsh Otherworld of Annwn, and master of the red-eared, ghost-white hounds known as the Cŵn Annwn. He first appears when Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, interrupts a stag hunt. Pwyll's hounds chase off the Cŵn Annwn, claiming their kill in an insult to Arawn. 1/3

#FairyTaleTuesday In the Mabinogion's tale of Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain, our eponymous hero rescues a lion from a venomous serpent. In return, the beast becomes his loyal companion, hunting for him and fighting by his side. 1/3

I just learned that Spencer Davis, of the Spencer Davis Group, was Welsh! Here's a very, very young version of me (on keyboards) rehearsing the classic "Gimme Some Lovin"... :D www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7BpzM9VwYc

99% Protection - Gimme some lovin - 1991.mp4

YouTube video by AyeshaDiva

youtube.com

#MythologyMonday Cân yr Henwr, or The Song of the Old Man, is a sad and moving poem, reputedly written by the 6th century bard Llywarch Hen, in which he laments as his old, battle-wearied body fails him. 1/3

#FolkloreSunday Described as "one of the great female personalities in World literature", Rhiannon is a powerful and magical figure in the Mabinogion. 1/3

#BookWormSat The Mabinogion has not been widely translated. However, Japanese boasts not just one, but several notable editions. Although partial Japanese translations had existed since the 1920s, Setsuko Nakano's version, originally published in 2000, was the first of the complete work. 1/5

The whole video is worth watching, as commentary on the current debates surrounding The Odyssey movie. youtu.be/yFn1JfOd3b0?...

Nolan's Odyssey & The Western View of Greek Culture

YouTube video by Farya Faraji & World Musicians

youtu.be

#WordsOnWednesday 'Yr Afallennau' (The Apple Trees) is a medieval Welsh poem, in which Myrddin Wyllt, the character who would later evolve into the wizard Merlin, sits amongst the trees of an apple orchard while prophesying the victories of the Welsh over the English. 1/2

#FairyTaleTuesday There are interesting similarities between the Mabinogi's character of Pryderi, and the later Arthurian knight Percival. 1/5

#MythologyMonday In the depths of Cardigan Bay, if stories are to be believed, lies the lost land of Cantre'r Gwaelod. According to the 'Black Book of Carmarthen', when a careless well-maid neglected her duty, the waters overflowed and drowned the surrounding lands. 1/2

I just saw this interview, and now I'm absolutely driven to plan a DLC around the Fourth Branch, and I will then sell my soul to get Morfydd Clark to voice Blodeuwedd! (Although I guess I should finish the current main game finished first...?). www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUS6...

Morfydd Clark: What you don't know about me | Bazaar UK

YouTube video by Harper's Bazaar UK

youtube.com

Along the path to the Breton castle of Fort-la-Latte is the Menhir of La Latte, reputedly the finger of a fallen giant. 1/5

#BookWormSat The Mabinogion is set in a society of courts, hunts, feasts, and obligations. But it rarely explains them, assuming an audience already familiar with its customs. Instead, the stories' values are revealed through its heroes' actions: honour, kinship, justice, and duty.

It's cool and all, but where is Morfydd Clark's Galadriel?? Her performance is the number one reason to watch the show...!

Fellowship of Fans@fellowshipoffans.com · 3w ago

First look at Gandalf in Season 3 of The Rings of Power, courtesy of @sdccblog on Instagram

Seventy-five years since Eryri was designated a National Park! x.com/HenoS4C/stat...

Heno 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@HenoS4C) on X

Mae Eryri’n dathlu 75 mlynedd ers dynodiad Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol hynaf Cymru. What a beautiful location!

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What a lovely rendering of Castell Dolbadarn! I'd also absolutely recommend checking out the artist's other works - the interpretation of Blodeuwedd here is beautiful! www.inprnt.com/gallery/thom...

Blodeuwedd, born from magic and flowers, an art print by Aled Thompson

Gallery Quality Prints

inprnt.com

Aled Thompson@aledthompson.bsky.social · last mo.

One of a small number of castles in Wales actually built by Welsh natives, it was built by the prince of Gwynedd Llywelyn Fawr in the 13th century. Today only the round keep still stands. Prints available here - www.inprnt.com/gallery/thom...