Folk-Lore Of West And Mid-Wales - free ebook by Jonathan Ceredig Davies

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Folk-Lore Of West And Mid-Wales

Jonathan Ceredig Davies

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PREFACE

PREFACE

BY ALICE, COUNTESS AMHERST. T he writer of this book lived for many years in the Welsh Colony, Patagonia, where he was the pioneer of the Anglican Church. He published a book dealing with that part of the world, which also contained a great deal of interesting matter regarding the little known Patagonian Indians, Ideas on Religion and Customs, etc. He returned to Wales in 1891; and after spending a few years in his native land, went out to a wild part of Western Australia, and was the pioneer Ch

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INTRODUCTION.

INTRODUCTION.

Another noble lady who was greatly interested in Welsh Antiquities, was the late Dowager Lady Kensington; and her Ladyship, had she lived, intended to write down for me a few Pembrokeshire local traditions that she knew in order to record them in this book. In an interesting long letter written to me from Bothwell Castle, Lanarkshire, dated September 9th, 1909, her Ladyship, referring to Welsh Traditions and Folk-Lore, says:—“I always think that such things should be preserved and collected now,

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THE CANDLE AND PIN DIVINATION.

THE CANDLE AND PIN DIVINATION.

This kind of divination was perhaps of a more uncanny character than anything I have hitherto mentioned, and a custom which both young men and young women very commonly practised, even within the last 50 years as I have been told by old people. This weird practice was to go round the parish church seven times, some say nine times, whilst others again say nine times-and-half, and holding a knife in the hand saying the while:— “Dyma’r twca, lle mae’r wain?” “Here’s the knife, where is the sheath?”

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GOING ROUND THE CHURCH.

GOING ROUND THE CHURCH.

It was also a custom in Wales once for nine young girls to meet together to make a pancake, with nine different things, and share it between them, that is, each of the girls taking a piece before going to bed in order to dream of their future husbands. Another practice among young girls was to sleep on a bit of wedding cake. I remember the following test or divination resorted to in Cardiganshire only about twelve years ago. It was tried by young maidens who wished to know whether their husbands

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WATER IN DISH DIVINATION.

WATER IN DISH DIVINATION.

The Bible and Key Divination, or how to find out the two first letters of a future Wife’s or Husband’s name is very commonly practised, even now, by both young men and young women. A small Bible is taken, and having opened it, the key of the front door is placed on the 16th verse of the 1st Chapter of Ruth :—“And Ruth said, intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, a

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THE BIBLE AND KEY DIVINATION.

THE BIBLE AND KEY DIVINATION.

Tea-cup divination is also very much practised by young girls in Wales in order to find out some future events concerning love affairs, future husbands, etc. There was a woman, who only died a few years ago, in the parish of Llandyssul, near a small village called Pontshan in Cardiganshire, who was considered an expert in the art of fortune telling by a tea cup, at least young women and young men thought so, and many of them resorted to her, especially those who were in love or intending to marr

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DIVINATION BY THE TEA-CUP.

DIVINATION BY THE TEA-CUP.

Divination by cards is not so much known in Wales as in England, and this is more popular in towns than country places....

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DIVINATION BY CARDS.

DIVINATION BY CARDS.

I n times past, Wales had peculiar and most interesting, if not excellent, Wedding Customs, and in no part of the country were these old quaint customs more popular, and survived to a more recent date than in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire. Therefore this book would be incomplete without giving a full description of them. When a young man and a young woman had agreed together to marry “for better for worse,” they were first of all to inform their parents of the important fact. Then in due tim

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THE WEDDING DAY.

THE WEDDING DAY.

The rural weddings in South Wales until very recently were Horse Weddings; that is, it was the custom of the whole party, both men and women to ride, and generally at full speed. Poor people generally managed to obtain the loan of horses for the happy occasion from their richer neighbours. On the wedding morning the invited guests, both men and women, married and unmarried, came on their horses and ponies, some of them from a long distance. The men proceeded to the bridegroom’s house, about a hu

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THE HORSE WEDDING.

THE HORSE WEDDING.

Then one of the bride’s party from within made a reply as follows, with the door still closed:— “Who are ye all? ye noisy train! Be ye thieves or honest men? Tell us now what brings you here, Or this intrusion will cost you dear?” Then the one from without rejoins:— “Honest men are we, who seek A dainty maid both fair and meek, Very good and very pretty, And known to all by name of Catty; We come to claim her for a bride; Come, father, let the fair be tied To him who loves her ever well.” The on

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NEITHIOR.

NEITHIOR.

Such Sunday customs were by degrees discontinued entirely in every part of Wales, and the Welsh have been for some generations now, and to their credit still are, the most strict Sabbatarians in the world with the exception perhaps of the Scotch. The Methodists Revivalists in the eighteenth century, who greatly inveighed against Sabbath breaking, contributed towards bringing about this satisfactory state of things. The curious old Welsh Weddings, which I have endeavoured to describe in this book

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CHAPTER III. FUNERAL CUSTOMS.

CHAPTER III. FUNERAL CUSTOMS.

Formerly when it was customary to keep vigil over the dead, young men and women were glad to volunteer their services to watch the corpse during the night in order to enjoy the society of each other, and on some occasions, it seems, from what I have been told by old persons, some of the young men were rather merry before morning, and often went as far as to drink beer, and in order to pass the time good many stories were related about Corpse Candles, phantom funerals, etc., but the old Welsh Wak

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“GWYLNOS.

“GWYLNOS.

“ Gyda hyny, dyna Abel yn araf esgyn i fyny i’r simnai, ac Evan yn gofyn, ‘ Pa le yr wyt ti yn myned, Abel bach? ’ ac yntau yn ateb, ‘ Wn i ddim b’le mae’r d——l yn myned a fi. ’ Tyn-wyd ef i maes trwy y simnai. Hen lwfer gul ydoedd, yn llawn o huddugl, ac yr oedd golwg ofnadwy arno wedyn.... “ Mae nhad a’r dynion goreu yn teimlo i’r byw fod y fath beth wedi cymeryd lle yn yr ardal, ac na fu y fath beth o’r blaen er ys pymtheg mlynedd.” Translated into English the above reads as follows:— “ Shann

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“WAKE-NIGHT.

“WAKE-NIGHT.

“ Almost instantly, Abel found himself being dragged up the chimney, whereupon Evan asked ‘ Where are you going, dear Abel? ’ The latter answered, ‘ I don’t know where the d——l takes me to. ’ He was pulled out through the chimney—a narrow old luffer as it was, full of soot, and there was an awful sight on him afterwards.... “ My father and the best men feel to the very life that such a thing has taken place in the district, and they say that no such thing has taken place before for 15 years.” It

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“OFFERTORIES AT FUNERALS IN WALES.”

“OFFERTORIES AT FUNERALS IN WALES.”

Undoubtedly, this custom has survived from Pre-Reformation times, and was originally intended to compensate the Priest for praying for the Soul of the departed in Purgatory, but at present it only means a token of esteem towards the officiating Clergyman, or perhaps a tribute of respect to the departed. It was formerly customary in Wales to throw a sprig of rosemary into the grave on the coffin. The custom has been discontinued now, but it was done in the Vale of Towy, in Carmarthenshire as late

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CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S DAY CUSTOMS.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S DAY CUSTOMS.

The man was enveloped in a large white sheet, and proceeded round the houses, followed by a merry procession, singing songs and playing merry pranks, collecting Christmas boxes: “Mari Lwyd lawen, Sy’n dod o Bendarren,” etc. (Merry grey Mary, Who comes from Pendarren.) When a real skeleton could not be got, it was customary to make one of straw and rags. It seems that “Mari Lwyd” belonged more especially to Glamorganshire, yet it was well-known in Carmarthenshire also, not only in those places bo

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NEW YEAR’S DAY.

NEW YEAR’S DAY.

“Calenig i fi, calenig i’r ffon, Calenig i fytta’r noson hon; Calenig i mam am gwyro sane, Calenig i nhad am dapo sgidie. “Chwi sy’n meddi aur ac arian, Dedwydd ydych ar Ddydd Calan, Braint y rhai sy’n perchen moddion, Yw cyfranu i’r tylodion, ‘Rhwn sy a chyfoeth ac ai ceidw, Nid oes llwyddiant i’r dyn hwnw.” “Os gwelwch yn dda ga’i g’lenig?— Shar i ‘nhad a shar i mam, A shar i’r gwr bonheddig.” The following is from an old song for New Year’s Day, heard at Tregaron in Cardiganshire:— “Rhowch i

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ST. VALENTINE’S DAY.

ST. VALENTINE’S DAY.

St. David is the Patron Saint of Wales, and strange to say the only Welsh Saint in the Calendar of the Western Church (Canonized by Calixtus II.) more than five hundred years after his death. His day is celebrated on the 1st of March throughout the world where Welshmen are. In Wales there are in some places grand dinners, and speeches are made and songs sung, and at present it is customary to conduct Divine Service on the day even in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. But perhaps the most characteris

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ST. DAVID’S DAY.

ST. DAVID’S DAY.

Shrove Tuesday, which is called in Welsh Dydd Mawrth Ynyd , was formerly kept as a holiday; but not much notice is taken of the day now, except that the old custom of pancakes eating still survives in most places. Making and Eating Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. (From an Old Picture.) “Deuwch heno, fy nghyfeillion, Merched glan a’r bechgyn mwynion, A chydunwn heb un gofyd, Wneyd Crammwythau ar Nos Ynyd.” Come to-night my friends, Fair young maidens and gentle young men; And let us join without sorr

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SHROVE TUESDAY.

SHROVE TUESDAY.

The day was once also noted for foot-ball kicking in some districts, and also for throwing at cocks, that is hens which had laid no eggs before that day were threshed with a flail as being good for nothing. Mr. Williams in his excellent Welsh essay on the Folk Lore of Carmarthenshire, says that he had been informed by a middle aged person of a curious old custom of playing with eggs. Mr. Williams’s informant when a child and other children with him, had been taught by an old woman how to play so

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LENT.

LENT.

I have already, in my Chapter on Funeral Customs, referred to the beautiful old Welsh Custom of decorating the graves on Palm Sunday....

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PALM SUNDAY.

PALM SUNDAY.

Good Friday in Welsh is called “Dydd Gwener Groglith (The Lesson of the Cross Friday). Not much notice is taken at present day of the day, and the services conducted in the Parish Churches in country places are as a rule poorly attended. In former times there were many interesting customs and strange superstitions in connection with the day, especially in the South of Pembrokeshire, where there was once a custom called “Making Christ’s Bed,” which was done by gathering a quantity of long reeds f

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GOOD FRIDAY.

GOOD FRIDAY.

It is deemed essential by many people to wear some new article of dress, if only a pair of gloves or a new ribbon; for not to do so is considered unlucky, and the birds will be angry with you. It is probable that the origin of this custom is associated with Easter baptism, when a new life was assumed by the baptised, clothed in righteousness as a garment. In former times people had such respect for this day that many kept their children unbaptised till Easter Sunday, and many old men and old wom

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EASTER.

EASTER.

April fool, known in Wales as “Ffwl Ebrill,” was observed as in England, and still observed to a certain extent....

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FIRST DAY OF APRIL.

FIRST DAY OF APRIL.

The old customs and superstitions in connection with May Day are unknown in Wales in the present day, once, however, May-day dances and revelling were most popular, especially in Pembrokeshire, as the following interesting account which appeared in the “Cambrian Journal” proves:— “On May-eve, the inhabitants would turn out in troops, bearing in their hands boughs of thorn in full blossom, which were bedecked with other flowers, and then stuck outside the windows of the houses. Maypoles were rear

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MAY.

MAY.

The May-pole in Wales was called Bedwen, because it was always made of birch which is called in Welsh Bedwen, a tree associated with the gentler emotions; and as I have already observed in another chapter, to give a lover a birchen branch, is for a maiden to accept his addresses. Games of various sorts were played around the bedwen. The fame of a village depended on its not being stolen away, and parties were constantly on the alert to steal the bedwen, a feat which, when accomplished, was celeb

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A PRESENT-DAY WELSH QUEEN OF MAY.

A PRESENT-DAY WELSH QUEEN OF MAY.

The Eve of All Saints is known in Wales as “Nos Calan Gaeaf,” and in former times there were many old customs in connection with it, most of which have now disappeared. I have already given an account of the Love Charms and spells which were performed on this eve, and amongst other strange doings, the uncanny custom of going round the Church in order to see the spirit of a future husband or wife. But there was in some places another weird ceremony of going round the church at midnight, and look

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ALLHALLOW’S EVE (NOS CALAN GAEA.)

ALLHALLOW’S EVE (NOS CALAN GAEA.)

On this eve it was formerly the custom to kindle a bonfire, a practice which continued to a more recent date in the Northern part of the Principality than in the South. Besides fuel, each person present used to throw into the fire a small stone, with a mark whereby he should know it again. If he succeeded in finding the stone on the morrow, the year would be a lucky one for him, but the contrary if he failed to recover it. Those who assisted at the making of the bonfire watched until the flames

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HARVEST CUSTOMS, Etc.

HARVEST CUSTOMS, Etc.

At the close of the harvest it was an universal custom to have a harvest supper, and after the feast there was a merry time. The Rev. D. G. Williams mentions “Chware Dai Shon Goch” and “Rhibo” as favourite games on such occasions. “Chware Dai Shon Goch” was something as follows:— Two young men, or two young women would put on some old ragged clothes kept at the farm for that purpose, and thus attired would proceed to the barn where a walking-stick was given to each of the two. Then followed a mo

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CYNNOS.

CYNNOS.

Within living memory, farmers in Cardiganshire allowed poor people to glean in the fields at the seasons of harvest and ingathering, and indeed this seems to have been a general custom once in all parts of the Kingdom, and directed by the law of Moses....

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GLEANING.

GLEANING.

There was once an old custom in Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire, of making what was known as “Cwrw Bach”; that is, people met at a house on a certain evening to drink home-brewed beer, and indulge in games, in order to give the profits from the sale of it to assist helpless old people and others who were in real poverty. This is not done now, but we still hear of some farmers in Pembrokeshire, making their own beer for those who work at the harvest....

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CWRW BACH.

CWRW BACH.

Beating the Bounds of a Parish was a very old custom in Wales; and according to the Rev. George Eyre Evans, this was done at Bettws Ivan, South Cardiganshire, as late as May 22nd, 1819, when Banners were carried round the Parish on the Boundaries....

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PERAMBULATION.

PERAMBULATION.

The following extract which I translate from an introduction to a volume of Welsh Poems known as “Cerddi Cerngoch,” gives an interesting account of Sheep Shearing customs in West Wales fifty years ago:— “A great day at Blaenplwyf was the sheep shearing day, The sheep were kept for the summer at Bronbyrfe, Llanddewi Brefi, with John Jenkins. During Ffair Beder (Peter’s Fair) July 10th every year there was a “ cnaif ” (shearing). Good many were anxious to get the “ fei .” The service of about half

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SHEEP SHEARING CUSTOMS.

SHEEP SHEARING CUSTOMS.

.... After reaching Bronbyrfe, those who were responsible went in for the shearing; but the others scattered along the small brooks which were close by in order to fish; each one with his favourite tackle, hands, fly, hook and bait, etc. Hywel was by far the master. When all the others had failed with the fly and bait, Hywel would have a basketful. He was so clever with the fly—the bait according to the colour of the water.... After eating the black nourishing fish, and ending the shearing, it w

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TAI UNNOS (ONE NIGHT HOUSES).

TAI UNNOS (ONE NIGHT HOUSES).

In former times, public sarcasm and derision did much to dispel vice and reform offenders. In West Wales “Ceffyl Pren” was resorted to when a man was supposed to have been unfaithful to his wife whom he had promised to cherish, or a woman who had broken her marriage covenant. It was customary to make a straw man riding a straw horse, as an effigy to represent the guilty. Such effigies were carried round the most public places in order to make those who were guilty of breaking the Seventh Command

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THE CEFFYL PREN.

THE CEFFYL PREN.

It was customary in former times to place a dog inside a wheel which he turned with his fore-feet, the wheel being connected by a chain with the wheel end of the spit. There was a dog employed in turning the roasting-spit in this manner at Newcastle Emlyn about one hundred years ago....

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THE EMPLOYMENT OF DOGS TO TURN ROASTING-SPITS.

THE EMPLOYMENT OF DOGS TO TURN ROASTING-SPITS.

This ancient game takes its name from the ball used, which was some hard wood, and well greased for each occasion and just small enough to be grasped in one hand. Running with the ball was the chief method, and the distance between the goals was several miles. George Owen, of Henllys, in Pembrokeshire, gives a full account of Knappan, and how it was played in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and it seems that the ancient game survived the longest in the northern part of that county, and the South of

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KNAPPAN.

KNAPPAN.

“ Cryfder dan bwysau ,” or displaying strength in hurling a stone, or throwing a bar, which was one of the ancient Welsh games. Meyrick, in his “History of Cardiganshire,” writing one hundred years ago, says that casting of the bar was still continued in his time, particularly in Cardiganshire, “where the people have a meeting once a year at certain Chapels, Yspytty Ystwith, Yspytty Cenvyn, etc., for this purpose. They remain in the Chapel all night to try their activity in wrestling, all the be

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THROWING THE BAR.

THROWING THE BAR.

In South Wales, especially Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire, about seventy or eighty years ago, most curious customs were in vogue, which were intended to assist the Welsh children to learn English. In many Schools in those days, English was taught in rhymes, such as follows:— “Hearth is aelwyd , fire is tân , Cloth is brethyn , wool is gwlan , Ash is onen , oak is derwen , Holly tree is pren cerdynen , House is ty , and mill is melin , Fiddle is crwyth , and harp is telyn , River is afon , bro

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SCHOOL CUSTOMS.

