The song of Arthur : Celtic tales from the high king's court / John Matthews ; with illustrations by Stuart Littlejohn.

Ill. by Stuart Littlejohn. Publication supported by the Kern Foundation.

Introduction. -- Part 1 - Early tales. -- 1 Joscelyn's tale; song of the grail lord. -- 2 The kingly shadow; Taliesin sings of his knowledge. -- 3 The bride of the spear; Taliesin in winter. -- 4 In the prison of Arianrhod; The salmon of wisdom. -- Part 2 - Bardic tales. -- 5 The island of sorrow and joy; Taliesin to the crows. -- 6 Lugh of the strong arm and the three queens; Lady of the Lake. -- 7 Owein of the ravens; Taliesin and Raven. -- 8 Drustan's ghost; Drustan and Issylt. -- 9 The abduction and rescue of Gwenhwyfar the queen; seasons of the land. -- Part 3 - Later tales. -- 10 Grisandole; snow wives. -- 11 Thomas and the book; song of the returning. -- 12 The vision of the mother of God; song of Pelles the Grail King. -- 13 Galahad and the holy things; grail. -- 14 Collen and the lord of the mound; wasteland healed. Part 4 - Fugitive tales. -- 15 The hostel of the quicken trees; Taliesin and the song of tradition. -- 16 Singer; Taliesin's quest. -- 17 The falling; Taliesin the shaman. -- 18 Maze; the dream of Macsen Wleldig. -- 19 The third awakening; Taliesin's madness

'...presents nineteen rare tales drawn from premedieval and medieval sources....Matthews's deep understanding of the stories' esoteric meaning makes clear that at the core, the knights' physical quest is the quest for enlightenment.'

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