Pagan Portals: Y Mabinogi: Exploring the Magic and Wisdom of Welsh Mythology

by Mhara Starling

Explore the magic of Welsh mythology, and discover how to incorporate the wisdom of these enigmatic tales into the very fabric of your magical and spiritual practices. Y Mabinogi is an introductory guide to the enchanting tales found within the four branches of the Mabinogi. Each chapter explores the themes, characters, magic, and wonder of Welsh mythology, and is delivered in an accessible, approachable narrative. It also considers issues such Are the characters in the Mabinogi Gods? How can we draw inspiration from these stories for our magical or spiritual practices? And what can the four branches teach us about the world around us, as well as ourselves?

104 pages, Paperback

Published August 3, 2025

Reviews

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starling's 'Y Mabinogi' is perfect for someone who is reading the Mabinogi for the first time. It has a useful introduction to warn you in advance about what the Mabinogi is, and what it isn’t. This is followed by four all-too-brief chapters – one for each branch - which you could read either before or after you read that branch. (A glossary and a pronunciation guide are included, too.) If the Four Branches was a series of four paintings from a genre very foreign to the reader, then Mhara Starling is the art expert talking them through the basics of what they’re looking at. Not the minute details, or the art history, but the overall meaning and key ideas.

There are no meditations to meet deities or suggestions for altars here, no lists of correspondences or journaling exercises. I think it’s a better book because of that, and will be accessible to a much wider audience. Even among Pagans, our worldviews and personal practices differ so much. This book should prove just as useful to a Wiccan as to a Brythonic Polytheist or a Druid precisely because it is about the Mabinogi, not about what you should do, or ought to believe, once you’ve read it.

Mhara Starling is well placed to author this book, being a first language Welsh speaker who grew up with the Mabinogi stories. However, she’s also well-read on her subject, and the seriousness of her interest and depth of her research is evident. It’s really the combination of these two strands of insight which make this book worthwhile.

My only complaint is that the brevity required by Moon Books' 'Pagan Portals' format means that there are gaps which Starling could have ably filled, given the space to do so.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I’m passingly familiar with the Y Mabinogi, I can’t say I’ve had the chance to study it as in-depth as I have the Norse Eddas or some of the Greek myths. For those completely unfamiliar, this book would work as an excellent introduction, and for those wishing to dive deeper, this is an excellent guide to use alongside a translation as you dive deeper. If you aren’t very familiar with Welsh pronunciation, there’s an excellent guide at the end of the book, and a list of the important names, which I found to be a helpful refresher. The book itself is broken down to cover the four branches individually, and I enjoyed reading about Starling’s own experiences with the sagas, as well as diving into her interpretations of the myths themselves. Definitely a book I’ll be keeping close by as I dive deeper, and one I’d recommend for anyone interested in learning more about Welsh mythology.

[Stan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this newly released book. I have never read the Mabinogi or the Mabinogian and this is a great introduction with some great insights into the history of the Mabinogi. I appreciate the critical analysis throughout the book

[Dewi Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insider Knowledge Without the Yawns!
This gorgeous and accessible book serves two important purposes. Firstly, it is a succinct and readable introduction to the eponymous medieval tales, and secondly it provides explanations of the subtle meanings behind the names of key characters and places.
Although this is a book primarily intended for the pagan/neopagan market, I hope that it reaches a wider readership. Starling is a first language Welsh speaker. She is also a self-confessed nerd for the stories and legends of her native Wales. Growing up in an environment with constant references to the tales (or Branches) of the Mabinogi around her gives her a level of insight that others (myself included!) often lack. There were several occasions when reading the text when I had an "Aha!" moment; for example, the presence of two places that can be identified as the fort of Aranrhod (or Caer Arianrhod), one terrestrial and the other celestial, was new to me, and adds to my understanding of the Cymric context.
The language is engaging: often humorous, with an eyebrow frequently arched at the assumptions and interpretations made by writers who have tried to put their own spin on the tales and the characters within.
An informed, entertaining read, well worth your time and attention.