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Taliesin Origins: Exploring the myth of the greatest Celtic bard.
Few authors are able to discuss the original Taliesin myth in as much depth as Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird. As a native Welsh speaker and scholar he has studied the Welsh bardic tradition from the inside, and able to give readers insights few others have even guessed at.
In this groundbreaking exploration, Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird tells the many tales behind the story and draws out the deeper meanings of the original myth. As one of the most complete studies of the greatest Celtic bard in print, this book is a must-have for anyone seriously studying Celtic myth, be they students, researchers, druids or pagans. It reveals the ancient roots of Taliesin’s myth in the Celtic tradition, and interprets many of the symbols, themes and meanings embedded in this important tale.
The book presents new insights not only into Taliesin himself, but also the central figure of Ceridwen, the ancient symbol of her cauldron, the mystical relationship between awen and Annwfn, and how all of these elements relate to the Welsh bardic tradition. From the “ This book explores all the most important stories and poems that make up the Welsh myth of Taliesin. As you would expect, it therefore covers a lot of history, but this isn't strictly a book about history. It's a book about a a vast and tangled myth that spans millennia and contains many characters, locations and texts.
Some sources might be familiar to some readers, while others will be new to almost everyone outside of a Celtic Studies department. Yet even with the more popularly known poems and stories, there are new aspects, concepts and themes explored, deeper parts of the myth and more subtle elements of the tradition considered.
It's also worth pointing out that parts of this book will be very speculative. Old myths show more than they tell; their meaning is implied rather than explicitly stated; they’re more symbolic than literal. This means myths need to be interpreted before they can be fully understood, and interpretation is by no means a hard science. If anything, it's more of an art, a creative process of finding patterns, comparisons, suggestions and inferences. ” From students past and
“ … a scholarly honouring of the magical and otherworldly nature of the Celts. ” - Professor Susan Pryor, Tamna University.
“ His work is of incalculable value ... from the clarity of his explanations and beyond to the countless associations he invites
and stimulates. ” - Associate Professor Valeria Rodriguez Van Dam, Universidad de Buenos Aires
“ … fundamental for any exploration into Celtic myths and the meaning behind them. ” - Dr Gary Llewellyn, Scientist, Neo Druid & Storyteller
“ His work ... goes to the inner most aspects of Celtic culture that otherwise would seem impossible to penetrate. ” - Luke Huw Llewellyn, Welsh Folklore Student & Musician
“ He brings the full essence and depth of Welsh mythology into modern times ... he has the utmost respect for the original sources and adheres to them as he teaches. ” - Kate Cowie Riley, Poet and Writer
“ Taliesin and other great poets spring back to life again in his voice. I have learned more from him than I can ever express. ” - Dr Ann Beer
“ He skilfully stirs the cauldron, and we who are gathered round invariably catch the odd drop of awen. ” - Simon Hughes Lilly, Author, Artist & Craftsman
In this groundbreaking exploration, Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird tells the many tales behind the story and draws out the deeper meanings of the original myth. As one of the most complete studies of the greatest Celtic bard in print, this book is a must-have for anyone seriously studying Celtic myth, be they students, researchers, druids or pagans. It reveals the ancient roots of Taliesin’s myth in the Celtic tradition, and interprets many of the symbols, themes and meanings embedded in this important tale.
The book presents new insights not only into Taliesin himself, but also the central figure of Ceridwen, the ancient symbol of her cauldron, the mystical relationship between awen and Annwfn, and how all of these elements relate to the Welsh bardic tradition. From the “ This book explores all the most important stories and poems that make up the Welsh myth of Taliesin. As you would expect, it therefore covers a lot of history, but this isn't strictly a book about history. It's a book about a a vast and tangled myth that spans millennia and contains many characters, locations and texts.
Some sources might be familiar to some readers, while others will be new to almost everyone outside of a Celtic Studies department. Yet even with the more popularly known poems and stories, there are new aspects, concepts and themes explored, deeper parts of the myth and more subtle elements of the tradition considered.
