Big Chief Hawthorn, for it was he to whom Gwythyr had been speaking,

laughed aloud once more, “The boar to whom you gave such fervent

pursuit, was none other than my noble son, Eanna-of-the-Harps, and

‘tis the luck on you this night, that you did no more than give him a

fright, for had you succeeded in harming him in any way, then I

would have been compelled to take away your life…”

“Why, you may have felt yourself compelled to

try,” replied Gwythyr reaching for the hilt of Caoilte.

But at that Big Chief Hawthorn merely laughed the louder,

“There is only one more test you need to pass this night

young Gwythyr, and it is not a test of warrior might.

If you can successfully identify Creiddylad from among my other daughters

then, by the folk of the fair green hills, tonight she shall be yours,” he said.

Then fifty fair and noble lasses ran into the hall and surrounded

Gwythyr in a circle, and they were all of them alike in face, and

form, and feature, and every one of them the spitting image of

the crane-girl, Creiddylad, whom Gwythyr had first spoken to

in a dream, and then met, and wooed, at a pool-side in a wood….

Crucible of the Sun: The Mabinogion Retold

By Stuart France

“I will dazzle like fire, hard and high, will flame the breaths of my desire; chief revealer of that which is uttered and that which is asked, tonight I make naked the word.”

Once upon a time we gathered around the flames of the hearth and listened to tales of long ago and far away. The stories grew in the telling, weaving ancient lore whose origins lie somewhere in a misty past with tales of high adventure, battles, magic and love. In Crucible of the Sun this oral tradition is echoed in a unique and lyrical interpretation of tales from the Mabinogion, a collection of stories whose roots reach back into the depths of time, spanning the world and reflecting universal themes of myth and legend.

These tales capture a narrative deeply entwined through the history of the Celtic peoples of the British Isles, drawing on roots that are embedded in the heart of the land. In Crucible of the Sun the author retells these timeless stories in his own inimitable and eminently readable style. The author’s deep exploration of the human condition and the transitions between the inner worlds illuminate this retelling, casting a unique light on the symbolism hidden beyond the words, unravelling the complex skein of imagery and weaving a rich tapestry of magic.

‘The author’s creative and scholarly engagement with the material and enthusiasm for the original tales is evident throughout.’ The Welsh Books Council

‘I found it very inspiring!’ Philip Carr-Gomm, Chosen Chief, Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (O.B.O.D.)

Available worldwide via Amazon, in paperback and for Kindle.

ISBN-10: 1494785137

ISBN-13: 978-1494785130