SCHOOL CUSTOMS.

House is ty , and mill is melin , Fiddle is crwyth , and harp is telyn , River is afon , brook is nant , Twenty is ugnin , hundred is cant .” In order to enforce the use of the English language in Schools the Schoolmasters of those days made use of what was called the Welsh “Note,” which was a piece of stick about three or four inches long, with the letters “W.N.” marked on it, and in some places it had the following words in full: “Welsh Note, a slap for every time you speak Welsh.” This “Welsh

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THE WELSH “NOTE,” OR “NOT”.

THE WELSH “NOTE,” OR “NOT”.

A book dealing with Superstitions and popular beliefs would be incomplete without assigning a prominent place to the Fairies, or “Tylwyth Teg,” as they are called in Welsh. It is true that in Wales, as in other places, the Fairies have become things of the past; but even in the present day many old people, and perhaps others, still believe that such beings did once exist, and that the reason why they are not now to be seen is that they have been exorcised. Many of the Welsh Fairy Tales date from

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ORIGIN OF FAIRIES.

ORIGIN OF FAIRIES.

The Fairies are spoken of as people, or folk, not as myths or goblins, and yet as spirits they are immortal, and able to make themselves invisible. The most general name given them in Wales is “Y Tylwyth Teg,” (the Fair Family, or Folk); but they are known sometimes as “Bendith y Mamau” (the Mothers’ Blessing); and the term “gwragedd Annwn,” (dames of the lower regions), is often applied to the Fairy Ladies who dwelt in lakes or under lakes. Sometimes such terms as “Plant Annwn,” (children of th

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FAIRY NAMES.

FAIRY NAMES.

The Fairies were small handsome creatures in human form; very kind to, and often showered benefits on those who treated them kindly, but most revengeful towards those who dared to treat them badly. They were dressed in green, and very often in white, and some of their maidens were so beautiful, that young men sometimes would fall over head and ears in love with them, especially whilst watching them dancing on a moonlight night; for the old belief was concerning the Fairies, that on moonlight nig

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FAIRY DRESS, DWELLING, ETC.

FAIRY DRESS, DWELLING, ETC.

In the Brython, Vol. I., page 130, Gwynionydd says as follows:— “There is a tale current in Dyfed, that there is, or rather that there has been a country between Cemmes, the Northern Hundred of Pembrokeshire, and Aberdaron in Lleyn. The chief patriarch of the inhabitants was Rhys Ddwfn, and his descendants used to be called after him the Children of Rhys Ddwfn. “ They were, it is said, a handsome race enough, but remarkably small in size. It is stated that certain herbs of a strange nature grew

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LADY OF LLYN Y VAN VACH IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.

LADY OF LLYN Y VAN VACH IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.

and immediately dived under the water and disappeared, leaving the love-stricken youth to return home, a prey to disappointment and regret that he had been unable to make further acquaintance with one, in comparison with whom the whole of the fair maidens of Llanddeusant and Myddfai whom he had ever seen were as nothing. “On his return home, the young man communicated to his mother the extraordinary vision he had beheld. She advised him to take some unbaked dough or “toes” the next time in his p

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A STUDENT WHO HAD FAILED TO PASS HIS EXAMINATIONS TAUGHT BY THE FAIRIES.

A STUDENT WHO HAD FAILED TO PASS HIS EXAMINATIONS TAUGHT BY THE FAIRIES.

“When they wanted salt they said, ‘ Halgein ydorum ,’ bring salt: salt is called ‘al’ in Greek, and ‘halen’ in British, for that language, from the length of time which the Britons (then called Trojans, and afterwards Britons, from Brito, their leader), remained in Greece after the destruction of Troy, became in many instances, similar to the Greek.... “If a scrupulous inquirer asks my opinion of the relation here inserted, I answer with Augustine, ‘that the Divine miracles are to be admired, no

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THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE FAIRIES OF FRENIFAWR.

THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE FAIRIES OF FRENIFAWR.

The Rev. Z. M. Davies, Vicar of Llanfihangel Genau’r Glyn, told me that he once heard an old man in the Vale of Aeron saying that when he was out late one night, he heard the Fairies singing, and that their music was so delightful that he listened to them for hours; and we find from many of the Fairy Tales that one of their chief occupation in their nightly revels was singing and dancing, and that they often succeeded in inducing men through the allurements of music to join their ranks. The beau

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FAIRY MUSIC AND DANCING.

FAIRY MUSIC AND DANCING.

“From grasses bright, and bracken light, Come, sweet companions, come, The full moon shines, the sun declines. We’ll spend the night in fun; With playful mirth, we’ll trip the earth, To meadows green let’s go We’re full of joy, without alloy, Which mortals may not know. “Singing, singing, through the night, Dancing, dancing, with our might, Where the moon the moor doth light; Happy ever we! One and all of merry mein, Without sorrow are we seen, Singing, dancing, on the green: Gladsome ever we!”

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MR. EDWARD JONES, PENCWM, LLANRHYSTID, AND THE FAIRIES.

MR. EDWARD JONES, PENCWM, LLANRHYSTID, AND THE FAIRIES.

The following story appeared in “Cymru” for May, 1893, a Welsh Magazine, edited by Owen M. Edwards, M.A. It was written in Welsh by the late eminent Folk-Lorist, Mr. D. Lledrod Davies, and I translate it:— The farm-house called “ Allt Ddu ,” is situated about half-way between Pont Rhyd Fendigaid and Tregaron. It is said that two servant men went out of the house one evening in search for the cattle, which had gone astray. One of the men proceeded in one direction and the other in another way, so

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A FARM SERVANT NEAR TREGARON, WHO SPENT A YEAR AND A DAY WITH THE FAIRIES.

A FARM SERVANT NEAR TREGARON, WHO SPENT A YEAR AND A DAY WITH THE FAIRIES.

The following is another of the tales recorded in “ Ystraeon y Gwyll ,” by the late D. Lledrod Davies:— “There lived in an old farm house on the banks of the Teivy, a respectable family, and in order to carry on the work of the farm successfully, they kept men servants and maid servants. One afternoon, a servant-man and a servant girl went out to look for the cows, but as they were both crossing a marshy flat, the man suddenly missed the girl, and after much shouting and searching, no sound of h

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THE SERVANT GIRL WHO WAS LOST IN THE FAIRY CIRCLE.

THE SERVANT GIRL WHO WAS LOST IN THE FAIRY CIRCLE.

The following story was related to me by Mrs. Davies, Bryneithyn, in the neighbourhood of Ystrad Meurig, where the tale is well-known:— An old woman known as Nancy of Pen Gwndwn, kept a little boy servant, whom she sent one evening to the neighbouring village with a bottle to get some barm for her, and as he had to pass through a field which was frequented by the Fairies, he was told by the old woman to keep away from their circles or rings. The boy reached the village, got the barm, and in due

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THE LITTLE SERVANT BOY AND THE BARM.

THE LITTLE SERVANT BOY AND THE BARM.

In the parish of Cynwil Elvet, there is a farmhouse called Fos Anna, a place which was known to the writer of this book once when a boy:— A servant girl at this farm once went rather late in the evening to look for the cows, and, unfortunately, got into the Fairy ring, and although she had been a long period without food she did not feel hungry....

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A CARMARTHENSHIRE MAIDEN WHO GOT INTO A FAIRY RING.

A CARMARTHENSHIRE MAIDEN WHO GOT INTO A FAIRY RING.

A Carmarthenshire tradition names among those who lived for a period among the Fairies no less a person than the translator into Welsh of Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress.” “He was called Iago ap Dewi, and lived in the parish of Llanllawddog, in a cottage situated in the wood of Llangwyly. He was absent from the neighbourhood for a long period, and the universal belief among the peasantry was that Iago got out of bed one night to gaze on the starry sky, as he was accustomed (astrology being one of h

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IAGO AP DEWI AMONG THE FAIRIES SEVEN YEARS.

IAGO AP DEWI AMONG THE FAIRIES SEVEN YEARS.

This story which is similar to some of the tales I have already given as located in other parts is as follows : — A certain man of Llanedi, on one occasion long ago, went away to another neighbourhood, leading by the “penwast” (collar) a very wild and unmanageable horse; and in order to be sure not to lose his hold of the animal, the man tied the end of the collar round the middle. So both man and horse went together and got lost. After much searching the horse was found without the collar, but

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A MAN WHO WAS FOUND AMONG THE FAIRIES AT CAE CEFN PANTYDWR.

A MAN WHO WAS FOUND AMONG THE FAIRIES AT CAE CEFN PANTYDWR.

The writer of the following tale was the late Rev. Benjamin Williams (Gwynionydd), an eminent antiquarian, Folk-Lorist, and a bard, and it is to be found in Welsh in Y Brython, vol. III., page 460. It is evident that the scene of the story was West or Mid-Wales. Mr. Williams heard the tale from old people who believed in the truth of it:— “Yr oedd mab Llech y Derwydd yn unig blentyn ei rieni, ac hefyd yn etifedd y tyddyn. Yr oedd felly yn anwyl, ie, yn ddau lygad ei dad a’i fam. “ Yr oedd y pen

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SON OF LLECH Y DERWYDD AND THE FAIRIES.

SON OF LLECH Y DERWYDD AND THE FAIRIES.

“ Dywedai fod gwr Llech y Derwydd y diwrnod hwnw oddi cartref. Cafwyd gan yr hen ymwelydd fwyta bwyd; ond er mawr fraw, syrthiodd y bwytawr yn farw yn y fan. Nid oes hanes fod trengholiad wedi bod ar y corff; ond dywedai y chwedl mae yr achos oedd, iddo fwyta bwyd ar ol bod yn myd y Tylwyth Teg cyhyd. Mynodd ei hen gyfaill weled ei gladdu yn ochr ei deidiau. Bu melldith fyth, hyd y silcyn ach, yn Llech y Derwydd, o blegid sarugrwydd y wraig i’w thad-yng-nghyfraith, nes gwerthu y lle naw gwaith.”

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TAFFY AP SION OF PENCADER AMONG THE FAIRIES.

TAFFY AP SION OF PENCADER AMONG THE FAIRIES.

Another story very similar to the one I have just given is the legend of Shon ap Shenkin, which was related to Mr. Sikes by a farmer’s wife near the reputed scene of the tale, that is the locality of Pant Shon Shenkin, the famous centre of Carmarthenshire Fairies:— “Shon ap Shenkin was a young man who lived hard by Pant Shon Shenkin. As he was going afield early one fine summer’s morning he heard a little bird singing, in a most enchanting strain, on a tree close by his path. Allured by the melo

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SHON AP SHENKIN SEDUCED BY FAIRY MUSIC.

SHON AP SHENKIN SEDUCED BY FAIRY MUSIC.

Mr. Ernest Rhys in the present day sings:— “O, the birds of Rhiannon they sing time away,— Seven years in their singing are gone like a day.” In the region of myth and romance Rhiannon, the songs of whose birds were so enchanting, was the daughter of Heveydd Hen, who by her magic arts foiled her powerful suitor, Gwawl ap Clud, and secured as her consort the man of her choice, Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed. In Welsh Mythology several members of the kingly families are represented as playing the role of

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A LLANRHYSTYD MAID LOST AMONG THE FAIRIES.

A LLANRHYSTYD MAID LOST AMONG THE FAIRIES.

“Shui was a beautiful girl of seventeen, tall and fair, with a skin like ivory, hair black and curling, and eyes of dark velvet. She was but a poor farmer’s daughter, notwithstanding her beauty, and among her duties was that of driving up the cows for the milking. Over this work she used to loiter sadly, to pick flowers by the way, or chase the butterflies, or amuse herself in any agreeable manner that fortune offered. For her loitering she was often chided, indeed, people said Shui’s mother was

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SHUI RHYS AND THE FAIRIES.

SHUI RHYS AND THE FAIRIES.

One Robert Burton, in his “History of the Principality of Wales,” published 215 years ago, says:—“John Lewes, Esq., a Justice of Peace at Glankerrig, near Aberystwyth, in this county, in the year 1656, by several letters to Mr. B. A., late worthy divine deceased, gives an account of several strange apparitions in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, and this county (Cardiganshire), about that time, confirmed by divers persons of good quality and reputation the substance of whereof are as followeth. A

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FAIRIES COMING INTO THE BEDROOM OF A HOUSE NEAR ABERYSTWYTH.

FAIRIES COMING INTO THE BEDROOM OF A HOUSE NEAR ABERYSTWYTH.

A very old man named John Jones, who lives at Llanddeiniol, about six miles from Aberystwyth, informed me that many years ago, when he was a young man, or a lad of 18, he was engaged as a servant at a farm called Perthrhys, in that neighbourhood. One evening after supper he went to the tailor who was making him a suit of clothes; but as the clothes were not quite ready he had to wait till a late hour before returning home, but it was a delightful moonlight night. As he proceeded along a lonely p

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A SERVANT OF PERTHRHYS, LLANDDEINIOL, AND THE WHITE FAIRIES.

A SERVANT OF PERTHRHYS, LLANDDEINIOL, AND THE WHITE FAIRIES.

A man named Timothy in the parish of Llanarth, Cardiganshire, told me that an old woman known as Nancy Tynllain and her son, Shenkin Phillips, had seen the Tylwyth Teg (fairies) on one occasion. Nancy died over sixty years ago. She and her son one day left home rather early in the morning, as they were going to Cynon’s Fair, and had some distance to go. As they proceeded on their horses in the direction of Wilgarn, they saw the Fairies, mounted on small horses, galloping round and round as in a

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NANCY TYNLLAIN AND HER SON SEEING FAIRIES ON HORSES.

NANCY TYNLLAIN AND HER SON SEEING FAIRIES ON HORSES.

Elias, Forch y Cwm, who was a servant man in the same neighbourhood, was one day ploughing on the field, but when he happened to look about he perceived the Fairies on Bank-Cwmpridd, and coming towards him. The man ran home in terror from the field, and this was in broad daylight. The late Mr. T. Compton Davies, Aberayron, an eminent Folk-Lorist, related to me the following two stories, and informed me that he had already written them in Welsh for “Cymru,” in which excellent periodical they appe

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ELIAS, FORCH Y CWM AND THE FAIRIES.

ELIAS, FORCH Y CWM AND THE FAIRIES.

About the year 1860, a builder from Aberayron, in Cardiganshire, was erecting a Vicarage at Nantcwnlle, about nine miles from Aberayron, not far from Llangeitho. There was a certain man there employed as a painter, whose name was John Davies, a harmless and superstitious character, who once had been an exciseman, afterwards a carpenter, and at last became a painter, though he did not shine in either of the two trades. He was however, a brilliant musician, and belonged to a musical family. He was

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THE CARDIGANSHIRE PAINTER AND MUSICIAN, WHO PLAYED HIS FLUTE TO THE FAIRY LADIES AND NEARLY SECURED ONE OF THEM AS A WIFE.

THE CARDIGANSHIRE PAINTER AND MUSICIAN, WHO PLAYED HIS FLUTE TO THE FAIRY LADIES AND NEARLY SECURED ONE OF THEM AS A WIFE.

Mr. Compton Davies, also informed me that there were two men in his neighbourhood who had seen the Fairies about 45 years ago, and he directed me to go and see them so as to hear everything from their own lips. One of them, David Evans, Red Lion, lives at Aberayron, and the other Evan Lewis is a farmer near Mydroilyn, in the parish of Llanarth. I went to see both of them, and they gave me a full account of what they had seen which was something as follows:— In August, 1862, David Evans and Evan

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TWO MEN WHO SAW THE FAIRIES IN CARMARTHENSHIRE DANCING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

TWO MEN WHO SAW THE FAIRIES IN CARMARTHENSHIRE DANCING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

In the interesting small valley of Cwm Mabws, near Llanrhystyd, nine miles from Aberystwyth, there is a rocky spot known as Craig Rhydderch. Even within the memory of some who are still alive, the caves of Craig Rhydderch were the favourite haunts of the Fairies, where these mysterious beings were thought to dwell, or at least pass through to the underground regions. The Fairies of this part were, it was supposed, some kind of spirits or supernatural beings, and were often seen in the Valley of

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THE FAIRIES OF CWM MABWS, SEEN DRIVING IN THEIR CARRIAGES.

THE FAIRIES OF CWM MABWS, SEEN DRIVING IN THEIR CARRIAGES.

There is a curious tradition that early one Easter Monday, when the parishioners of Pencarreg and Caio were met to play at football, they saw a numerous company of Fairies dancing. Being so many in number, the young men were not intimidated at all, but proceeded in a body towards the puny tribe, who perceiving them, removed to another place. The young men followed, whereupon the little folk suddenly disappeared dancing at the first place. Seeing this, the men divided and surrounded them, when th

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FAIRIES AND FOOTBALLERS.

FAIRIES AND FOOTBALLERS.

It was formerly believed in some parts of West Wales, especially by the people dwelling near the sea coast, that the Fairies visited markets and fairs, and that their presence made business very brisk. I have already referred to the “Gwerddonau Llion,” or the enchanted “Isles of the Sea,” inhabited by Fairy Tribes. These Fairies, it was believed, went to and fro between the islands and shore, through a subterranean gallery under the bottom of the sea, and regularly attended the markets at Milfor

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FAIRIES MARKETING.

FAIRIES MARKETING.