It's also worth pointing out that parts of this book will be very speculative. Old myths show more than they tell; their meaning is implied rather than explicitly stated; they’re more symbolic than literal. This means myths need to be interpreted before they can be fully understood, and interpretation is by no means a hard science. If anything, it's more of an art, a creative process of finding patterns, comparisons, suggestions and inferences. ” From students past and
“ … a scholarly honouring of the magical and otherworldly nature of the Celts. ” - Professor Susan Pryor, Tamna University.
“ His work is of incalculable value ... from the clarity of his explanations and beyond to the countless associations he invites
and stimulates. ” - Associate Professor Valeria Rodriguez Van Dam, Universidad de Buenos Aires
“ … fundamental for any exploration into Celtic myths and the meaning behind them. ” - Dr Gary Llewellyn, Scientist, Neo Druid & Storyteller
“ His work ... goes to the inner most aspects of Celtic culture that otherwise would seem impossible to penetrate. ” - Luke Huw Llewellyn, Welsh Folklore Student & Musician
“ He brings the full essence and depth of Welsh mythology into modern times ... he has the utmost respect for the original sources and adheres to them as he teaches. ” - Kate Cowie Riley, Poet and Writer
“ Taliesin and other great poets spring back to life again in his voice. I have learned more from him than I can ever express. ” - Dr Ann Beer
“ He skilfully stirs the cauldron, and we who are gathered round invariably catch the odd drop of awen. ” - Simon Hughes Lilly, Author, Artist & Craftsman
- GenresMythologyNonfiction
315 pages, Paperback
Published September 11, 2023
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November 3, 2023I love this book. The author has a beautiful yet easy way of blending story, historical account, chronology, reflection and analysis. He writes personally when it's appropriate and this really matters when you are bringing the deep past into present relevance. The author writes with honesty - when he is expressing a view or interpretation of historical material that is new or challenging to some conventions he says so. He doesn't shout his opinions - he asserts an argument without saying 'here, this is right, I'm right'; he is, I think, a humble writer who works in a way that says, 'here's something that's interesting, let me tell you about it'. He wonders in an inviting way. The story and the history in this book matter not simply as a look back to the past but as an aid and encouragement to learning and reflecting now. It's excellent - buy it.
November 25, 2023
Dr. Gwilym Morus-Baird is a native Welsh speaker and scholar. He runs the excellent Celtic Source website where he shares scholarly research and personal insights into the Celtic myths through videos and free and paid online courses. Taliesin Origins originated from an online course.
As would be expected this book provides a superb introduction to the myth of Taliesin well grounded in the social and political history of Wales. It not only introduces material that might already be known to students of the bardic tradition such as Ystoria Taliesin (‘The Tale of Taliesin’) and the poetry from Llyfr Taliesin (The Book of Taliesin) but sets it in a context with and expounds on its themes through other bardic works that are less familiar. The author’s translations of these, as well as the Taliesin content, are valuable resources in themselves.
Morus-Baird, who is not only a scholar, but a musician, presents the material in a way that is not only academically accurate but lively and vivid and enthused with experiential insights based on his practices as a living bard.
One of my favourite parts was where he traces the travels of the historical Taliesin north from Cynan’s court at Pengwern (Shrewsbury) to Urien’s court in Rheged*. Here we find an evocation of the revelry in the hall and the lord with ‘long, flowing white hair and beard’ ‘his body’ ‘covered with many battle scars’.
There is a good deal of speculation founded on research and personal insights. Morus-Baird presents a strong argument for the story of Gwion stealing awen from Ceridwen’s cauldron then being eaten by her and reborn as Taliesin originating from interactions between the visionary tradition of the witches and the Welsh bards. This tale is shown to play out in the prehistoric ritual landscapes around the Dyfi and Conwy estuaries where it is set. It is argued that the alternative telling of the creation of Taliesin by Gwydion from vegetation as ‘a weapon of bardic destruction’ along with the trees in Kat Godeu (‘The Battle of the Trees’) originates from a different bardic lineage.
