LEGENDS & ROMANCES
OF BRITTANY
LEGENDS & ROMANCES
OF BRITTANY
BY
LEWIS SPENCE F.R.A.I.
AUTHOR OF “HERO TALES AND LEGENDS OF THE RHINE”
“A DICTIONARY OF MEDIEVAL ROMANCE AND
ROMANCE WRITERS” “THE MYTHS
OF MEXICO AND PERU”
ETC. ETC.
WITH THIRTY-TWO ILLUSTRATIONS BY
W. OTWAY CANNELL A.R.C.A.(Lond.)
NEW YORK
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH
GREAT BRITAIN
Although the folk-tales and legends ofBrittany have received ample attention fromnative scholars and collectors, they have notas yet been presented in a popular manner to English-speakingreaders. The probable reasons for whatwould appear to be an otherwise incomprehensibleomission on the part of those British writers whomake a popular use of legendary material are thatmany Breton folk-tales strikingly resemble those ofother countries, that from a variety of considerationssome of them are unsuitable for presentation in anEnglish dress, and that most of the folk-tales propercertainly possess a strong family likeness to oneanother.
But it is not the folk-tale alone which goes to make upthe romantic literary output of a people; their ballads,the heroic tales which they have woven around passagesin their national history, their legends (employingthe term in its proper sense), along with the moreliterary attempts of their romance-weavers, their beliefsregarding the supernatural, the tales which clusteraround their ancient homes and castles—all of these,although capable of separate classification, are akin tofolk-lore, and I have not, therefore, hesitated to usewhat in my discretion I consider the best out of immensestores of material as being much more suited tosupply British readers with a comprehensive view ofBreton story. Thus, I have included chapters on thelore which cleaves to the ancient stone monumentsof the country, along with some account of the monumentsthemselves. The Arthurian matter especially6connected with Brittany I have relegated to a separatechapter, and I have considered it only fitting to includesuch of the lais of that rare and human songstressMarie de France as deal with the Breton land. Thelegends of those sainted men to whom Brittany owesso much will be found in a separate chapter, in collectingthe matter for which I have obtained the kindestassistance from Miss Helen Macleod Scott, who hasthe preservation of the Celtic spirit so much at heart.I have also included chapters on the interesting themeof the black art in Brittany, as well as on the severalspecies of fays and demons which haunt its moors andforests; nor will the heroic tales of its great warriorsand champions be found wanting. To assist the readerto obtain the atmosphere of Brittany and in orderthat he may read these tales without feeling that he isperusing