II. THE SOURCES OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE CELTIC MYTHOLOGY 8 III. WHO WERE THE “ANCIENT BRITONS”? 18 IV. THE RELIGION OF THE ANCIENT BRITONS AND DRUIDISM 31 THE GAELIC GODS AND THEIR STORIES V. THE GODS OF THE GAELS 47 VI. THE GODS ARRIVE 65 VII. THE RISE OF THE SUN-GOD 78 VIII. THE GAELIC ARGONAUTS 89 IX. THE WAR WITH THE GIANTS 107 X. THE CONQUEST OF THE GODS BY MORTALS 119 XI. THE GODS IN EXILE 132 XII. THE IRISH ILIAD 153 XIII. SOME GAELIC LOVE-STORIES 184 XIV. FINN AND THE FENIANS 201 XV. THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE GODS 227 THE BRITISH GODS AND THEIR STORIES XVI. THE GODS OF THE BRITONS 251 XVII. THE ADVENTURES OF THE GODS OF HADES 278 XVIII. THE WOOING OF BRANWEN AND THE BEHEADING OF BRÂN 289 XIX. THE WAR OF ENCHANTMENTS 298 XX. THE VICTORIES OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS 305 XXI. THE MYTHOLOGICAL “COMING OF ARTHUR” 312 XXII. THE TREASURES OF BRITAIN 336 XXIII. THE GODS AS KING ARTHUR’S KNIGHTS 354 XXIV. THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE GODS 371 SURVIVALS OF THE CELTIC PAGANISM XXV. SURVIVALS OF THE CELTIC PAGANISM INTO MODERN TIMES 399 APPENDIX 419 INDEX 425 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS CHAPTER I THE INTEREST AND IMPORTANCE OF CELTIC MYTHOLOGY