This book also contains much philosophical depth. The concept of awen is explored from its Proto-Celtic origin in *awek ‘inspiration or insight’ through its complex of meanings in Irish and in Welsh which include awel ‘breath.
The imagination is beautifully likened to the Mare Goddess Rhiannon as ‘an insubstantial beast, a grey mare of little but breath. We may ride her to ends of the Earth, but she vanishes the minute we look at her too closely.’ Awen as is seen to ‘live’ in Annwfn and is drawn upon by the bards.
Morus-Baird states that the popular understanding of Annwfn as the otherworld isn’t the ‘most accurate’ and translates it as ‘inner world’ or ‘inner depth’, describing it as ‘a world-within-the-world, a depth that is everywhere’. Drawing on the First Branch of The Mabinogion along with the poetry of Cynddelw and Taliesin (who speaks of his seat in Caer Siddi ‘the fairy-mound Fortress’) he categorieses Annwfn as a timeless, pristine place of high ideals and dismisses the Christianised hellish view in Culhwch ac Olwen.
At the end of the section on Annfwn he summarises his argument:
‘The main difference between Annwfn and our realm appears to be a temporal one. Whereas our plane of existence is characterised by ageing and death, ‘sickness and old age’ do not affect those in Caer Siddi. It appears to be the place of eternal renewal, where pristine life continues without the effects of time and its changes. By contrast, to partake of the mortal realm is to be swept up in the turbulent currents of transformation, to be spun in the cycles of birth and death and to know the suffering of experience.’**
Annwfn is described not as a land of dead, in the sense of a final destination for souls, but it is one where spirits such as those of Taliesin and Myrddin can reside. These ‘bardic masters’ can be channelled in live performances.
Taliesin Origins is an engaging read on an intellectual and spiritual level. I have been studying the bardic tradition for over ten years and it gave me additional food for thought and led me to question a number of assumptions. I would recommend it as the go-to source for anyone interested in the Taliesin myth whether from an academic or religious perspective or both.
*There’s a mention of Taliesin crossing the Ribble at Preston near to my home. It hadn’t crossed my mind he would have passed so close on his travels.
**This isn’t an argument I wholly agree with. Although there are lots of examples of Annwfn being a timeless, pristine place we also have descriptions of terrible battles there which include violence and death. The prime example being in Preiddeu Annwfn from which only seven men return. Gwyn ap Nudd speaks of this conflict - ‘At Caer Fanddwy I saw a host / Shields shattered, spears broken, / Violence inflicted by the honoured and fair’. If this is to be conflated with the raid set in Ireland the Head of Annwfn himself is killed. One might claim these are so terrible because they are interruptions to the pristine state and I believe this is partly the case. Yet the presence of Annwfian monsters in Kad Godeu along with the gormes ‘oppression’ caused by a dragon in Lludd a Llefelys that blights Britain and its people are suggestive of a darker side to Annwfn. It’s my personal belief that like the ‘otherworlds’ of most Indo-European cultures it has both pristine and beautiful and monstrous and terrifiying aspects (for example the Hindu and Buddhist ‘heavens’ and ‘hells’, the Norse Valhalla and Hel, the Greek Elysian Fields and Tartarus). In my personal experience of travelling Annwfn in spirit the transformative processes, including life and death, mirror our own.
As would be expected this book provides a superb introduction to the myth of Taliesin well grounded in the social and political history of Wales. It not only introduces material that might already be known to students of the bardic tradition such as Ystoria Taliesin (‘The Tale of Taliesin’) and the poetry from Llyfr Taliesin (The Book of Taliesin) but sets it in a context with and expounds on its themes through other bardic works that are less familiar. The author’s translations of these, as well as the Taliesin content, are valuable resources in themselves.
Morus-Baird, who is not only a scholar, but a musician, presents the material in a way that is not only academically accurate but lively and vivid and enthused with experiential insights based on his practices as a living bard.
One of my favourite parts was where he traces the travels of the historical Taliesin north from Cynan’s court at Pengwern (Shrewsbury) to Urien’s court in Rheged*. Here we find an evocation of the revelry in the hall and the lord with ‘long, flowing white hair and beard’ ‘his body’ ‘covered with many battle scars’.
