Welsh Folk Tales

Welsh Folk Tales brings together traditional stories, reported true tales, tall tales, myths, legends, gossip and memories from across Wales. Peter Stevenson draws on familiar material alongside stories preserved in forgotten manuscripts, out-of-print collections and contemporary oral tradition, creating a broad portrait of Welsh storytelling rather than a single strand of folklore.

The collection also considers the Welsh idea of chwedlau: tales shared through conversation, with storytelling rooted in ordinary social life as well as inherited tradition. Stevenson, a professional storyteller and illustrator, retells these accounts for a modern audience while keeping their connections to older voices and sources. The result is a varied gathering of Welsh narratives, balancing mythic, humorous, local and remembered experience.