Legends and Romances of Brittany by Lewis Spence

Description

Legends and Romances of Brittany is a book by Lewis Spence, first published in 1917. In this richly compiled collection Spence brings together Breton folk-tales, lays and heroic romances — from the submerged-city myth of Ys and Arthurian-linked lays to the region's saints' lives and the darker lore of witches, fays and the dread Ankou. The volume pairs narrative retellings with cultural background, giving readers both the atmosphere of Breton storytelling and commentary on local customs, costumes and beliefs. Written from the vantage of an early-20th-century folklorist, the book surveys popular ballads, heroic tales and supernatural traditions collected by Breton scholars and oral tradition, and arranges them for an English-speaking audience. It remains a useful introduction for anyone interested in Celtic folklore, regional myth, and the intersections of medieval romance and rural superstition — a compendium that has influenced later popular retellings and served as a gateway to Brittany’s distinctive mythic world.

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