There is a good deal of speculation founded on research and personal insights. Morus-Baird presents a strong argument for the story of Gwion stealing awen from Ceridwen’s cauldron then being eaten by her and reborn as Taliesin originating from interactions between the visionary tradition of the witches and the Welsh bards. This tale is shown to play out in the prehistoric ritual landscapes around the Dyfi and Conwy estuaries where it is set. It is argued that the alternative telling of the creation of Taliesin by Gwydion from vegetation as ‘a weapon of bardic destruction’ along with the trees in Kat Godeu (‘The Battle of the Trees’) originates from a different bardic lineage.
This book also contains much philosophical depth. The concept of awen is explored from its Proto-Celtic origin in *awek ‘inspiration or insight’ through its complex of meanings in Irish and in Welsh which include awel ‘breath.
The imagination is beautifully likened to the Mare Goddess Rhiannon as ‘an insubstantial beast, a grey mare of little but breath. We may ride her to ends of the Earth, but she vanishes the minute we look at her too closely.’ Awen as is seen to ‘live’ in Annwfn and is drawn upon by the bards.
Morus-Baird states that the popular understanding of Annwfn as the otherworld isn’t the ‘most accurate’ and translates it as ‘inner world’ or ‘inner depth’, describing it as ‘a world-within-the-world, a depth that is everywhere’. Drawing on the First Branch of The Mabinogion along with the poetry of Cynddelw and Taliesin (who speaks of his seat in Caer Siddi ‘the fairy-mound Fortress’) he categorieses Annwfn as a timeless, pristine place of high ideals and dismisses the Christianised hellish view in Culhwch ac Olwen.
At the end of the section on Annfwn he summarises his argument:
‘The main difference between Annwfn and our realm appears to be a temporal one. Whereas our plane of existence is characterised by ageing and death, ‘sickness and old age’ do not affect those in Caer Siddi. It appears to be the place of eternal renewal, where pristine life continues without the effects of time and its changes. By contrast, to partake of the mortal realm is to be swept up in the turbulent currents of transformation, to be spun in the cycles of birth and death and to know the suffering of experience.’**
Annwfn is described not as a land of dead, in the sense of a final destination for souls, but it is one where spirits such as those of Taliesin and Myrddin can reside. These ‘bardic masters’ can be channelled in live performances.
Taliesin Origins is an engaging read on an intellectual and spiritual level. I have been studying the bardic tradition for over ten years and it gave me additional food for thought and led me to question a number of assumptions. I would recommend it as the go-to source for anyone interested in the Taliesin myth whether from an academic or religious perspective or both.
*There’s a mention of Taliesin crossing the Ribble at Preston near to my home. It hadn’t crossed my mind he would have passed so close on his travels.
**This isn’t an argument I wholly agree with. Although there are lots of examples of Annwfn being a timeless, pristine place we also have descriptions of terrible battles there which include violence and death. The prime example being in Preiddeu Annwfn from which only seven men return. Gwyn ap Nudd speaks of this conflict - ‘At Caer Fanddwy I saw a host / Shields shattered, spears broken, / Violence inflicted by the honoured and fair’. If this is to be conflated with the raid set in Ireland the Head of Annwfn himself is killed. One might claim these are so terrible because they are interruptions to the pristine state and I believe this is partly the case. Yet the presence of Annwfian monsters in Kad Godeu along with the gormes ‘oppression’ caused by a dragon in Lludd a Llefelys that blights Britain and its people are suggestive of a darker side to Annwfn. It’s my personal belief that like the ‘otherworlds’ of most Indo-European cultures it has both pristine and beautiful and monstrous and terrifiying aspects (for example the Hindu and Buddhist ‘heavens’ and ‘hells’, the Norse Valhalla and Hel, the Greek Elysian Fields and Tartarus). In my personal experience of travelling Annwfn in spirit the transformative processes, including life and death, mirror our own.
