De raris fabulis

[9] The unascetic nature of monastic living implied by the dialogues and a reference to a probably fictitious victory of the Britons over the Saxons situate De raris in a Celtic context.

Based on its terminology, it has even been suggested that it originated in Brittany and subsequently passed through Wales to Cornwall, acquiring distinct features along the way.

[12] In structure, the dialogues typically contain questions and answers with strings of vocabulary to choose from, e.g., "Ring the bell because the hour called 'midnight' is here, or dawn or cockcrow or dusk or matins or prime or terce or midday or none or twilight or vespers."

One line—"don't stand between me and the light"—is derived from the story of Diogenes and Alexander, probably through the account of Valerius Maximus.

[13] A proverb (#14) from the probably Irish Proverbia Grecorum is also quoted, which probably reflects the independent transmission of this text in Wales.

[14] Although King Arthur is not named in the De raris fabulis, its account of a war between Britons and Saxons may depend on oral legends within the Arthurian tradition.