Mr. B. Davies in the II. Vol. of the “Brython,” page 182, gives the following tale of a Fairy Changeling in the neighbourhood of Newcastle Emlyn, in the Vale of Teifi, and on the borders of Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire:— “One calm hot day, when the sun of heaven was brilliantly shining, and the hay in the dales was being busily made by lads and lasses, and by grown-up people of both sexes, a woman in the neighbourhood of Emlyn placed her one-year-old infant in the “ gader ” or chair, as the

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FAIRY CHANGELINGS.

FAIRY CHANGELINGS.

The Rev. Elias Owen’s translation of the above is as follows:— “Many a lovely child they’ve taken, When long and bitter was the pain; From their parents, loving, dear, To the Fairies’ dread domain.” Another popular mode of treatment resorted to in order to reclaim children from the Fairies, and to get rid of ugly changelings was as follows:—The mother was to carry the changeling to a river, and when at the brink, the wizard who accompanied her was to cry out:— “Crap ar y wrach”— (A grip on the h

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HOW TO DETECT CHANGELINGS.

HOW TO DETECT CHANGELINGS.

An old man named Evan Morris, Goginan, informed me that a farmer in the Vale of Rheidol one day found a sixpence on the top of a gate-post. On the next day he found a shilling there, and on the day after two shillings, the sum was doubled every day till the man was beginning to get rich. At last, however, the farmer told his family or his friends about his good luck, and after this he got no more money, as the Fairies were offended that he did not keep the thing secret. The following story is to

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FAIRY MOTHERS AND HUMAN MIDWIVES.

FAIRY MOTHERS AND HUMAN MIDWIVES.

Miss Evelyn Lewes, Tyglyn Aeron, in the “Carmarthenshire Antiquities” says, “Should the dough not rise properly, but present a stringy appearance, the Cardiganshire housewife announces that “ Mae bara yn robin ,” and forthwith orders the sacrifice of an old slipper, presumably to propitiate the fairy folk who are inclined to play tricks with the oven.... A native of Montgomeryshire tells me that in her youth no loaf at her home was ever placed in the oven unless a cross had been previously signe

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FAIRY GLOVES.

FAIRY GLOVES.

Knockers were supposed to be a species of Fairies which haunted the mines, and underground regions, and whose province it was to indicate by knocks and other sounds, the presence of rich veins of ore. That miners in former times did really believe in the existence of such beings is quite evident from the following two letters written by Lewis Morris (great grandfather of Sir Lewis Morris the poet) in October 14th, 1754, and December 4th, 1754. They appeared in Bingley’s North Wales, Vol . II., p

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FAIRY KNOCKERS.

FAIRY KNOCKERS.

“You remember the story in Selden’s Table-Talk of Sir Robert Cotton and others disputing about Moses’s shoe. Lady Cotton came in and asked, ‘Gentlemen, are you sure it is a shoe?’ So the first thing is to convince mankind that there is a set of creatures, a degree or so finer than we are, to whom we have given the name of “knockers” from the sounds we hear in our mines. This is to be done by a collection of their actions well attested, and that is what I have begun to do, and then let everyone j

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A STORY OF PONT EINION (EINION BRIDGE) TREGARON.

A STORY OF PONT EINION (EINION BRIDGE) TREGARON.

The lady of the house recognised him at once as her husband. Then turning to the young bridegroom to whom she was engaged to be married, addressed him thus:—“You may go now, as my husband has come home to me once more.” A short time after my visit to Mr. J. Jones, Pontrhydfendigaid, I went to Tregaron, where I found out from Mr. Jenkin Lloyd (formerly of Pant), and others, that the story of Pont Einion (Einion Bridge) was well-known in the neighbourhood, but that Einion during the many years he

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MERMAIDS.

MERMAIDS.

Mr. Lewis, Henbant, an old man who lives in the neighbourhood of Llanarth, Cardiganshire, told me the following tale five years ago, though I am indebted for some particulars to the Rev. D. Lewis, Vicar of Llansantffread:—In times gone by a mermaid was often seen on a rock known as Careg Ina, near New Quay. One day this sea creature became entangled in the nets of some fishermen who were out fishing some considerable distance from the land. She entreated the men to disentangle her, and allow her

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THE MERMAID AND THE FISHERMEN.

THE MERMAID AND THE FISHERMEN.

The following tale appeared in Welsh fifty years ago in “Y Brython,” Vol. I. page 73; and the writer was the late eminent Welshman Gwynionydd, father of the present Vicar of Lledrod:— “On a fine afternoon in September in the beginning of the last century, a fisherman named Pergrin proceeded to a recess in the rock near Pen Cemmes, (Pembrokeshire), and found there a mermaid doing her hair, and he took the water lady prisoner to his boat. We cannot imagine why the lady had not been more on her gua

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THE FISHERMEN OF LLANDUDOCH AND THE MERMAID.

THE FISHERMEN OF LLANDUDOCH AND THE MERMAID.

The following tale appeared in the interesting Welsh Magazine “Seren Gomer,” for June, 1823:— “Yn mis Gorphenaf, 1826, ffarmwr o blwyf Llanuwchaiarn, yn nghylch tair milltir o Aberystwyth, ty anedd yr hwn sydd o fewn i 300 llath o lan y mor, a aeth i wared i’r creigiau, pan yr oedd yr haul yn cyfodi ac yn pelydru yn hyfryd ar y mor, a gwelai fenyw (fel y tybiai) yn ymolchi yn y mor, o fewn i dafliad carreg ato; ar y cyntaf efe o wylder a aeth yn ei ol, ond ar adfyfyriad meddyliodd na fuasai un f

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A MERMAID SEEN NEAR ABERYSTWYTH.

A MERMAID SEEN NEAR ABERYSTWYTH.

One night Evan y Gweydd found himself speaking with a Spirit who appeared to him in the form of a gentleman outside the house. The gentleman asked him whether he would do one thing at his request. “Yes, if I can,” said Evan, in reply. “That is a promise which must be kept,” said the spirit , “and thou shalt have no peace until thou hast performed it; name the time and sooner the better.” Evan said, “three weeks to to-night.” “Very well,” said the Spirit, and off it went. Poor Evan by this began

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THE WEAVER OF LLANSADWRN TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE AIR BY A SPIRIT.

THE WEAVER OF LLANSADWRN TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE AIR BY A SPIRIT.

An old man named John Jones, who lives at Pontrhydfendigaid, informed me that a ghost which haunted a farm between Pontrhydfendigaid and Tregaron, was engaged in the dangerous game of stone-throwing to the great discomfort of the family. There are several such stories in different parts of the country . I found the following strange tale in an old Welsh book entitled, “Golwg ar y Byd,” written by the Rev. D. Lewis, Vicar of Llangattwg, Glamorganshire, and printed at Carmarthen in 1725: “Yn mhlwy

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CHWEDL AM YSPRYD.

CHWEDL AM YSPRYD.

For the benefit of those who are unable to read Welsh, I give the following translation of the above account:— In the parish of Llangeler, Carmarthenshire, May 21st., 1719, a spirit, which continued for some time, began to throw stones at those who were in the field. On Thursday in Whitsun week, at eight in the morning, the thrashing began (at a farm) and at the same time he (the spirit) began to throw stones. At first it was one of the men who were thrashing that noticed a stone descending on t

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A STORY OF A GHOST THROWING STONES AT LLANGELER.

A STORY OF A GHOST THROWING STONES AT LLANGELER.

In some of the places supposed to be haunted there are often traditions of buried treasures in connection with such spots. In some of the stories the ghost haunts some particular person only, and never gives him rest till its purpose is accomplished. Mr. Hall, in his most valuable and interesting “Book of South Wales” gives a tale of: This man had no peace night or day, for the “White Lady” appeared to him with an agonizing expression of countenance, at unexpected times, and unexpected places. O

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A CARPENTER WHO WAS HAUNTED BY A “WHITE LADY.”

A CARPENTER WHO WAS HAUNTED BY A “WHITE LADY.”

Broginin is a farm house where the famous Welsh Bard, Dafydd Ap Gwilym was born, and situated six miles from Aberystwyth in Cardiganshire. Some years ago the respectable and industrious family who lived there at the time, were often disturbed by some unearthly being who generally made his appearance in the depth of night, as it is the case with spirits. This unwelcome visitor aroused the whole family by walking up and down the stairs, or from one room into another. Sometimes he closed the doors

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THE “WHITE LADY” OF BROGININ, OR A GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN MONEY TO A YOUNG LOVER.

THE “WHITE LADY” OF BROGININ, OR A GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN MONEY TO A YOUNG LOVER.

Crosswood Park, the fine residence of my esteemed young friend the Earl of Lisburne, is situated about nine miles from Aberystwyth. About two miles from the Park is a bridge over the river Ystwyth, known as Pont Llanafan (Llanafan Bridge). This bridge is supposed to be haunted, and I have been told that a ghost has been seen there lately by a gentleman who lives in the district. Mr. John Jones, an old man of 95, who lives at Pontrhydfendigaid, informed me that the origin of this ghost is to be t

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A GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN TREASURE TO A FARMER IN THE PARISH OF LLANAFAN.

A GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN TREASURE TO A FARMER IN THE PARISH OF LLANAFAN.

Glanfread is a respectable farm house, but in former days it was a mansion of some note, situated in the North of Cardiganshire. In connection with Glanfread there is a ghost tale, and I found the best version of it in a Welsh manuscript kindly lent me by Dr. James, Lodge Park, Talybont:— Once upon a time there lived at this house an old gentleman whose two nieces on one occasion came to spend with him their Christmas holidays at Glanfread. One evening, the two young ladies, who were sisters, an

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THE GLANFREAD FAWR GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN MONEY TO THE HOUSEMAID.

THE GLANFREAD FAWR GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN MONEY TO THE HOUSEMAID.

There is a story in Radnorshire, that a palace not far from the neighbourhood of Abbey Cwm Hir, was once haunted by a Spirit, which appeared in various forms and made such terrible noise that no one cared to live in the house for a long time. At last, however, a young gentleman who had newly married had the courage to face the ghost, and discovered most valuable treasures which had been hidden in the ground near the house. The spot where the gold had been buried was pointed out to the young man

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A GHOST APPEARING TO POINT OUT HIDDEN TREASURE IN RADNORSHIRE.

A GHOST APPEARING TO POINT OUT HIDDEN TREASURE IN RADNORSHIRE.

The following ghost story is recorded in the autobiography of the grandfather of the late Mr. Thomas Wright, the eminent Shropshire antiquary:— It had been for some time reported in the neighbourhood that a poor unmarried woman, who was a member of the Methodist Society, and had become serious under their ministry, had seen and conversed with the apparition of a gentleman, who had made a strange discovery to her. Mr. Hampson (a preacher among the Methodists about the end of the 18th century) bei

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THE POWIS CASTLE GHOST STORY.

THE POWIS CASTLE GHOST STORY.

An old woman in Pembrokeshire informed me that the scene of the above tale was a house in the neighbourhood of Letterston. Another story of this class appeared in an interesting little Welsh book entitled “ Ysten Sioned ,” published by Hughes and Son, Wrexham. There was a farmhouse in a certain part of West Wales, in which a large and respectable family lived. But there was one room in the house haunted by a troublesome spirit which often cried out in a mournful voice, “ Hir yw’r dydd, a hir yw’

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THE SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN APPEARING TO A LITTLE GIRL AT PONTSHAN.

THE SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN APPEARING TO A LITTLE GIRL AT PONTSHAN.

A woman named Mrs. M. Davies, who lives in the small village of Llanybri, in Carmarthenshire, informed me that her mother when a young woman, was going home one evening to Llanybri, on a moonlight night. As she walked along, to her great surprise, she saw an old woman known in the neighbourhood as Rachel Y Gweydd, or the weaver, sitting by the roadside and busily engaged in knitting a stocking. The young woman ran home as fast as she could and told her mother what she had seen. “Och y fi” said h

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SPIRIT OF A LIVING WOMAN SEEN ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT, NEAR LLANYBRI IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.

SPIRIT OF A LIVING WOMAN SEEN ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT, NEAR LLANYBRI IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.

Mrs. Weekes’s mother, when a young girl, living with her parents near Llanybri, Carmarthen, went out one evening to fetch some water from a well close by, and she saw, as she thought, Thomas of Felin Gwm standing near the hedge. “Thomas?” says she, “what do you want here?” The man vanished into nothing all at once, and so she perceived that it was his spirit she had seen. Thomas was in love with her, but she had refused to have anything to do with him. The following tale appeared in “Welsh Folk-

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TALE OF A DOCTOR.

TALE OF A DOCTOR.

“ I may add that the personal appearance of this gentleman corresponded with the description given of him by Mrs. Evans.” I heard the following story in the neighbourhood of Llanddewi, about my own grandfather, the late Mr. John Evans , of Gogoyan, who died about fifty-five years ago. (The “Hiriaid Gogoyan” were descended from Gruffydd Hir o Llanfair , great-great-grandson of Gwaethfoed); so saith Gwynionydd, in his book on “Enwogion Ceredigion.” But now for the story:— Mr. Evans one day had gon

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SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN IN A FIELD.

SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN IN A FIELD.

“Many years ago at a farm called Ystradteilo, near the pretty village of Llanrhystyd in Cardiganshire, the servant girl was sent to the field to fetch home the cows for milking, and while in the field she saw her master doing something there. The master’s name was Williams, and he was a near relation to the eminent scholar Rev. E. Williams, M.A., of Lampeter. When, however, the servant girl returned home, she was astonished to find her master in the house. ‘ How in the world did you come home so

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“YSFRYD DYN BYW.

“YSFRYD DYN BYW.

Mr. Thomas Stephens, an intelligent old man in the neighbourhood of Mydroilyn, in the Parish of Llanarth, Cardiganshire, informed me that between 60 and 70 years ago his father, John Stephens, when a young man , was coming home late one evening after spending a few hours of pleasant time with the young woman of his affection at a neighbouring farm. As he was walking along a lonely lane, to his great surprise, he heard the sound of some one throwing stones about in a field which he was passing by

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SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN THROWING STONES.

SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN THROWING STONES.

A very old man named Thomas Ticker, who lives at the small village of Llanybri, gave me the following remarkable account:— Many years ago when one William Thomas, Pengelly Isaf, Llangynog, was a little boy of ten or twelve years of age, his mother died. One day the boy in great sorrow went out into a field which was quite close to the house, and wept bitterly, almost breaking his heart. Suddenly, the spirit of his dead mother appeared to him in a white dress, telling him not to cry , “because” s

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THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD MOTHER APPEARING TO HER BOY-SON AT LLANGYNOG, CARMARTHENSHIRE.

THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD MOTHER APPEARING TO HER BOY-SON AT LLANGYNOG, CARMARTHENSHIRE.

About ninety years ago one Mrs. D. Thomas, Llanfair, Llandyssul, had a daughter who was very promising, and her mother was so fond of her. She was sent to the well-known school of the celebrated Mr. Davis of Castell Howell. Unfortunately, however, the girl died, to the great sorrow of her poor mother who bewailed her loss day and night. But one day when the old lady was out in the potato field, the spirit of her dead daughter appeared suddenly to her, and spoke to her mother with severe looks: “

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THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD DAUGHTER APPEARING TO THE MOTHER.

THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD DAUGHTER APPEARING TO THE MOTHER.

The following story was related to me by Mr. Brutus Davies, who died at Aberystwyth about two years ago, and who vouched for the truth of the account:— About seventy years ago a certain man who was working on the Estate of Col. —— in the parish of Llangeler, Carmarthenshire, had buried his first wife and had married again. He had several children from his first wife, but not one from the second. One particular day, the children went out to play as they often did. When they came to a certain spot

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THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD MOTHER APPEARING TO HER CHILDREN.

THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD MOTHER APPEARING TO HER CHILDREN.

About sixty years ago, the dead body of a little baby was found in a hole or an old mine shaft, known till the present day as “ Shaft y plentyn ” (the child’s shaft), and as the people of the neighbourhood of Talybont guessed who its mother was, there was a rumour that both she and her family were haunted by the child’s ghost. This ghost also, it is said, wandered about at night, and its bitter crying disturbed the whole neighbourhood, till many timid people were afraid to go out after dark. My

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ALLT Y CRIB GHOST, NEAR TALYBONT.

ALLT Y CRIB GHOST, NEAR TALYBONT.

It was an old belief among the Welsh people in former times that the spirit of a suicide was doomed to walk the earth as a punishment. Several versions of the well-known Kidwely Legend have already appeared, but a book of West Wales Folk-Lore would be incomplete without it. Sir Elidir Ddu was a Lord of Kidwely. He had two sons, Griffith and Rhys, and one beautiful daughter named Nest. The Crusades had been proclaimed, and this Elidir Ddu was preparing to depart, and accompanied by his youngest s

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THE GHOST OF PONT-Y-GWENDRAETH, NEAR KIDWELY IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.

THE GHOST OF PONT-Y-GWENDRAETH, NEAR KIDWELY IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.

Mr. Innes, in “Old Llanelly,” page 145, says:— “The ghost of Lady Mansel ‘walked’ and haunted Old Stradey House,” and “Llanelly House probably had had ghosts for it is certain that spirits may be found there even now; and an old man has recently made a statement that when a boy he slept in the Stepney Mansion; but as he ascended to his room he heard the rustling brocade of a lady’s dress in an apparently empty corridor. “ This lady during the night played upon an organ built up in one of the thi

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HAUNTED MANSIONS OF LLANELLY, CARMARTHENSHIRE.

HAUNTED MANSIONS OF LLANELLY, CARMARTHENSHIRE.