October 8, 2023
TALIESIN ORIGINS is a fascinating exploration of the Bard Taliesin and how his poetry influenced the progression of bardic poetry through later years.
Taliesin was originally Gwion Bach. He incurred the wrath of Ceridwen when while stirring her caldron he accidently acquired three magical drops of the inspiration meant for her other son. After a chase where they both undergo several transformations, he turns himself into a grain of wheat but is swallowed by Ceridwen who had transformed herself into a black hen. She swallowed the grain and nine months later he was reborn as Taliesin.
From there, Morus Baird explains the history and tradition of Bardic Poetry. These poems are full of symbolism and metaphors. The book has several examples and reasons of praise and prophecy poetry, plus the purposes they served. These poems also challenged the church and spelled out disputes between bards and clergymen. In addition, they were used for political influence. All this ties into how and why Taliesin became the quintessential Welch Bard.
Gwilim Morus Baird is Welsh and fluent in the language. He has an extensive knowledge of Welsh mythology along with that of other cultures. The book uncovers many shared themes, one being how Irish Poet Fin burnt his thumb while cooking the Salmon of knowledge and put it in his mouth. Another is Odin stealing the Mead of Poetry. Transformation into animals during a chase, enchantment, and slipping in ad out of the other world, Annwffn in Welsh mythology, are other common themes.
Facts are backed up and cited which indicates the reliability of his research. While the material is complex, his writing is extremely accessible. The pronunciation footnotes were beneficial as they were easy to follow and the lyrical text drew me into the magic of the subject. Welsh history melds with mythology.
In fact, the book is dead fun to read. Humour is threaded through out. At times it became an enjoyable and entertaining history lesson. The book is structured into chapters with each covering a specific aspect relative to Taliesin as well as Welsh mythology in general. Gwilim Morus Baird clarified the origan and misconception of and around pivotal Welsh themes, particularly, Awen and Annwfn, which as an American transplant, I found extremely helpful.
I’ve read several books on Celtic mythology, but Gwilim Morus Baird provides the most comprehensive and informative interpretation of Celtic mythology in Taliesin Origins. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.
Bobbie Sue Brotherton
Taliesin was originally Gwion Bach. He incurred the wrath of Ceridwen when while stirring her caldron he accidently acquired three magical drops of the inspiration meant for her other son. After a chase where they both undergo several transformations, he turns himself into a grain of wheat but is swallowed by Ceridwen who had transformed herself into a black hen. She swallowed the grain and nine months later he was reborn as Taliesin.
From there, Morus Baird explains the history and tradition of Bardic Poetry. These poems are full of symbolism and metaphors. The book has several examples and reasons of praise and prophecy poetry, plus the purposes they served. These poems also challenged the church and spelled out disputes between bards and clergymen. In addition, they were used for political influence. All this ties into how and why Taliesin became the quintessential Welch Bard.
Gwilim Morus Baird is Welsh and fluent in the language. He has an extensive knowledge of Welsh mythology along with that of other cultures. The book uncovers many shared themes, one being how Irish Poet Fin burnt his thumb while cooking the Salmon of knowledge and put it in his mouth. Another is Odin stealing the Mead of Poetry. Transformation into animals during a chase, enchantment, and slipping in ad out of the other world, Annwffn in Welsh mythology, are other common themes.
Facts are backed up and cited which indicates the reliability of his research. While the material is complex, his writing is extremely accessible. The pronunciation footnotes were beneficial as they were easy to follow and the lyrical text drew me into the magic of the subject. Welsh history melds with mythology.
In fact, the book is dead fun to read. Humour is threaded through out. At times it became an enjoyable and entertaining history lesson. The book is structured into chapters with each covering a specific aspect relative to Taliesin as well as Welsh mythology in general. Gwilim Morus Baird clarified the origan and misconception of and around pivotal Welsh themes, particularly, Awen and Annwfn, which as an American transplant, I found extremely helpful.
I’ve read several books on Celtic mythology, but Gwilim Morus Baird provides the most comprehensive and informative interpretation of Celtic mythology in Taliesin Origins. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.
