WELSH

Language written phonetically, and therefore practically every one who can speak it can also read it. The oldest piece ot connected Welsh writing is the ** Black Book of Car mar then," a. manuscript dating from the end of the 12th century, but the oldest Welsh literature dates from a much earlier period. The most important of these very ancient works Ls the “Gododm,” which was probably composed about the 6th century, though the manuscript of only dates from the 13th century. The great literary it revival of the ** Mabinogion ” and the “ Arthur i an Legends " came in the same century with Gcoflrcy of Mon mouth (about 1145 A.D.), and the 14th century introduced an age of amatory lyrics—known as the Golden Age of Welsh Literature—the greatest poet being Dafydd ap Gwilym.