An old man named Griffiths, who is 96 years of age, and lives at ’Renallt Farm, near Carmarthen, gave me the following ghost story concerning his own father. William Griffiths (my informant’s father), when a young man, nearly a hundred years ago, was engaged as a servant at a farm called Pontiauar, in the Parish of Llanpumpsaint. William had been out late one night to see the young woman of his affection, and having enjoyed the pleasure of love for some hours, he returned home about three o’cloc

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A GHOST HAUNTING A YOUNG LOVER WHO WAS OUT LATE AT NIGHT, NEAR ALLTWALIS IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.

A GHOST HAUNTING A YOUNG LOVER WHO WAS OUT LATE AT NIGHT, NEAR ALLTWALIS IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.

Sometimes we hear of ghosts at sea, and the following account of a Ghost on board H.M.S. “Asp,” which was written by Capt. Alldridge, R.N., Commander of that vessel, appeared in the “Pembroke County Guardian,” February 16th, 1901. March 15th, 1867. My dear Sir,—I herewith readily comply with your request as far as I am able, respecting the unaccountable “apparition” on board my ship. Call it ghost or what you will, still I assure you that which I am going to relate is what really did take place,

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A PEMBROKESHIRE GHOST HAUNTING A SHIP.

A PEMBROKESHIRE GHOST HAUNTING A SHIP.

He recommenced reading, and once more began the mysterious noise. I felt sure there was some drunken person there whom my officer had overlooked, and accordingly rose and looked myself, and to my very disagreeable surprise found the cabin empty! After this evening, the noises became very frequent, varying in kind and in degree. Sometimes it was as though the seats and lockers were being banged about, sometimes it sounded as though decanters and tumblers were being clashed together. During these

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A SPIRIT ON HORSEBACK.

A SPIRIT ON HORSEBACK.

Sometimes we hear of haunted caves, where spirits are said to be seen or heard. One of such places is the Green Bridge Cave, near Pendine, Carmarthenshire. There is a story in the neighbourhood that long ago an old fiddler entered once into this cave with his fiddle and a lighted candle to see his way, and that his candle went out when he was in, so that he failed to find his way out of the cave again. He is heard there sometimes, so it is said, playing his fiddle. Near Llandyssul, in Cardigansh

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A SPIRIT IN A RIVER.

A SPIRIT IN A RIVER.

It is not, often we hear in Wales of Good Spirits appearing; but the Rev. Edmund Jones in his “Relation of Apparitions,” a curious old book published some generations ago, gives the following narrative of Apparitions of Good Spirits:— ——“There lived at a place called Pante, which is between Carmarthen and Laugharne towns, one Mr. David Thomas, a holy man, who worship the Lord with great devotion and humility; he was also a gifted brother, and sometimes preached. On a certain night, for the sake

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APPARITIONS OF GOOD SPIRITS.

APPARITIONS OF GOOD SPIRITS.

There are several legends in West and Mid-Wales, especially in Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire, in which spirits or some other mysterious powers, play a prominent part in the removal of Churches from one site to another. I am indebted for the following to the Rev. H. M. Williams, Vicar of Lledrod:— There is a tradition in the parish of Llanddeusant, that the parish church was to have been built at first at Twynllanan, in the centre of the parish; but the stones that were put up during the day

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LLANDDEUSANT (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

LLANDDEUSANT (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

The Rev. Professor Tyrrell Green, St. David’s College, Lampeter, writes to me thus:— “Jonathan Williams in his History of Radnorshire, p. 194, ed., 1859, says that near Llanbister Church is a piece of land on which it was originally intended to have erected the Church, but tradition reports that the accomplishment of this design was prevented by the intervention of supernatural agency. “The tradition that a supernatural being carried away in the night whatever was built of the church during the

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LLANBISTER CHURCH (RADNORSHIRE).

LLANBISTER CHURCH (RADNORSHIRE).

For the following legend, I am indebted to Mr. Prys Williams, Y. Wenallt, an eminent antiquarian in the southern part of Cardiganshire:— The intended original site of the Church of Penbryn, according to tradition, was Penlon Moch, near Sarnau, where now stands St. John’s Mission Church; but all the materials they brought there, and built in the course of the day, were removed during the night by invisible hands to where it now stands. There is a similar tradition concerning Bettws Ifan. When the

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LLANWINIO (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

LLANWINIO (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

In the middle of the parish there is a field called Park y Fonwent, where, according to local tradition, the church was to have been originally built, but the stones brought to the spot during the day, were removed by invisible hands during the night to the spot where the present church now stands, accompanied by a voice saying, “ Llangan, dyma’r fan ,” (Llangan, here is the spot).—See Arch. Cam., 1872....

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LLANGAN (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

LLANGAN (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

Not far from Pendine, Carmarthenshire, is a field called Church Park, a short distance to the west from the church . In this field it was intended at first to build the church, but invisible spirits during the night removed both stones and mortar to the spot where the church now stands. There is also a tradition that two giants were buried in the field. Llangeler parish is in Carmarthenshire, and on the borders of Cardiganshire. There is a tradition in the district that it was at first intended

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LLANGELER CHURCH.

LLANGELER CHURCH.

The parish church of Llanfihangel Geneu’r Glyn, is situated about five miles north of Aberystwyth, and it is seen from the train. About a mile from the church and the village, there is a respectable farm house, named Glanfread, or Glanfread-fawr which belongs to the Gogerddan Estate. It is evident that Glanfread was a place of importance once, and long ago gentry lived there, and it was the birthplace of Edward Llwyd, the author of Archæoligia Britanica. It is also believed that the house receiv

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LLANFIHANGEL GENEU’R GLYN.

LLANFIHANGEL GENEU’R GLYN.

The above tradition was related to me by Lady Hills-Johnes, of Dolaucothy, an intelligent lady who has been a friend to me for nearly twenty years. The late Bishop Thirwall wanted Lady Hills-Johnes to write a book on the Legends of Wales. Llanfihangel, of course, is the Welsh for St. Michael, or rather Michael’s Church; but as the early Welsh Christians generally dedicated their churches to Welsh Saints, it seems probable that the ancient name of this church was Llanfread; and the name of the fa

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LLANWENOG.

LLANWENOG.

That some of these tales have had their origin in primitive times, even anterior to Christianity, is probable. In many of the Welsh Ghost Stories, the spirit or ghost was supposed to have been none other than the evil one himself. The visible appearance of his satanic majesty was quite as common in Wales as in other countries, though, strange to say, he is often depicted as an inferior in cunning and intellect to a shrewd old woman, or a bright-witted Welshman, as the following two curious stori

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THE LEGEND OF THE DEVIL’S BRIDGE IN CARDIGANSHIRE.

THE LEGEND OF THE DEVIL’S BRIDGE IN CARDIGANSHIRE.

Once upon a time the devil was offended with the people of Pentre-Cwrt, in Carmarthenshire, and decided to drown them. One day in order to do this mischief the Evil One was seen going along with a big shovelful of mound; and when he came to the parish of Llandyssul in Cardiganshire, which was only about two miles from Pentre-Cwrt, he met with a cobbler who carried a very large bundle of old shoes. After saluting the devil the cobbler asked him to where did he intend taking the shovelful of mound

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PENTRE-CWRT FOLK AND THE DEVIL.

PENTRE-CWRT FOLK AND THE DEVIL.

When I was in North Pembrokeshire a few years ago, I was told by several old people in the village of Eglwyswrw that the Evil One sometimes was to be seen at Yet Wen in that neighbourhood; occasionally as a “white lady,” but more often as a white cat. The people of the same village informed me that Yet Wen, Pen’rallt, was also a favourite resort of the devil, and that a woman once in passing the spot at night, shouted “Come out you d——l,” and the next moment a white cat appeared. Nags Head, in t

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THE EVIL ONE APPEARING AT NAG’S HEAD IN THE FORM OF A DOG.

THE EVIL ONE APPEARING AT NAG’S HEAD IN THE FORM OF A DOG.

A black calf was supposed to haunt a stream that flowed across the road that leads from Narberth in Pembrokeshire to the adjacent village Cold Blow. People returning late that way were sure to get frightened as they passed and, as a consequence, they would go a long distance out of their way to avoid the haunted stream. One night, or rather early morning, two villagers were going home from a fair caught the terrible calf and took it home, locking it up safely with some cattle, but it had vanishe

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A GHOST SEEN IN THE FORM OF A CALF IN CARDIGANSHIRE.

A GHOST SEEN IN THE FORM OF A CALF IN CARDIGANSHIRE.

Sir John Williams, Bart, now of Aberystwyth, informed me that when a boy in the neighbourhood of Gwynfi, Carmarthenshire, he often heard some of the old people speak of a ghost which haunted the road in that part of the country in former times. This ghost was known as “Bwci,” and always assumed the form of a horse. It is an old belief of the Celts that demons assumed the form of horses, and one of these mythic beings was the Water Horse, so well-known in North Scotland. It was also known in Wale

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THE GWYLLGI, OR DOG OF DARKNESS.

THE GWYLLGI, OR DOG OF DARKNESS.

Giraldus Cambrensis in his Itinerary through Wales (Bohn’s edition, page 110) says:— “In the province of Pembrock (Pembroke), another instance occurred, about the same time, of a spirit’s appearing in the house of Elidore de Stakepole, not only sensibly, but visibly, under the form of a red-haired young man, who called himself Simon. First seizing the keys from the person to whom they were entrusted, he impudently assumed the steward’s office, which he managed so prudently and providently, that

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“A DEMON STEWARD.”

“A DEMON STEWARD.”

For the following tale I am indebted to Mr. T. C. Evans (Cadrawd) the eminent antiquarian and folk-lorist of Llangynwyd: “Once upon a time there lived a fair and gentle maiden in the neighbourhood of the Demon’s Rock, who often wandered out in the sunset and balmy summer evenings to meet her lover, and would return with her countenance radiant with joy, and the bright light of inexpressible rapture beaming in her love-lighted eye. Evening after evening would she stray out alone to the trysting p

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A DEMON TEMPTING A YOUNG MAIDEN IN GOWER.

A DEMON TEMPTING A YOUNG MAIDEN IN GOWER.

The late Rev. Elias Owen, “Welsh Folk-Lore,” page 152, Vicar of Llanyblodwel, received the following tale from his deceased friend, the Rev. J. L. Davies, late Rector of Llangynog, who had obtained it from William Davies, the man who figures in the story:— “William Davies, Penrhiw, near Aberystwyth, went to England for the harvest, and after having worked there about three weeks, he returned home alone, with all possible haste, as he knew that his father-in-law’s fields were by this time ripe fo

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SATAN AND SABBATH BREAKERS; OR THE “OLD GENTLEMAN” APPEARING IN MANY FORMS TO A MAN WHO TRAVELLED ON SUNDAY.

SATAN AND SABBATH BREAKERS; OR THE “OLD GENTLEMAN” APPEARING IN MANY FORMS TO A MAN WHO TRAVELLED ON SUNDAY.

“ Davies ever afterwards was a strict observer of the Sabbath.” A writer in the Arch. Cam., 1850, page 73, says:— In the Churchyard of Llanarth, near Aberaeron, on the South side of the Church, there is an inscribed stone (not hitherto published) of the twelfth century. It bears a cross covering the stone with four circular holes at the junction of the arms. The inscription is on the lower limb of the cross; but as it is made of a micaceous sandstone, part has been split off, and the inscription

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THE DEVIL AND LLANARTH CHURCH.

THE DEVIL AND LLANARTH CHURCH.

In some parts, especially on the borders of Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire, it is believed that any one carrying a knife in his hands, will never see or be troubled by a spirit, even when passing a haunted spot in the depth of night. When staying for a short time in the parish of Llandyssul about five years ago, I was told that there lived a few years ago a certain man in the village of Pontshan in that parish, who, when coming home late one night, saw a ghost on the roadside whilst passing a

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HOW TO GET RID OF GHOSTS, SPIRITS, GOBLINS, AND DEVILS, ETC.

HOW TO GET RID OF GHOSTS, SPIRITS, GOBLINS, AND DEVILS, ETC.

Penpompren Plas is a small mansion near Talybont in North Cardiganshire. The late Mr. John Jones, Bristol House, informed me that there was a spirit there once troubling the family, and the servants, and especially the head servant who had no peace as the ghost followed the poor man everywhere whenever he went out at night, and often threw water into his face. At last the servant went to a wise man or a conjurer. The Conjurer came with him to Penpompren Plas to “lay” the Spirit, and transformed

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YSPRYD PENPOMPREN PLAS OR A SPIRIT “LAID” IN A BOTTLE.

YSPRYD PENPOMPREN PLAS OR A SPIRIT “LAID” IN A BOTTLE.

Havod Uchtryd is a large mansion a few miles from Devil’s Bridge, in Cardiganshire, and there is a tradition in the neighbourhood that in the time of the celebrated Colonel Johnes about the beginning of the last century the place was haunted by a mischievous goblin. Fortunately, however, there happened to be a wizard nor far off, and the squire, so it is said, sent for him to Havod to lay the ghost. The conjurer came and when he arrived at the spot where the haunting usually took place he surrou

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THE “LAYING” OF THE HAVOD UCHTRYD GOBLIN.

THE “LAYING” OF THE HAVOD UCHTRYD GOBLIN.

About 70 or 80 years ago, Monachty, a fine mansion in the neighbourhood of Aberaeron, was rumoured to be haunted. My informant is an old man named James Jones, Golden Lion, Llanarth. Jones said that when he was a boy at Pantycefn, he often felt almost too terrified to go to bed, as it was reported that the Monachty ghost was so small that it could go through even the eye of a needle; and his father’s humble cottage was not without holes especially the window of his bedroom. At last, however, Stu

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THE MONACHDY GHOST DOOMED TO CUT THE ROCK NEAR LLANRHYSTYD.

THE MONACHDY GHOST DOOMED TO CUT THE ROCK NEAR LLANRHYSTYD.

Stackpole Court, the beautiful residence of the distinguished Earl of Cawdor, is famous for its legendary lore. “Seven hundred years ago, Giraldus Cambrensis tells the story of Sir Elidur de Stackpole’s demon steward, whose name was Simon; and in the more modern times the neighbourhood was haunted by the spirit of an old lady. This ghost appeared in the form of a party consisting of two headless horses, a headless coachman and a headless lady in her carriage. At last the ghost was “laid” by the

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THE “LAYING” OF THE STACKPOLE GHOST.

THE “LAYING” OF THE STACKPOLE GHOST.

About 35 years ago, there lived at Ynysfach, near Ystrad Meurig, an old man and an old woman known as “Shon and Shan.” Shon was working in North Wales, for he was a quarryman at the time, but he came home occasionally to spend his holidays with his wife, especially about Christmas time. On one occasion, however, when Shan expected her husband home the day before Christmas as usual, Shon came not. Nine o’clock in the evening she went out to meet him or to search for him and to prevent him spendin

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SHAN AND THE GHOST.

SHAN AND THE GHOST.

Two young women, daughters of a farmer in the parish of Llandyssul, were walking home one night from Lampeter Fair. After reaching the very field in one corner of which the house in which they lived stood, they wandered about this field for hours before they could find the building, though it was a fine moonlight night. It seemed as if the farm house had vanished; and they informed me that they were convinced that this was the doings of the Goblin, who played them a trick. The Welsh word for Gob

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TWO YOUNG WOMEN AND THE GOBLIN.

TWO YOUNG WOMEN AND THE GOBLIN.

A mong the most important of the superstitions of Wales are the death portents and omens; and this is perhaps more or less true of every country. About a generation or two ago, there were to be found almost in every parish some old people who could tell before hand when a death was going to lake place; and even in the present day we hear of an old man or an old woman, here and there, possessing, or supposed to possess, an insight of this kind into the future. Mrs. Lloyd, Ffynnonddagrau, Llangyno

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THE “TOILI” OR PHANTOM FUNERAL.

THE “TOILI” OR PHANTOM FUNERAL.

A young man who lives in the Gwaun Valley, between Pontfaen and Fishguard informed me in the beginning of November, 1905, that he had just seen a phantom or a spirit funeral only a few weeks previously. A friend of his, a young porter at a Railway Station in the neighbourhood of Cardiff, had come home ill to his native place in Pembrokeshire, and his friend, my informant, one night sat up by his bedside all night. About three o’clock in the morning the patient was so seriously ill that my inform

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A PRESENT DAY PHANTOM FUNERAL.

A PRESENT DAY PHANTOM FUNERAL.

Though more than thirty years have run their course since the incident which is to be described here occurred, still the impression which it left on the writer’s mind was so vivid and lasting that he finds not the slightest difficulty in recalling its minutest details at the present moment. Some experiences are so impressive that time itself seems powerless to efface them from the memory, and of such the following appears to be an instance:— It happened in the early Spring, just when the days we

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A PHANTOM FUNERAL.

A PHANTOM FUNERAL.

John Jones, Coed-y-Brenin, near Neuaddlwyd, was going home one evening from Derwen-gam; and as he walked along he found himself suddenly in a phantom funeral, and was so pressed by the crowd of spirits that he nearly fainted. At last he managed to escape by turning into a field. He then noticed that the phantom funeral proceeded towards Neuaddlwyd, and soon there was a light to be seen in that chapel through the windows. A few weeks after this a real funeral took place. The above J. Jones, who h

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THE NEUADDLWYD “TOILI.”

THE NEUADDLWYD “TOILI.”

The following tale was related to me by Mr. Jones, Bristol House, Talybont:— A farmer’s wife, who lived in the northern part of Cardiganshire, had gone to Machynlleth Market one day riding a pony. On her journey home that evening she met a “toili” on the road. The pony was the first to notice the spirit-funeral, and the animal refused to go forward, but turned back and stood trembling under the shelter of a big tree till the “toili” had passed. The woman was quite terrified, and as soon as she r

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A HORSE SEEING A “TOILI” OR PHANTOM FUNERAL.

A HORSE SEEING A “TOILI” OR PHANTOM FUNERAL.

I obtained the following account from an old man in North Pembrokeshire:— About seven o’clock one winter evening, David Thomas, Henllan, Eglwyswrw, went to the village shop to get some medicine for a sick animal. When he was returning home, it was a fine moonlight night. All of a sudden, however, he found himself in utter darkness, being carried back to Eglwyswrw almost unknown to himself by a “Crefishgyn” as such an apparition is called in North Pembrokeshire; and when he got his feet on the gr

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SPIRIT FUNERALS CARRYING PEOPLE TO CHURCHYARDS.

SPIRIT FUNERALS CARRYING PEOPLE TO CHURCHYARDS.

Miss Martha Davies, a housemaid, at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, informed me that her family possessed the peculiar gift of second sight, and that her mother had seen the phantom of her own funeral before she died. When she was out walking one night, the old woman was terrified by seeing a funeral procession meeting her on the road and which passed on towards Caersalem, a Nonconformist Chapel close by. The Rev. Jenkin Evans, Vicar of Pontfaen, was walking behind the procession, and she even took no

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AN OLD WOMAN WHO SAW THE APPARITION OF HER OWN FUNERAL.

AN OLD WOMAN WHO SAW THE APPARITION OF HER OWN FUNERAL.

A few years ago an old man named James, 75 years of age, living at Nantgaredig, in Carmarthenshire, told me that he had seen a phantom train on one occasion. Some years ago when he happened to be out about midnight once, he saw a train passing, which came from the direction of Carmarthen, and went towards Llandilo, and as no train was to pass through the station of Nantgaredig at that hour he enquired of the Stationmaster next morning what was the special train that passed at mid-night. In reply

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A PHANTOM TRAIN.

A PHANTOM TRAIN.

Like every other apparition a “toili” is supposed to be seen in the night time only; but according to the late Mr. Lledrod Davies, people working at the harvest near Llangeitho many years ago, saw a “toili” at mid-day in the churchyard of Llanbadarn Odwyn; and a funeral took place soon afterwards. The following story of a phantom funeral in the day-time was related to me by an old woman in Pembrokeshire, a farmer’s wife in the Parish of Llanycefn:— An old man named John Salmon saw an apparition

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A “TOILI” SEEN IN THE DAY-TIME.

A “TOILI” SEEN IN THE DAY-TIME.

About sixty years ago, the mother of one David Hughes, Cwmllechwedd, was one day standing outside the house, when all of a sudden, she heard the sound of singing. She recognised the voice of the singer as the voice of the Curate of Lledrod, but when she looked round she could see no one anywhere. The maid servants also heard the same sound of singing. Twelve months after this her son, David Hughes, a young man of 22 years of age died, and on the day of the funeral, the Curate of Lledrod, standin

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SINGING HEARD TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE DEATH.

SINGING HEARD TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE DEATH.

Another remarkable instance of second-sight seeing appeared in “Notes and Queries” for July, 1858. The contributor, Mr. John Pavin Phillips, gives the following account of what occurred to him himself in the year 1818, upon his return home to Pembrokeshire, after many years’ absence:— “A few days after my arrival, I took a walk one morning in the yard of one of our parish churches, through which there is a right of way for pedestrians. My object was a twofold one: Firstly, to enjoy the magnifice

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A DAY-DREAM.

A DAY-DREAM.

The “Canwyll Corph” or Corpse Candle, was another death portent often seen in West and Mid-Wales, about a generation or two ago. Indeed there are several persons still alive who have told me that they had seen this mysterious light themselves. It was a pale light moving slowly and hovering a short distance from the ground. Some could tell whether a man, woman, or child was to die. The death of a man was indicated by a red light, that of a woman by a white light, and a faint light before the deat

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THE CORPSE CANDLE.

THE CORPSE CANDLE.

Owen Evans, Maesydderwen, near Llansawel, Carmarthenshire, who is over 90 years of age, gave me the following account of a Corpse Candle which had been seen at Silian, near Lampeter. When Evans was a boy, his father lived in an old house close to the churchyard walls, and kept the key of the church door. At that time singing practice was often conducted in the church, especially during the long winter evenings. One evening a certain young man entered the churchyard with the intention of going to

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A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN AT SILIAN.

A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN AT SILIAN.

There is a tradition at Llanilar that a young woman got drowned long ago in attempting to cross the river Ystwyth during a flood; and that a short time before the melancholy event took place, people in the neighbourhood had seen a corpse candle hovering up and down the river. According to the Rev. Edmund Jones, the young woman had come from Montgomeryshire to see her friends at Llanilar. There is also a tradition in Carmarthenshire of a three-flamed corpse candle which had been seen on the surfa

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A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO.

A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO.

An old man named James, living at Nantgaredig in Carmarthenshire, gave me an account of how he himself and his father and others had seen a Corpse Candle in the parish of Conwil Elvet. When James was a boy, he was sent one day by a farmer’s wife on a message to Llanpumpsaint, about three miles off, to fetch a pair of clogs from the blacksmith, and a few small things from a shop in the village. When he arrived there he went first to the blacksmith, but he had to wait there as the clogs were not r

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A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN NEAR CONWIL.

A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN NEAR CONWIL.

The following story was contributed to the “Pembrokeshire County Guardian,” May 11th., 1901, by Mr. Joseph Davies, Glynderwen: “It happened not many miles from Tenby where a certain young school mistress lodged at a farm house where she was very happy in every respect. One night after retiring to rest, the light having been put out, and she was lying awake, she suddenly noticed a peculiar greyish light like a little star moving towards the foot of her bed from the doorway. The light came to a st

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A PEMBROKESHIRE TALE OF A CORPSE CANDLE.

A PEMBROKESHIRE TALE OF A CORPSE CANDLE.

The following appeared in “Apparitions in Wales” by Rev. Edmund Jones, and it is a story of long ago: “Some years ago one Jane Wyat, my wife’s sister, being nurse to Baronet Rudd’s three children, and his Lady being dead, his house-keeper going late into a chamber where the maid servants lay, saw five of these lights together: while after that chamber being newly plastered, a great grate of coal fire was kindled therein to hasten the drying of it. At night five of the maid servants went there to

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A LLANGATHEN TALE.

A LLANGATHEN TALE.

The most common death prognosticator throughout Wales in the present day is a peculiar bird known as “Deryn Corph” (Corpse Bird)—a bird flapping its wings against the window of the room in which there is a sick person. This was considered an omen of death. Even in the present day most people dread to see or hear a bird flapping its wings against the window when there is a sick person in the house; but every bird is not a corpse bird . An old woman in Pembrokeshire, Miss Griffiths, Henllan, near

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THE CORPSE BIRD.

THE CORPSE BIRD.

Mr. Rees, Maesymeillion, Llandyssul, informed me that many years ago there lived in that part of the country an old woman known as Nell Gwarnant. The old woman at one time had an only son , a young lad who was very dear to her. One day a certain bird came into the house quite suddenly, and descended on the rim of the Spinning Wheel, flapping its wings. The old woman feared that the bird was a precursor of death, and to her great sorrow her only son soon died. A bird coming into the house is also

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A BIRD COMING INTO A HOUSE BEFORE A DEATH.

A BIRD COMING INTO A HOUSE BEFORE A DEATH.

In the excellent Welsh Magazine “Y Brython” for January, 1860, page 40, the following remarkable incident is given in connection with the death of the famous poet and clergyman, Tegid, which, being translated is as follows:— “In his absence from Church, when lying on his death-bed, in the morning of the Lord’s Day, whilst a neighbouring clergyman was taking the service for him in Llanhyfer Church, the voice of the reader was suddenly drowned by the beautiful song of a thrust, that filled the who

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BIRD SINGING HEARD BEFORE DEATH.

BIRD SINGING HEARD BEFORE DEATH.

It is stated in the “Cambro-British Saints,” page 444, that previous to the death of St. David “the whole city was filled with the music of angels.” The Rev. Edmund Jones in his “Apparitions in Wales,” says that at the death of one Rees David in Carmarthenshire, “a man of more than common piety,” several persons who were in the room heard “the singing of angels drawing nearer and nearer; and after his death they heard the pleasant incomparable singing gradually depart until it was out of hearing

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MUSIC OF ANGELS HEARD BEFORE DEATH.

MUSIC OF ANGELS HEARD BEFORE DEATH.

The Cyhyraeth was another death portent. It has been described as a wailing or moaning sound heard before a death, and it was thought to be a sound made by a groaning spirit. This spirit was never seen, only its sound was heard. According to “British Goblins” by Sikes, one David Prosser, of Llanybyther, heard the Cyhyraeth pronouncing the words “Woolach! Woolach!” before a funeral. According to the same book “this crying spirit, especially affected the twelve parishes in the hundred of Inis Ceni

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CYHYRAETH: OR DEATH SOUND.

CYHYRAETH: OR DEATH SOUND.

The Tolaeth is also a sound heard before death or a funeral. It is represented as superstitious rappings, or knockings, strange noises, or sounds of footsteps or of carriages, etc. This superstition is common in all parts of the country at the present day; and I have met and heard of many carpenters who always know when they are to have an order for a coffin, as they hear strange knockings in their workshops resembling the noise or knockings made by a carpenter when engaged in coffin-making. An

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THE TOLAETH.

THE TOLAETH.

Several old persons living in the parish of Blaenporth, South Cardiganshire, informed me that it is a fact that in former times a death in certain families in that parish was always foretold by the church-bell in the steeple tolling three times at the hour of midnight unrung by human hands. One old woman gave me the following tradition concerning the origin of this tolling:— Once upon a time a spirit came at midnight and knocked at the door of a farmhouse known as Tan-yr-Eglwys, which is close t

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THE TOLLING OF BLAENPORTH CHURCH BELL BEFORE A DEATH.

THE TOLLING OF BLAENPORTH CHURCH BELL BEFORE A DEATH.

A few miles from Newcastle Emlyn there is a farmhouse called Pen’rallt-hebog, which is situated in the parish of Bettws-Evan, in Cardiganshire. Besides Pen’rallt-hebog there is also—or there was—another house on the same farm known as Pen’rallt-Fach. And there lived at this Penrallt-fach about 25 years ago a tailor named Samuel Thomas, and his wife. About that time a very strange incident occurred, and the following account of it was given me by Mr. S. Thomas himself an intelligent middle-aged m

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A REMARKABLE ACCOUNT OF KNOCKING AND WAILING BEFORE DEATH.

A REMARKABLE ACCOUNT OF KNOCKING AND WAILING BEFORE DEATH.

These “spirit knockings” had been now noised abroad everywhere, and amongst others who went there in order to hear them was the farmer on whose land the tailor lived. The farmer did not believe in superstition, but when he heard the knocking he was convinced that there was something supernatural about it. On the fifth night a very loud knock at the door was heard as if some one attempted to break through; and on the sixth evening when my informant went out for a short walk he heard such noise as

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LLEDRITH—WRAITH.

LLEDRITH—WRAITH.

Another death portent was the “tanwedd,” so called because it appeared as a fiery light. The Rev. Edmund Jones says in his “Apparitions”.—“When it falls to the ground it sparkleth and lightens. The freeholders and landlords upon whose ground it falls, will certainly die in a short time after.”...

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TANWEDD.

TANWEDD.

Gwrach y Rhibyn was an ugly old hag with long flowing hair, glaring eyes and face as gloomy as death itself. The shriek of the old hag was supposed to foretell a death or some misfortune. She appeared, as a rule, only before the death of a person who had lived a wicked life; at least this is the saying in West Wales, especially in Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire....

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GWRACH Y RHIBYN.

GWRACH Y RHIBYN.

Cwn Annwn were supposed to have been supernatural hounds whose yelling or howling on dark nights foreboded a death. If the howling was faint, it meant that the pack was close at hand, if loud, the hounds were only hunting at a distance. These hounds were supposed to watch for the souls of notoriously wicked men about to die. An old farmer, named Mr. Thomas Stephens, Llwyncelyn, Llanarth, Cardiganshire, informed me that his brother once heard the bark of these hounds on the road near Bronwen....

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CWN ANNWN—HELL HOUNDS.

CWN ANNWN—HELL HOUNDS.

The Cock.—It was once thought in all parts of Wales that the crowing of a cock before or about midnight was a sign of death; but whether one of the family or one of a neighbour’s family was going to die, it depended on the direction of the cock’s head whilst crowing. The Hen.—A hen crowing like a cock is also supposed to indicate a death in the family or some very near relation; or if not death, some very bad luck. A hen laying two eggs in the same day was also a sign of death. A hen laying a sm

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OTHER DEATH OMENS.

OTHER DEATH OMENS.

Yarrow and Heather.—Bringing either yarrow or heather into a house is a presage of death; white heather, however, is a sign of good luck. Death-pinch.—This is a mark that cannot be accounted for, appearing suddenly on any part of the body, and is a sign of the death of one of the family or a relative. A Funeral Procession moving too fast is a sign that another funeral will soon follow. A writer in “Bye Gones” for 1892 says:— “ The other day in going through Mid-Cardiganshire on election business

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MISSING A BUTT.

MISSING A BUTT.

T o find a horse shoe on the road or in a field is considered extremely lucky. To see a lamb for the first time during the season with its head facing you is also lucky. When you see a newly-wedded couple throw an old pair of shoes at them, for it means “good luck to them.” This was done now at Llanilar, October, 1910, at the wedding of Miss Jones, Bryntirion, by Mrs. Richards, Derwen-Deg. To drop your stick or umbrella on your journey is unlucky. When you have started on a journey, to turn back

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THE MOON.

THE MOON.

The cat sitting with her back to the fire is considered to be a sign of snow. The cock crowing on rainy weather is a sign of fair weather for the rest of the day. Sea-gulls flying seaward betoken fair weather; when they fly landward, a storm is coming. When the crane flies against the stream, that is, up the river towards its source, it is considered a sign of rain; but the same bird going down the river, is a sign of fair weather. The same is said of the heron. To see ducks and geese flap their

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WEATHER SIGNS, SEASONS.

WEATHER SIGNS, SEASONS.

“Bwa’r arch y bore, Aml a hir gawode; Bwa’r arch prydnawn, Tywydd teg a gawn.” Rainbow in the morning, Frequent and long showers; Rainbow in the afternoon, Fair weather we shall have. Ceredigion, in “Bye-Gones,” August 2nd, 1905, says: “All along the Merioneth and Cardiganshire Coasts farmers watch the sea carefully in harvest time. If there be not a cloud in the sky; if the wind be in a dry quarter; and if the sea be of cerulean blue, if the margin be discoloured and muddy, the farmers know tha

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“A NUTTY YEAR.”

“A NUTTY YEAR.”

I have met many people all over Wales who think that a very mild winter is not good, and they repeat the old saying:— “Gaeaf glas, mynwent fras.” which means that “When the winter is green, many funerals will be seen.”...

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A MILD WINTER.

A MILD WINTER.

It is believed in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire by many, especially old people, that the cuckoo does not go away from this country in winter, but sleeps in some sheltered place. When a boy, I often heard the following ditty:— “Amser y gwcw yw Ebrill a Mai, A hanner Mehefin, chwi wyddoch bob rhai.” (The Cuckoo’s time is April and May, And half of June, as all know, I daresay). The cuckoo making its appearance before the leaves are on the hawthorn bush is a sign of a bad year; and for the bird

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BIRDS AND BEASTS LORE.

BIRDS AND BEASTS LORE.

When you hear the cuckoo for the first time in the season it is very important to have money in your pocket in order to secure good luck for the coming year. People turn the money in their pockets with their hands, and sometimes toss a piece into the air. It is also considered very lucky to hear this bird for the first time when you are standing on green grass; but if you are on the road or on bare ground, it is otherwise. I have met people who do not like to hear the cuckoo for the first time b

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CATTLE.

CATTLE.

I was told when a boy that the stripe over the shoulders of this animal was made by our Lord when He rode to Jerusalem. T he popular belief in witchcraft, is often alluded to by Shakespeare. In times gone by witches held dreaded sway over the affairs of men, perhaps more or less in almost every country; for they were suspected to have entered into a league with Satan, in order to obtain power to do evil, and it was thought that they possessed some uncanny knowledge which was used by them to inju

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WITCHES.

WITCHES.

An old woman of about eighty years of age, named Mrs. Mary Thomas, Bengal, near Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, informed me about four years ago, that when she was a young girl, the Gwaun Valley in that county was full of witches, more especially of the descendants of one particularly malicious old woman who in her time had proved a terror to the neighbourhood. On one occasion, a well-known family who practised the black art and were guilty of witchcraft, wanted to become members of the Baptist Chapel

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A SERVANT MAID WITCHED IN A CHAPEL.

A SERVANT MAID WITCHED IN A CHAPEL.

About fifty years ago there was a young woman very ill in the parish of Llanllawddog, Carmarthenshire, but no one could tell what was the matter with her, and the doctor had failed to cure her. At last, her mother went to consult the local wizard, who at that time kept a school in the neighbouring parish of Llanpumpsaint, and lived at a place called Fos-y-Broga. At the woman’s request the conjurer accompanied her home to see her daughter. After seeing the girl he entered into a private room alon

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A GIRL WHO WAS BEWITCHED BY THE GYPSIES, NEAR CARMARTHEN.

A GIRL WHO WAS BEWITCHED BY THE GYPSIES, NEAR CARMARTHEN.

I obtained the following story from David Pugh, Erwlwyd, Carmarthenshire, an old farmer who is over 90 years of age:— A woman from Cardiganshire whose daughter was very ill and thought to have been bewitched, came to the Wizard of Cwrt-y-Cadno, in Carmarthenshire to consult him. The wise man wrote some mystic words on a bit of paper, which he gave to the woman, telling her that if her daughter was not better when she arrived home to come to him again. The woman went home with the paper, and to h

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A CARDIGANSHIRE GIRL WHO HAD BEEN WITCHED.

A CARDIGANSHIRE GIRL WHO HAD BEEN WITCHED.

An old man living in the parish of Llangwyryfon, seven miles from Aberystwyth, named Jenkin Williams, told me the following story six years ago when he was 89 years of age, and vouched for the truth of the account:—A certain woman who lived in that parish was supposed to be a witch, and it was said she had a brother a wizard: Her husband was a shoemaker. Another woman who used to go back and fore to the town of Aberystwyth, with a donkey-cart, refused on one occasion to bring some leather to the

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ANOTHER CARDIGANSHIRE WOMAN WITCHED.

ANOTHER CARDIGANSHIRE WOMAN WITCHED.

Mrs. Mary Williams, Dwrbach, a very old woman, informed me, that about 55 years ago, there was a well-known witch in the neighbourhood of Walton East, and that on one occasion two young women, daughters of a farm in that part of the country, were taken ill quite suddenly, and were supposed to have been witched by this old woman. The mother of the two young women went to the witch and rebuked the old hag, saying: “Old woman, why did you witch my daughters? Come and undo thy wickedness.” The old w

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A FARMER’S DAUGHTER AT WALTON EAST, IN PEMBROKESHIRE BEWITCHED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS FOR REFUSING ALMS TO AN OLD HAG.

A FARMER’S DAUGHTER AT WALTON EAST, IN PEMBROKESHIRE BEWITCHED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS FOR REFUSING ALMS TO AN OLD HAG.

About sixty years ago Thomas Lewis, Garthfawr, between Llanilar and Lledrod, was for some time suffering from almost unbearable bodily pain, and did not know what to do. The general belief was that he had been bewitched by an old woman who was a terror to the neighbourhood; and at last a man went to Llangurig, in Montgomeryshire, to consult a wise man about it. It was found out soon afterwards that as soon as the conjurer was consulted, the sick man fully recovered from his illness, got up from

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MEN WITCHED BY AN OLD LLEDROD HAG.

MEN WITCHED BY AN OLD LLEDROD HAG.

Thomas Jones, an old man who is 85 years of age and lives at Pontrhydfendigaid, informed me that about sixty years ago, the old witch was greatly feared by the people of the neighbourhood, as it was generally believed that the hag cursed or witched those whom she disliked. On one occasion, when her neighbour’s horse broke through the hedge into her field, she witched the animal for trespassing. The horse was shivering all over and everything was done in vain to cure the poor animal; but the very

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A HORSE WITCHED.

A HORSE WITCHED.

At Mathry in Pembrokeshire, there was a celebrated witch, and people believed that she was often guilty of witching the cattle. On one occasion when a servant maid of a farm-house in the neighbourhood had gone out one morning to milk the cows, she found them in a sitting posture like cats before a fire, and in vain did she try to get them to move. The farmer suspected the witch of having caused this. He went to her at once, and compelled the hag to come and undo her evil trick. She came and told

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CATTLE WITCHED.

CATTLE WITCHED.

Mr. Theophilus, a blacksmith, at Cilcwm, in Carmarthenshire, 80 years of age, informed me that he well remembered a Radnorshire farmer who had lost two horses, one after the other, and as he had suspected that the animals were “killed by witchcraft” he decided to go all the way to Cwrt-y-cadno to consult the wise man about it. The man travelled all the way from Radnorshire, and in passing the small village of Cilcwm, where my informant lived, begged the blacksmith to accompany him to the conjure

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HORSES KILLED BY WITCHCRAFT IN RADNORSHIRE.

HORSES KILLED BY WITCHCRAFT IN RADNORSHIRE.

Mrs. Edwards, an old woman who lives at Yspytty Ystwyth, in Cardiganshire, informed me that she knew an old witch who lived in the neighbourhood of Ystrad Meurig. One day, this hag saw two shepherds passing her cottage on their way to the mountain with some sheep. The old woman espied one particular lamb and begged one of the shepherds to give the animal to her as a present, but the young man refused her request. “Very well,” said the witch, “thou wilt soon loose both the lamb and its mother, an

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SHEEP KILLED BY AN OLD WITCH.

SHEEP KILLED BY AN OLD WITCH.

On a particular occasion nearly sixty years ago, a large number of the leading gentry and others from all parts of Pembrokeshire went to witness the launch of H. M. Ship “Cæsar,” at Pembroke Dock. Among the crowd there was an old woman named “Betty Foggy” who was believed to possess the power of witching. When Betty noticed a lot of gentry going up the steps to the grand stand, she followed suit with an independent air; but she was stopped by the police. She struggled hard to have her way, but w

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A SHIP WITCHED.

A SHIP WITCHED.

Many believe, and some still believe, especially in Cardiganshire, that when milk would not churn that witches had cursed it. An old woman at Ystrad Meurig, who was supposed to be a witch, called one day at a farm house and begged for butter, but being refused she went away in a very bad temper. The next time they churned the milk would not turn to butter, and they had to throw it out as they were afraid of giving it to the pigs. When they were churning the second time again the milk would not t

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MILK THAT WOULD NOT CHURN AND THE WITCH.

MILK THAT WOULD NOT CHURN AND THE WITCH.

The following account was given me by Mr. Jenkin Williams, Llangwyryfon:— There was a man and his family living at a cottage called Penlon, a small place just enough to keep one cow. The name of the man was John Jones; and on one occasion when he and his wife were trying to churn they failed to do so, or in other words the milk would not turn into butter. At last J. Jones went to Cwrt-y-Cadno, in Carmarthenshire to consult the “Dyn Hysbys.” The wizard as he often did, gave the man a bit of paper

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ANOTHER CARDIGANSHIRE STORY OF MILK THAT WOULD NOT TURN TO BUTTER.

ANOTHER CARDIGANSHIRE STORY OF MILK THAT WOULD NOT TURN TO BUTTER.

In some of the stories I have already given a paper obtained from a conjurer in the way of charm was considered very effective to undo the witch’s evil doings; but from the following story, which I obtained from David Pugh, Erwlwyd, it seems that it was necessary in some cases to bury this bit of paper in the ground. It was also thought a few generations ago, that a letter hidden under a stone was a good thing to keep away both witches and evil spirits and to secure good luck to a house. Many ye

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BURYING THE CHARM.

BURYING THE CHARM.

Mrs. Mary Thomas, Bengal, near Fishguard, informed me that it was customary when she was young to counteract the machinations of witches by killing a mare and take out the heart and open and burn it, having first filled it up with pins and nails. This compelled the witch to undo her work. Mrs. Thomas also added that when the heart was burning on such occasions the smoke would go right in the direction of the witch’s house. Another old woman near Fishguard, informed the Rev. J. W. Evans, a son of

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PROTECTIVES AGAINST WITCHCRAFT.

PROTECTIVES AGAINST WITCHCRAFT.

Another way of protecting oneself from witchcraft was to keep a nail on the floor under the foot when a witch came to the door. Mr. David Rees, baker at Fishguard, told me a few years ago that there was once a particular witch in that town who was very troublesome, as she was always begging, and that people always gave to her, as they were afraid of offending her. She often came to beg from his mother, who at last, as advised by her friends, procured a big nail from a blacksmith’s shop. She put

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A FISHGUARD WITCH DISCOMFITED.

A FISHGUARD WITCH DISCOMFITED.

Mr. Theophilus, the old blacksmith, at Cilcwm, in Carmarthenshire, told me that when he was a boy the cattle had been witched by an enemy. They would not touch the grass in the field of their own farm; but whenever put in any field of another farm they would graze splendidly. My informant’s mother could not understand this, and she felt very much distressed about it. At last she took the advice of friends and went to consult the Wizard of Cwrt-y-Cadno, who informed her that an enemy with whom sh

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A CILCWM STORY.

A CILCWM STORY.

Of all things to frustrate the evil designs of witches the best was a piece of mountain ash, or as it is called in Welsh “pren cerdinen.” The belief in mountain ash is very old in Wales, and the tree was held sacred in ancient times, and some believe that the Cross of our Lord was made of it. Witches had a particular dread of this wood, so that a person who carried with him a branch of “pren cerdinen” was safe from their spells; and it is believed in Wales, as well as in parts of England, that t

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WITCHES AND THE MOUNTAIN ASH.

WITCHES AND THE MOUNTAIN ASH.

Drawing blood from a witch by anyone incapacitated the old hag, from working out her evil designs upon the person who spilt her blood. Many years ago a farmer from the neighbourhood of Swyddffynon, in Cardiganshire, was coming home late one night from Tregaron, on horseback. As he was crossing a bridge called Pont Einon (once noted for its witches), a witch somehow or other managed to get up behind him on the horse’s back; but he took out his pocket-knife with which he drew blood from the witch’

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DRAWING BLOOD FROM A WITCH.

DRAWING BLOOD FROM A WITCH.

Witches were supposed to transform themselves into animals, especially that of an hare. And this belief is a very old one, for Giraldus Cambrensis seven hundred years ago in his “Topography of Ireland, ” (Bonn’s edition) says: “It has also been a frequent complaint, from old times as well as in the present, that certain hags in Wales, as well as in Ireland and Scotland, changed themselves into the shape of hares, that, sucking teats under this counterfeit form, they might stealthily rob other pe

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THE TRANSFORMATION OF WITCHES.

THE TRANSFORMATION OF WITCHES.

Griffiths informed me that when his mother was young, she was engaged as a servant maid at a small gentleman’s seat, called Pontfaen, in the Vale of Gwaun. But whenever she went out early in the morning to milk the cows, an old witch who lived in the neighbourhood always made her appearance in the form of an hare, annoying the girl very much. At last she informed her master of it, and at once the gentleman took his gun and shot the hare; but somehow, the animal escaped, though he succeeded in wo

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A WITCH WHO APPEARED IN THE FORM OF AN HARE EVERY MORNING TO A SERVANT MAID AT MILKING TIME.

A WITCH WHO APPEARED IN THE FORM OF AN HARE EVERY MORNING TO A SERVANT MAID AT MILKING TIME.

The following tale was told me by a Mrs. Edwards, Ysbytty Ystwyth, in Cardiganshire:— An old witch who lived at Tregaron, went to Trecefel, a large farm in the neighbourhood, to beg for the use of a small corner of a field to grow some potatoes for herself. The farmer himself was away from home at the time, but his wife was willing, as she was afraid of offending the witch. The head servant, however, refused her request, and sent her away, which naturally made her very angry, and in departing sh

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A WITCH IN THE FORM OF AN HARE SHOT BY A FARM SERVANT.

A WITCH IN THE FORM OF AN HARE SHOT BY A FARM SERVANT.

The following tale was told me by Mrs. Mary Thomas, Bengal, near Fishguard:— The Squire of Llanstinan, was a great huntsman, but whenever he went out with his hounds, a certain hare always baffled and escaped from the dogs. He followed her for miles and miles, day after day, but always failed to catch the animal. At last the people began to suspect that this hare must have been a witch in the shape of a hare, and the gentleman was advised to get “a horse and a dog of the same colour,” and he did

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A WITCH IN THE FORM OF A HARE HUNTED BY A PEMBROKESHIRE SQUIRE’S HOUNDS.

A WITCH IN THE FORM OF A HARE HUNTED BY A PEMBROKESHIRE SQUIRE’S HOUNDS.

Mr. Rees, Maesymeillion, Llandyssul, told me the following tale which he had heard from an old woman in the neighbourhood:— Once there was a Major Brooks living in the parish of Llanarth, who kept hounds and was fond of hunting. One day, he was hunting a hare that a little boy of nine years old had started; but the hare not only managed to elude her pursuers, but even to turn back and attack the hounds. The hunting of this hare was attempted day after day, but with the same results; and the gene

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A WITCH IN THE FORM OF A HARE HUNTED IN CARDIGANSHIRE.

A WITCH IN THE FORM OF A HARE HUNTED IN CARDIGANSHIRE.

From the following story which I heard at Talybont, in North Cardiganshire, it seems that witches did not always transform themselves. In some cases it was thought that the hare was not the witch herself, but the old hag’s Familiar Spirit assuming the shape of a hare in her stead; but the life of the witch was so closely connected with the Familiar, that when the Familiar was shot, the witch suffered. The tale is as follows:— There was an old woman at Llanfihangel Genau’r Glyn, who was supposed

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THE FAMILIAR SPIRIT OF A WITCH SHOT IN THE FORM OF A HARE.

THE FAMILIAR SPIRIT OF A WITCH SHOT IN THE FORM OF A HARE.

It is said that an old witch near Ystrad Meurig, in Cardiganshire, turned a servant man of a farm called Dolfawr, into a hare on one occasion; and into a horse on another occasion and rode him herself. In the Mabinogion we have the Boar Trwyth, who was once a King, but God had transformed into a swine for his sins. Nynniaw and Peibaw also had been turned into oxen. And in the topography of Ireland, by Giraldus Cambrensis, mention is made of a man and a woman, natives of Ossory, who through the c

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MEN CHANGED INTO ANIMALS.

MEN CHANGED INTO ANIMALS.

There were many conjurers in Wales in former times, and even at the present day there are a few who have the reputation of practising the Black Art; for we still hear occasionally of persons taking long journeys to consult them, especially in cases of supposed bewitched cattle, horses, pigs, etc. I have already given stories of conjurers counteracting the machinations of witches, and delivering both people and animals from their spell. But they were accredited with the power to do many other thi

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WIZARDS.

WIZARDS.

In the 18th century a well-known wizard in the same county was one John Jenkins, a schoolmaster. But the greatest wizard in the beginning of 19th century was Aby Biddle, of Millindingle, who was in league with the evil one or at least many of the people in South Pembrokeshire believed so. Aby Biddle’s real name was Harries; but, of course, he was not the same person as Harries of Cwrtycadno, in Carmarthenshire. There are still many most curious stories concerning him in South Pembrokeshire, and

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THE PRIESTS AND THE HORNETS.

THE PRIESTS AND THE HORNETS.

About two hundred years ago there lived in the neighbourhood of Ysbytty Ystwyth, in Cardiganshire, a wizard and a medical man, known as Sir Dafydd Llwyd, who had been a clergyman before he was turned out by the Bishop for dealing in the Black Art. According to “A Relation of Apparitions,” by the Rev. Edmund Jones, it was thought that he had learnt the magic art privately at Oxford in the profane time of Charles II. Like other wizards Sir Dafydd also had a Magic Book, for the Rev. Edmund Jones te

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SIR DAFYDD LLWYD, YSPYTTY YSTWYTH.

SIR DAFYDD LLWYD, YSPYTTY YSTWYTH.

According to the stories still extant in North Cardiganshire, this Sir Dafydd Llwyd had a most wonderful control over the demons. The following tale was told me by Mr. D. Jones, Bryntirion, Llanilar: A rival wizard who lived in the neighbourhood of Lampeter, on one occasion challenged Sir Dafydd to a contest in the black art, in order to prove to the world which of the two wizards was the cleverest in controlling the demons. On the morning of the appointed day for the contest between the two exp

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SIR DAFYDD DEFEATING A RIVAL WIZARD.

SIR DAFYDD DEFEATING A RIVAL WIZARD.

The dove and the raven play their part in many of the wizards tales. An old man from Llandilo, named David Evans, informed me that the wizard of Cwrtycadno asked his friends to throw his heart on the dunghill. If a dove came for it first, he had been a good man; but a raven, a sign that he had been a bad man. The appearance of a dove at the time of a death or a funeral was regarded as a sure sign that the deceased had been a good man. The Rev. Edmund Jones in his “Apparitions,” referring to the

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WIZARDS RIDING DEMONS THROUGH THE AIR.

WIZARDS RIDING DEMONS THROUGH THE AIR.

The most popular and greatest wizards of modern days were undoubtedly the Harrieses of Cwrtycadno, in Carmarthenshire. John Harries lived at Pantcoy, Cwrtycadno, in the Parish of Caio, and died in the year 1839. His sons were also popular conjurers, one of whom only died about 45 years ago. Harries was a medical man, an astrologer, and a wizard, and people came to enquire of his oracle from all parts of Wales, and from the English borders, especially Herefordshire, and his name was familiar thro

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THE HARRIESES OF CWRTYCADNO, THE POPULAR MODERN WIZARDS.

THE HARRIESES OF CWRTYCADNO, THE POPULAR MODERN WIZARDS.

I did not hear any stories of Dr. Harries riding demons through the air like Sir Dafydd Sion Evan and others; but it was believed, and it is still believed by many, that he could and did summon spirits to appear. A few years ago when I was allowed to search what is left of the Library of Harries, which is still to be seen at Pantcoy, where he lived, I found a large number of medical books, and Greek and Latin works, I also found several books dealing with astrology, magic art, charms, etc.; but

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CWRTYCADNO CONJURER AND SPIRIT RAISING.

CWRTYCADNO CONJURER AND SPIRIT RAISING.

“After the manner prescribed by Magicians, the exorcist must inform himself of the name of his Good Genius, which he may find in the Rules of the Travins and Philermus; as also, what Chonactes and Pentacle, or Larim, belongs to every Genius. After this is done, let him compose an earnest prayer unto the said Genius, which he must repeat thrice every morning for seven days before the Invocation.... When the day is come wherein the Magician would invocate his prayer to Genius he must enter into a

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HOW TO OBTAIN THE FAMILIAR OF THE GENIUS OR GOOD SPIRIT AND CAUSE HIM TO APPEAR.