Bobbie Sue Brotherton
October 2, 2023
Ever since I first read the Taliesin origin story twenty years ago, I was enchanted by the enigmatic bard. I felt like I met the ultimate challenger and guide into the depths of meaning woven in the Welsh bardic tradition. It would have been wonderful to have had Gwilym Morus-Baird’s book then, but I am grateful to have it now.
If you're ready to begin your Taliesin journey, this book will give you valuable signposts to guide you. Gwilym Morus-Baird weaves history, poetry, and mythology to examine the strands of meaning surrounding the epic figure. His writing is accessible, well-researched, eloquent, and at times, humorous.
You do not have to be a Celtic studies scholar to enjoy this book, but if you are, this book will give you a fresh perspective and new resources. If you are intimidated by the Welsh language, don’t worry. The book has footnotes containing phonetic pronunciations. Gwilym Morus-Baird also includes his own translations of some Welsh verses.
I highly recommend this book. I plan to read it again soon. It contains so many great points of reflection. Taliesin Origins captures the splendor of the timeless, transcendent bard.
If you're ready to begin your Taliesin journey, this book will give you valuable signposts to guide you. Gwilym Morus-Baird weaves history, poetry, and mythology to examine the strands of meaning surrounding the epic figure. His writing is accessible, well-researched, eloquent, and at times, humorous.
You do not have to be a Celtic studies scholar to enjoy this book, but if you are, this book will give you a fresh perspective and new resources. If you are intimidated by the Welsh language, don’t worry. The book has footnotes containing phonetic pronunciations. Gwilym Morus-Baird also includes his own translations of some Welsh verses.
I highly recommend this book. I plan to read it again soon. It contains so many great points of reflection. Taliesin Origins captures the splendor of the timeless, transcendent bard.
August 3, 2025
This is a good book, full of interesting ideas about Taliesin, and not the sort of New Age claptrap that has persisted ever since Robert Graves' strange ideas took root.
Morus-Baird knows his stuff, and can take a much more scholarly approach to the material than he has chosen to do here. Knowing a bit about the topics discussed, I find it hard to take a step back and try to see this book from a beginner's point of view. I don't think it would be a difficult read, but I suspect that the reader won't take much away beyond 'impressions' of how Taliesin fits into Welsh culture.
For the more advanced reader there are some bits of worthwhile originality, but it's possible that you may long for a more chronological approach. There were also points where I desperately wanted a citation to follow and didn't find one. There's no index.
Morus-Baird knows his stuff, and can take a much more scholarly approach to the material than he has chosen to do here. Knowing a bit about the topics discussed, I find it hard to take a step back and try to see this book from a beginner's point of view. I don't think it would be a difficult read, but I suspect that the reader won't take much away beyond 'impressions' of how Taliesin fits into Welsh culture.
For the more advanced reader there are some bits of worthwhile originality, but it's possible that you may long for a more chronological approach. There were also points where I desperately wanted a citation to follow and didn't find one. There's no index.
October 20, 2024
Taliesin Origins by Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird was a very informative read. I very much appreciated the historical background to the myth, its variations, and offerings of possible interpretations that made sense and did not resort to any new-agey metaphysical claims. A creative principle which the human imagination can express came over as an observation of mystery-imbued reality, which life is, and that was welcome. I was curious about Ceridwen and there was some useful information about her, but obviously the book was about Taliesin and the bardic tradition in Wales. While my seeking for information about female mythic figures and perspectives was not entirely satisfied, we can still learn something by what is omitted. So while it was very focused on a male tradition and male history of Kings and Lords and their poets, I really enjoyed this book.
November 12, 2023
This is by far the clearest guide to Taliesin and related Welsh myths that I have read. It is highly scholarly but manages to be immensely entertaining. It is wide in scope, encompassing many Welsh and comparative myths, explaining the language and sources, and does not require prior expertise or expert knowledge. At times it is profound and moving, and I am now keen to explore many of the themes and ideas suggested in the book. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews