A red and white dragon fighting tooth and claw in the moonlit sky;
mischievous fairy folk luring unwary travellers deep into their
underground lairs; a kind-hearted mermaid saving the lives of those in
peril on the high seas; and a charmed boy who transforms into an otter
and a bird to outrun a wicked witch. In Illustrated Tales of Wales,
author Mark Rees explores the fantastical myths, legends and folk
stories of Wales which have long fired the imagination of young and old
alike. From the medieval tales of the Mabinogion to those rooted firmly
in Arthurian mythology, they range from the quirky to the macabre and
tell of heroic pets, strange superstitions, devious devils and restless
spirits. Wales is home to mighty giants which live on the highest
mountains and battle to the death with King Arthur and his Knights of
the Round Table. It has a patron saint of hares, who created a safe
haven for humans and animals alike, and a patron saint of love, whose
idyllic island became a place of pilgrimage. It has a water horse which
has been known to give those who mount it the ride of their lives, and
the unforgettable Mari Lwyd, one of the world's more unusual
Christmastime traditions in which an eerie horse-skulled visitor goes
door-to-door in the dead of night. Illustrated Tales of Wales offers an
engaging and different look at Wales, with this alternative tour through
the country's peculiar past.