HOW TO OBTAIN THE FAMILIAR OF THE GENIUS OR GOOD SPIRIT AND CAUSE HIM TO APPEAR.

A farmer who lived in the Southern part of Carmarthenshire, lost three cows. Having searched in vain for them everywhere, he at last went to Cwrt-y-Cadno, though he had a very long journey to go. When he arrived there and consulted Dr. Harries, the worthy wizard told him that he could not give him any information concerning his lost cows till next day, as he wanted time to consult his magic books. The farmer was a little disappointed, as he wanted to go home that evening; but under the circumsta

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THE FARMER WHO CONSULTED THE CONJUROR; OR THE FAMILIAR SPIRITS AND THE LOST COWS.

THE FARMER WHO CONSULTED THE CONJUROR; OR THE FAMILIAR SPIRITS AND THE LOST COWS.

On one occasion a certain man from Cilcwm, was on a visit in the neighbourhood of Cwrtycadno. When he started to return home it was getting rather late, and he had a long journey to go through a lonely mountainous country. The wizard, Dr. Harries, asked him if he was afraid of such a journey over the mountain in the depth of night. The man confessed that he did not like such a journey at that late hour without a single soul to accompany him, but that he was obliged to go home that night without

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A FAMILIAR SPIRIT IN THE SHAPE OF A DOG AND THE LONELY NIGHT TRAVELLER.

A FAMILIAR SPIRIT IN THE SHAPE OF A DOG AND THE LONELY NIGHT TRAVELLER.

About one hundred years ago there lived in the neighbourhood of Pencader, a wizard, named Phillips, who was very successful in curing lunatics. On one occasion, an old woman from Tregroes, near Llandyssul, took her son to him who had been insane from his birth. The wise man blew into the young man’s face, and informed his mother that he would be sane for twenty years, and so it happened; but after twenty years he became insane again as the wizard had predicted. My informant was Mr. Rees, Maesyme

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CONJURERS AND LUNATICS.

CONJURERS AND LUNATICS.

It was believed that conjurers could tell fortunes, or reveal the hidden future, and a good many, especially young people, consulted them. The following is a copy of a card which Harries of Cwrt-y-cadno distributed:— In which are given the general transactions of the Native through life, viz:—Description (without seeing the person), temper, disposition, fortunate, or unfortunate in their general pursuits ; honour, riches, journeys, and voyages (success therein, and what places best to travel to,

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“NATIVITY CALCULATED.”

“NATIVITY CALCULATED.”

Harries, Cwrtycadno, had a magic glass, so it is said, into which a person looked when he wished to know or see the woman he was to marry. A young man named Phillips, once had gone from the parish of Llanllawddog, to Cwrtycadno, to show Dr. Harries some of his father’s urine, which he took with him in a small bottle, as the old man was very ill. Harries examined it, and told the young man that his father would never get well again. The young man now decided to return home as soon as he could thr

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A CONJURER SHOWING A YOUNG MAN HIS FUTURE WIFE.

A CONJURER SHOWING A YOUNG MAN HIS FUTURE WIFE.

About sixty years ago, Isaac Isaac, Tyllain, Llanarth, in Cardiganshire, went to Harries, Cwrtycadno, to consult him about something. The wise man was at the time busy with his harvest, and he asked Isaac to be as kind as to help him a little for telling his fortune, and he did so. As they were working together on the field. Harries asked the young man if he intended going to London? Isaac said, no, but that he had a letter in his pocket he wanted to forward to London. Then Harries took the youn

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ANOTHER SIMILAR TALE.

ANOTHER SIMILAR TALE.

Owen Evans, Maesydderwen, near Llansawel, Carmarthenshire, an old man of 90 years of age, informed me about four years ago that on one occasion, long ago, when a baby, a girl, was born to him and his wife, he went to Dr. Harries, Cwrtycadno, to consult him about the future destiny of the child. The conjurer spoke to him something as follows:—“I hope you will not be distressed when you hear what is going to happen to your dear child; but the truth of it is, she will have a very narrow escape from

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THE WIZARD OF CWRTYCADNO FORETELLING THE FUTURE DESTINY OF A NEW BORN CHILD.

THE WIZARD OF CWRTYCADNO FORETELLING THE FUTURE DESTINY OF A NEW BORN CHILD.

Druidical “Warrior Song.” According to Mr. Arthur Mee, Cardiff, in the “Western Mail,” May, 1910, astrologers who make a study of national forecasts, had predicted the death of the late King. When the Earl of Richmond (afterwards Henry VII.) was about to land in Wales from France on his way to Bosworth, Sir Rhys Ap Thomas, consulted a well-known wizard and prophet, who dwelt at Dale, as to whether the Earl would be successful to dethrone Richard III. After much hesitation, and at the urgent dema

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SIR RHYS AP THOMAS CONSULTING A WIZARD CONCERNING KING HENRY VII.

SIR RHYS AP THOMAS CONSULTING A WIZARD CONCERNING KING HENRY VII.

Mr. Thomas Jones, Brunant Arms, Caio, gave me the following account of what took place about 55 years ago, when his father lived at Penlifau, in the parish of Cilcwm, on the mountain side, and near the road which leads over the mountain from Cilcwm to Cwmcothi. A young farmer who lived at a place called Foshwyaid, Cwm Du, near Talley, has taken some cattle to Caio fair, in the month of August. Somehow or other, one of his oxen went astray from the Fair, and could not be seen anywhere in the neig

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THE CONJURER AND THE LOST OX.

THE CONJURER AND THE LOST OX.

An old farmer, Mr. David Pugh, Erwlwyd, near Caio, Carmarthenshire, told me the following story a few years ago, and vouched for the truth of it:— A friend of Mr. Pugh had lost a horse, and after searching in vain for the animal for a whole fortnight, he was at last advised to go to consult the “Dyn Hysbys.” He rather hesitated at first, but he, however, went. The man was a farmer in the neighbourhood of Llandovery, but my informant did not wish to mention his name. The Wizard, Harries, of Cwrty

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THE CONJURER AND THE LOST HORSE.

THE CONJURER AND THE LOST HORSE.

Mr. Walter Evans (Pentre-Richard), in the Parish of Llanddewi Brefi, informed me a few years ago, before he died, that some years ago, when he lost some sheep, a conjurer who lived on Llanfair mountain, directed or pointed out to him where to find them, and that they were found two days afterwards in some water nearly drowning as the wise man had said. This Llanfair Clydogau conjurer only died about nine years ago, and until he died people consulted him from the surrounding districts of Cardigan

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A LLANFAIR CLYDOGAU WIZARD.

A LLANFAIR CLYDOGAU WIZARD.

Mr. Griffiths, of ‘Rhenallt, an old farmer near Carmarthen, informed me about six years ago that long ago when he was a young man, he was once a servant at Alltyferin. Ducks were continually lost at the farm, and his master who suspected a neighbour as the thief, sent Griffiths with a letter to a conjurer who lived at Fosybroga. The wise man sent a note in reply giving a full description of the thief, and he was caught. A woman in Pembrokeshire, who had lost a most valuable picture, consulted a

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THE WIZARD OF LLANPUMPSAINT AND THE DUCKS OF ALLTYFERIN.

THE WIZARD OF LLANPUMPSAINT AND THE DUCKS OF ALLTYFERIN.

It was believed in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire, that Harries, Cwrtycadno, could mark out thieves, and also persons who had an “Evil Eye,” by causing a horn to grow out of their foreheads. A man in Tregaron had witched a woman, but the conjurer marked the mischievous person by putting a horn on his head. A farmer from the parish of Llangwyryfon, in Cardiganshire, whose cattle had been witched by a neighbour who had an evil eye, went to Llangurig in Montgomeryshire, to consult, a well-known

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WIZARD MARKING THE CULPRITS.

WIZARD MARKING THE CULPRITS.

An old man named Evan Morris, who lives at Goginan, near Aberystwyth, informed me that about 60 years ago, a young man in that neighbourhood was struck dumb all of a sudden, that he could not utter a word. As he had neither been ill nor met with an accident it was suspected that he had been witched by some neighbour. So his father at last went over the mountain to Llangurig, about twenty miles off, to consult a well-known wizard named “Savage.” The wizard opened his magic book, from which out ca

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A WIZARD AND THE YOUNG MAN WHO HAD BEEN CURSED.

A WIZARD AND THE YOUNG MAN WHO HAD BEEN CURSED.

I have in the preceding pages given some instances of modern and mediæval magicians or wizards; but divination astrology and magic in this country are of very ancient date. The names of Idris Gawr, Gwyddion, the Diviner by Trees, and Gwyn, the son of Nud, have come down to us from prehistoric times. So great was these three’s knowledge of the stars, that they could foretell whatever might be desired to know until the day of doom. In Welsh Mythology, several even of the kingly families are repres

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MERLIN.

MERLIN.

It is believed that the train has fulfilled these sayings. In the Vale of Towy, near Abergwili, there is a large stone in a field belonging to Tyllwyd farm. I went to see it myself, and several people in the neighbourhood informed me that a young man was killed when digging under this stone in search of hidden treasure, and that Merlin had prophesied about this. According to another prophecy of Merlin a fearful catastrophe awaits the town of Carmarthen:— “Llanllwch a fu, Caerfyrddin a sudd, Aber

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MERLIN’S FATE.

MERLIN’S FATE.

3. Corn Brangaled (the horn of Brangaled), which furnished any liquor desired. 4. Cadair, neu car Morgan mwynfawr (the chair or car of Morgan Mwynfawr), which would carry a person seated in it wherever he wished to go. 5. Mwys Gwyddno (the hamper of Gwyddno), meat for one being put into it, would become meat for a hundred. 6. Hogalen Tudno (the whetstone of Tudno), which would sharpen none but the weapon of a brave man. 7. Pais Padarn (the cloak of Padarn). 8. Pair Drynog (the caldron of Drynog)

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PEMBROKESHIRE WOMAN’S PROPHECY FULFILLED.

PEMBROKESHIRE WOMAN’S PROPHECY FULFILLED.

The people of Pembrokeshire have been remarkable for their insight into the future; navvies were heard making railway cuttings many years before the introduction of steam locomotive power into practical use. I have been informed that the sound of a railway engine, whistling, was heard at Llanilar, in Cardiganshire, fifty years before a railway was constructed through the neighbourhood; and it is also said that the sound of blasting was heard at Tyngraig, between Ystrad Meurig and Llanafan, where

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THE CRIMEAN WAR SEEN IN THE SKIES.

THE CRIMEAN WAR SEEN IN THE SKIES.

In the Churchyard of Montgomery is a grave where the grass refuses to grow, though it is in the midst of luxurious vegetation. The unfortunate man named John Newton, who was buried there in the year 1821, had predicted this as a proof that he was innocent of the charge brought against him at the Assizes, when he was condemned to die on the evidence of two men named Thomas Pearce, and Robert Parker, who charged him with highway robbery. On being asked at the trial why judgment should not be passe

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A REMARKABLE FULFILMENT OF A CONDEMNED MAN’S PREDICTION.

A REMARKABLE FULFILMENT OF A CONDEMNED MAN’S PREDICTION.

Giraldus Cambrensis, seven hundred years ago, speaking of the Flemings of South Pembrokeshire, in his “Itinerary through Wales,” says:—“It is worthy of remark, that these people, from the inspection of the right shoulder of rams which have been stripped of their flesh, and not roasted, but boiled, can discover future events, or those which have passed and remained long unknown. They know, also, what is transpiring at a distant place, by a wonderful art, and a prophetic kind of spirit. They decla

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SHOULDER-BLADE DIVINATION.

SHOULDER-BLADE DIVINATION.

A dream was a common way of making known the will of God to the prophets of old. We know from the Bible that important dreams took place in the early ages of the world, and Welsh people, like other nations, believe in the importance of these mysterious night visions, and of their power of forecasting the future, and there are both men and women all over the country who can give instances of dreams which came true. There are, undoubtedly, some persons whose dreams, as a rule, are reliable; whilst

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DREAMS.

DREAMS.

The editor of “Blackwood” gives authenticity to the following dream:—A young man, engaged in a china manufactory at Swansea, about the beginning of the last century, dreamed that he saw a man drowning in one of their pools; he dreamed the same a second time, and a third time, and then could not resist making an effort to rise and satisfy himself that it was not so. He did rise, went to the spot, and found the man drowned. A man in the neighbourhood of Newcastle Emlyn, dreamed a similar dream in

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CONVERSING WITH THE DEPARTED IN A DREAM.

CONVERSING WITH THE DEPARTED IN A DREAM.

Those who are interested in the interpretation of dreams must consult dream-books, as I am not expected to enter fully into such subject here. T here were and there are still, many charms in use for the purpose of removing warts; and the writer can prove from experience that there are cases of complete cures through the instrumentality of charms. I remember once when I was a boy I had the misfortune of having two big warts right under my foot, which caused me a great deal of discomfort in walkin

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CHARMS FOR WARTS.

CHARMS FOR WARTS.

Many people still believe that toothache is caused by a worm in the tooth, and it was once thought that to burn a Rosemary bough until it becomes black and place it in a strong linen cloth, and anoint the teeth with it would kill this worm. According to the old Welsh Magazine, “Y Brython,” vol. 3, page 339, there were many charms performed with Rosemary. Rosemary dried in the sun and made into powder, tied in a cloth around the right arm, will make the sick well. The smoke of Rosemary bark, snif

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ROSEMARY CHARM FOR TOOTHACHE.

ROSEMARY CHARM FOR TOOTHACHE.

In West Wales once a freshly caught trout was placed in a pan of milk in which it would swim, and after it was supposed that the fish had passed the milk through its gills and left some of its slime in the milk, the milk was supposed to have been given the necessary medicinal powers for the cure of whooping cough and other illness....

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“SLIME” OF TROUT AS MEDICINE.

“SLIME” OF TROUT AS MEDICINE.

There is a belief in some parts of West Wales that fits may be cured by wearing round the neck a band made of the hair from the crop of an ass’s shoulder. Hair cut at midnight from the shoulder of an ass and applied to the throat was also thought to be efficacious in curing the quinsy. Charm for Rheumatism.—Carry a potato in your pocket. A charm for the Ague.— Ague was charmed away by tying on the breast a piece of cheese; and after keeping it there for a time, throw it away back over the head.

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CHARMS FOR FITS AND FOR QUINSY.

CHARMS FOR FITS AND FOR QUINSY.

One of the most famous and popular charms in the central parts of Wales—especially Cardigan and Carmarthenshire—was the magic and mysterious word Abracadabra, which was obtained from wizards by paying a certain sum of money for it. The word was inscribed on a paper or parchment, line under line, repeating the same, but with one letter less in each line till it ended in A, as follows:— A B R A C A D A B R A A B R A C A D A B R A B R A C A D A B A B R A C A D A A B R A C A D A B R A C A A B R A C

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ABRACADABRA.

ABRACADABRA.

Cadrawd, in the “Welsh Tit-Bits” column of the “Cardiff Times,” speaking of South Pembrokeshire, says:— The pentacle, or pentalpha—a figure consisting of five straight lines so joined and intersected as to form a five-pointed star—is still regarded in Fleming-land as a physical charm and the repository of Talismanic power. This credulity is identical with the traditions of the Greek Christians, who used the figure as a mystic sign in astrology and necromancy. The figure was held in veneration by

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THE PENTACLE.

THE PENTACLE.

An old man named Evan Morris, Goginan, near Aberystwyth, informed me that he had several times consulted a conjurer in cases of bewitched cows and pigs. The conjurer, said my informant, took a sheet of paper on which he drew a circular figure very much “like the face of a clock.” Sometimes he made more than one figure, which he filled in with writing. In fact, the paper was covered all over with writings and figures and symbols; and it took the wise man about half-an-hour to do this. This paper

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CHARMS FOR CATTLE AND PIGS.

CHARMS FOR CATTLE AND PIGS.

The complaint which is called in West Wales “llechau” means rickets, a complaint to which children are subject. It was thought that it could be cured by cutting a slit in the lobe of one of the child’s ears. The practice was once common in Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire and other parts; and Mr. H. W. Williams, of Solva, mentions in “Cambrian Notes and Queries,” for January 11th., 1902, of a man in the Rhondda Valley who had recently cut the rickets. He was a Cardiganshire man....

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THE CURE OF RICKETS.

THE CURE OF RICKETS.

Write down on a bit of paper the words “ Arare, cnarare, phragnare ,” in three lines as follows: Arare Charare Phragnare. Phragnare Cnarare arare Arare cnarare phragnare. Also write down in addition the name of the dog. Having done this, put the paper in a piece of bread and give to the dog to eat. About the middle of the last century, when mad dogs were common, this “prescription” was considered “a sure and certain cure”; or at least, so says my informant, an old farmer in the neighbourhood of

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HOW TO CURE A DOG THAT HAS BEEN BITTEN BY A MAD DOG.

HOW TO CURE A DOG THAT HAS BEEN BITTEN BY A MAD DOG.

There is at the present day preserved at Gilfachwen, Llandyssul, by D. J. Lloyd, Esq., a small white stone, not quite the size of an egg. The stone is comparatively soft, and was supposed to possess healing power to cure people bitten by mad dogs. A little substance of the stone was scraped off, and mixed with milk and given as a dose to the patients. In years gone by—though not now—people believed so much in this stone that some travelled long distances to Gilfachwen; but how many of them were

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HEALING STONES.

HEALING STONES.

