Period Storytelling

[kohrn at bach.seattleu.edu]

Tangwystyl
	Is there any evidance the Mabinogian was originally told in either
verse or meter? These are very hard things to come up with continuously
over the course of a story.  Therefore it becomes necessary to remember exact
words to fit either the rhyme or the meter.  This might be the very reason
for originally working the story into a poem.  People in an oral culture
must have been very aware of how easily a story becomes changed (a la whisper
down the lane).  To prevent this from happening to important works (historical,
religious, or legal) poetry could have been used.  I don't know much about
the Mabinogean, but I had a great deal in school on classical poetry and
reasons behind it (i.e. Homer).
			Calote of Wyncote
			kohrn at seattleu.edu