I know very little about this stone or what curative power it has or was supposed to have. I only know that it was very much in request many years ago. It came to my father’s possession on the death of his uncle, Rev. David Bowen, of Waunifor about the year 1847. In those days and for many years afterwards, mad dogs were very “fashionable,” a summer never passing without one hearing of a great many people having been bitten, and, consequently, a great many people called at Gilfachwen for a dose

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LLAETHFAEN.

LLAETHFAEN.

The following extracts from the book of remedies of The Physicians of Myddfai, will not be irrelevant, as those celebrated Physicians were of Fairy origin, having been furnished with medical prescriptions by their supernatural mother, the Fairy lady of Llyn y Fan, in Carmarthenshire....

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THE PHYSICIANS OF MYDDFAI.

THE PHYSICIANS OF MYDDFAI.

“Take some newts, by some called lizards, and those nasty beetles which are found in ferns during summer time, calcine them in an iron pot and make a powder thereof. Wet the forefinger of the right hand, insert it in the powder, and apply it to the tooth frequently, refraining from spitting it off, when the tooth will fall away without pain. It is proven.”—Physicians of Myddfai....

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TO EXTRACT A TOOTH WITHOUT PAIN.

TO EXTRACT A TOOTH WITHOUT PAIN.

“Seek some plantain, and a handful of sheep’s sorrel, then pound well in a mortar with the white of eggs, honey, and old lard, make it into an ointment and apply to the bitten part, so that it may be cured.”—Physicians of Myddfai....

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FOR THE BITE OF A MAD DOG.

FOR THE BITE OF A MAD DOG.

“ Seek the gall of a hare, of a hen, of a eel, and of a stag, with fresh urine and honeysuckle leaves, then inflict a wound upon an ivy tree, and mix the gum that exudes from the wound therewith, boiling it swiftly, and straining it through a fine linen cloth; when cold, insert a little thereof in the corners of the eyes, and it will be a wonder if he who makes use of it does not see the stars in mid-day, in consequence of the virtues of this remedy.”—Physicians of Myddfai....

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FOR PAIN IN THE EYE.

FOR PAIN IN THE EYE.

“Black or Holy Bread is that which has been made on Good Friday and kept for twelve months. It is stored in the cottage-roof where it keeps dry and becomes black, and is consumed on Good Friday only. This bread is here said to be an excellent remedy for people and cattle suffering from certain complaints.”—The Church Plate of Radnorshire by the Rev. J. T. Evans, page 15....

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HOLY BREAD AS A REMEDY.

HOLY BREAD AS A REMEDY.

“If a hoofed animal is found to be suffering from “Foul Foot” it must be taken to a field, or sward, and the impression made on the ground by one of its hoofs must be carefully cut out and placed upside down on a hedge or bush; when the turf has withered the animal will be cured.”—Church Plate of Radnorshire, page 16....

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HOW TO CURE A “FOUL FOOT.”

HOW TO CURE A “FOUL FOOT.”

Pentrevor, in the “Pembroke County Guardian,” says:—I have a valuable recipe for quack doctors. Mr. George Williams, knows of a young lady who was one day cleaning a window when a flash of lightning so frightened her that she became subject to fits. As an infallible cure, someone suggested that a dead man’s bone be procured. Llanwnda Churchyard was visited for the purpose, while a new grave was being dug, and dead men’s bones were thrown up by the spade. A bone was found and cleaned, ground into

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PILLS OF DEAD MEN’S BONES.

PILLS OF DEAD MEN’S BONES.

A writer in “Cymru Fu” an interesting reprint from “The Weekly Mail,” says:— It is a well-known fact that “clefyd y Galon,” or love-sickness is a very prevalent complaint in Wales, especially among young females who have been jilted, or have failed to win the affection of the young man whom they admire best. The lamented Talhaiarn knew all about it when he penned the line in one of his love songs:— “Minau’n ceisio caru Gwen, a hithau’n caru Roli.” A cure of this disease has been for centuries, a

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GWELLA CLEFYD Y GALON, OR HEART DISEASE, A LOVE SICKNESS.

GWELLA CLEFYD Y GALON, OR HEART DISEASE, A LOVE SICKNESS.

Six penny worth of gin, or quart of beer, four penny-worth of best saffron; give them a boiling on a slow fire, and take them for seven mornings, after putting red hot steel in to warm it....

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THE MEDICINE.

THE MEDICINE.

In the new and valuable History of Radnorshire (p. 321), published by Davis and Co., Brecon, appeared the following transcript of a printed paper, now in a decayed state, which was pasted on a board and placed in a conspicuous part of the Church of Diserth, in that County:— “At the Court of Whitehall, the 9th of January, 1683. “Whereas by the Grace of God, the King and Queen of this Realm, by and for many years past, have had the happiness by their sacred touch, and invocation of the name of God

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TOUCHING; OR THE CURE OF THE DISEASE KNOWN AS “THE KING’S EVIL.”

TOUCHING; OR THE CURE OF THE DISEASE KNOWN AS “THE KING’S EVIL.”

There is preserved at the mansion of Nanteos, near Aberystwyth, a sacred healing cup known in Welsh as the “Phiol,” which interesting relic was shown me a few years ago by Mrs. W. B. Powell, to whom, and to the genial Squire, I am indebted for much kindness and respect. In the same week an intelligent and wealthy Roman Catholic lady—an invalid—came all the way from London, as she had such faith in the efficacy and healing virtues of the Sacred Cup. The Cup is of a very dark wood and supposed to

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HOLY RELICS.

HOLY RELICS.

Until a few years ago it was usual for people who were ill, especially those suffering from hemorrhage to send to Nanteos for the loan of this healing cup, as it was supposed to possess healing power which could only be called miraculous, and there are many instances of cures believed to have been effected by taking food and medicine or wine out of the cup. It is a great pity that this interesting relic is now in an unshapely condition, having been considerably damaged by some of the patients wh

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HOLY WELLS.

HOLY WELLS.

“There is a well on the Picton Castle Estate, situated near the Red House Cottages, called the Priest’s Well, which the children are (this was written thirty-five years ago) in the habit of decorating with mountain ash (or as it is called “Cayer” in the district) and cowslips on May Day. This is supposed to have the effect of keeping the witches away from those families who get water from the well during the year. The children sing over the well while decorating it “Cayer, Cayer, keep the witche

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LAKES.

LAKES.

Pencarreg Lake is not far from Lampeter, but lies on the Carmarthenshire side of the river Teivy, and near Llanybyther. According to an old tradition in the district, a village once stood on the spot where now the lake is; but the village was swallowed up, and the lake is now known as the “bottomless.” Talley Lakes are close to the remains of the fine old Abbey, and not far from Edwinsford, the country seat of Sir James Drummond, Bart., Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire. Respecting these lakes

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RIVER LEGENDS.

RIVER LEGENDS.

The Severn, the Wye, and the Rheidol rise on Plinlimon Mountain. These rivers, which are called three sisters, agreed to make a visit to the sea in the morning. Severn rose up very early, and took compass through Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire. Wye rose later and took her journey through the counties of Radnorshire and Hereford, falling in with her sister near Chepstow, and went hand in hand to the ocean. Rheidol indulged in her dreams and lay so late that she was forced to take

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CAVES.

CAVES.

According to tradition “Plant Mat,” or “Plant y Fat,” were two sons and a daughter of one Matthew Evans, who kept a public house at Tregaron in the seventeenth century. These persons became highway robbers and lived in a cave near Devil’s Bridge. The entrance to the cave admitted only one person at a time and this enabled the robbers to keep out hundreds when they were attacked. It seems that they had some notion of honour, for it is said that if either had a friend, he gave him his glove, which

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LLANDDEWI BREFI.

LLANDDEWI BREFI.

According to another version of the story, it was the ox which survived was the one that bellowed, and not the one that died. According to another story given in Meyrick’s History of Cardiganshire, these two Bannog Oxen were on one occasion used to draw “away a monstrous beaver dead”; but this is only a version of a legend which is to be found in several parts of Wales, and is founded on the older story of Hu Gadarn, or Hu the Mighty, who, with his Bannog Oxen, drew to land the avanc out of Llyn

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CAIO (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

CAIO (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

About seven miles from Pembroke, and a mile from Bosheston, there is a small chapel of rude masonry half way down the cliff known as St. Govan’s Chapel. It is a seaside building, perched across a fissure in the side of the cliff, and a long flight of steps leading down to it from above. There is a popular belief that these steps cannot be numbered by anyone correctly, or “counted by none both ways alike.” I visited the spot myself in October, 1909. In the east wall of the Chapel a doorway admits

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ST. GOVAN’S.

ST. GOVAN’S.

There are, or at least were, somewhere in this part, three upright stones, about a mile distant from each other. The tradition is, that on a certain day these stones meet to “dance the Hay,” at a place called Saxon’s Ford, and when the dance is over, travel back and resume their places. The late Mr. Thomas, Greenpark, informed me that there was a moving stone of this kind in the parish of Llandyssul, Cardiganshire. At a distance of about three miles from Tregaron there is a ridge running east an

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TREGARON.

TREGARON.

The Rev. Peter Roberts, in his “Cambrian Popular Antiquities,” says that Crug Mawr, or Pentychryd Mawr, is a lofty hill in Cardiganshire, situated in the Vale of Aeron, mentioned in Giraldus, where he says, “there is an open grave, which fits the length of any man lying in it, short or long.” Hence arose the ancient tradition, that a powerful giant, kept his post on this hill, and was endowed with the genius of the Aeron Vale. He had a lofty palace erected on the hill, and used occasionally to i

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CRUG MAWR.

CRUG MAWR.

“Ochenaid Gwyddno Garanhir, Pan droes y don dros ei dir.” (The sigh of Gwyddno Garanhir, When the waives swept over his land .) There is a well-known tradition in Cardiganshire, and indeed all over Wales, that what is known to-day as Cardigan Bay was once dry land. The country was known as Cantref y Gwaelod, or The Lowland Hundred. It had sixteen cities, and in the beginning of the sixth century the district was governed by a king named Gwyddno Garanhir. As the land was below sea-level, dykes ha

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CANTREF Y GWAELOD; OR THE LOST LOWLAND.

CANTREF Y GWAELOD; OR THE LOST LOWLAND.

There is a well-known tradition in Cardiganshire, and indeed all over Wales, that what is known to-day as Cardigan Bay was once dry land. The country was known as Cantref y Gwaelod, or The Lowland Hundred. It had sixteen cities, and in the beginning of the sixth century the district was governed by a king named Gwyddno Garanhir. As the land was below sea-level, dykes had been built to check the encroachments of the sea. One day, however, Saethennyn Feddw, that is, Saethennyn the Drunkard, son of

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LLANFIHANGEL YSTRAD.

LLANFIHANGEL YSTRAD.

There is a fine old mansion in Carmarthenshire, with a very strange tradition in connection with it. I am not permitted to mention the name of the place. Once upon a time there was a certain tree, or rather a bush, in a field, or in the Park, which bloomed with flowers every Christmas morning. Christmas after Christmas, when putting forth its blossoms, the bush made a strange noise, which attracted to the spot large crowds of people from all parts of the country. At last the selfish Squire cut d

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A STRANGE CARMARTHENSHIRE TREE LEGEND.

A STRANGE CARMARTHENSHIRE TREE LEGEND.

The most popular tradition associated with Lampeter is that known as the “Curse of Maesyfelin.” Maesyfelin was a stately mansion on the banks of the river Dulas, on the east side of the town of Lampeter. It was once a place of consequence, and an ancient family of Lloyds lived there. About the beginning of the 17th Century the famous Vicar Pritchard of Llandovery, author of “ Canwyll y Cymry ” had a son named Samuel. Tradition has it that this young Samuel was an intimate friend of Sir Francis L

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MAESYFELIN.

MAESYFELIN.

People believe to this day that the judgment of God fell on the family and mansion of Maesyfelin. The palace delapsed and no longer exists. Materials from its ruins were carried away to repair Ffynonbedr, another mansion in the neighbourhood; but that place is also in ruin now, so that it is believed that the curse of Maesyfelin followed the material to Ffynonbedr. In former times Tenby was so celebrated for its fishery and it was known as Dinbych-y-Pysgod, that is Tenby-of-the-Fish. There is a

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TENBY (PEMBROKESHIRE).

TENBY (PEMBROKESHIRE).

In this locality is a huge stone or rock, which, according to tradition, was thrown there by King Arthur of old; and somewhere in the same neighbourhood is “ Bedd Arthur ,” Arthur’s Grave....

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CWM KERWYN (PEMBROKESHIRE).

CWM KERWYN (PEMBROKESHIRE).

It is popularly supposed that there is an underground passage from this old Castle to the mansion, known as Plas Llanstephan. Tradition has it that many an attempt was made in former times to go through, but always in vain, as a spirit extinguished the candles of all who entered the passage after proceeding a certain distance....

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LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

According to Pentrevor, in “The Pembroke County Guardian,” March, 1903, a “Fairies’ Town” has been seen in the sea occasionally in this neighbourhood. He also adds that there are on the extreme point of Dinas Head, some steps in the rock called “The Devil’s Footprints.” There are also “Devil’s Footprints” in a rock, to be seen in Cardiganshire, between Llanwenog and Llanarth....

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CWMYREGLWYS (PEMBROKESHIRE).

CWMYREGLWYS (PEMBROKESHIRE).

Between St. David’s and Fishguard is an object not unlike a milestone, upon which is rudely traced a cross within a circle: the irregular disc being about a foot in diameter. This is known as “Mesur y Dorth,” (Measure of the Loaf); and the tradition is, that St. David caused these figures to be made in order to regulate the size of the loaf of bread in times of scarcity....

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MESUR Y DORTH (MEASURE OF THE LOAF).

MESUR Y DORTH (MEASURE OF THE LOAF).

Near the Bishop of St. David’s Palace, Abergwili, is a pool in the river Towy, called “Pwll y Coach” (the Coach’s Pool). The tradition is that in the old Coaching Days the “Great Coach” fell into this pool, and was never seen again....

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ABERGWILI.

ABERGWILI.

In the parish of Llanon, Carmarthenshire, is a field called “Cae Poeth.” Tradition says that images which were in the Church before the Reformation were burnt at this spot....

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CAE POETH (HOT FIELD).

CAE POETH (HOT FIELD).

Craig Gwrtheyrn is in the neighbourhood of Pencader, in Carmarthenshire. According to an old legend, the disreputable old British King Vortigern, built a castle here in the fifth century; but he and his castle were destroyed by fire from heaven. There is also a story that Owen Glyndwr sleeps in a cave here....

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CRAIG GWRTHEYRN (VORTIGERN’S ROCK).

CRAIG GWRTHEYRN (VORTIGERN’S ROCK).

Near Brynberian, in North Pembrokeshire, there is a grave known as “ Bedd yr Afanc ,” or the Avanc’s Grave. According to an old tradition in the neighbourhood, this Avanc was a most dangerous beast or monster, which at last, after much trouble, was caught in a pool in the river, and buried with pomp and religious rites on a spot which still bears the name “ Bedd yr Afanc .”...

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BRYNBERIAN (PEMBROKESHIRE).

BRYNBERIAN (PEMBROKESHIRE).

Non was the mother of St. David. The Vicar, Mr. Lewis, informed me that there is a tradition in the neighbourhood that the Patron Saint was born here, and owned much land here, including all the flats known as Morfa Esgob—The Bishop’s March. It is said that St. David divided the land into small portions which he gave to the fishermen of the place. There was a stone on the exterior wall of the ruins of St. Non’s Chapel, on which was carved the face of a woman with a child in her arms, traditional

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LLANON (CARDIGANSHIRE).

LLANON (CARDIGANSHIRE).

According to the Rev. John Griffith, Llangynwyd, there is a version of the well-known legend of Arthur or Owen Lawgoch and the Sleeping Warriors attached to this place; but as I have already given a version of this story in connection with Owen Lawgoch’s Cave, near Llandebie, I shall not repeat it here. King Arthur figures rather prominently in North Cardiganshire. Between Devil’s Bridge and Llanafan is a farm belonging to the Earl of Lisburne called “Maen Arthur”—Arthur’s Stone; and in the pari

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TYNYCASTELL (DEVIL’S BRIDGE).

TYNYCASTELL (DEVIL’S BRIDGE).

About eight miles north of Aberystwyth is an ancient grave known as Bedd Taliesin . According to a local tradition, Taliesin, Chief Bard of the Island of Britain was buried on this spot. The grave, which is composed of stones, is in the centre of a large heap of earth or mound surrounded by stone circles, and some generations ago bones, and even a human skull, were found in it, which probably were the remains of the great ancient poet. There is a superstition respecting Bedd Taliesin that should

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BEDD TALIESIN (TALIESIN’S GRAVE).

BEDD TALIESIN (TALIESIN’S GRAVE).

On the mountain above the village of Caio, there are two peculiar heaps of stone known as Crugiau’r Ladis, concerning which there is the following curious tradition:—Two ladies from London were exiled from their homes, and lived in this district. The change of town life to country was so great, that they set to work and gathered heaps of stone together to build a Babel heavenward, from the top of which they could see London from the land of exile. I heard a story when a boy that Derry Ormond tow

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CRUGIAU’R LADIS (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

CRUGIAU’R LADIS (CARMARTHENSHIRE).

In a field called Llettyngharad on this farm, which is in the parish of Llanfihangel Genau’r Glyn, there are two stones respecting which an ancient prophecy says that when the third appears, the end of the world will be at hand. At Llwynglas, in the same parish, there was once preserved a long knife, which, according to tradition, was used by the Saxons in the time of Vortigern, at the treachery of the long knives....

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EURGLAWDD.

EURGLAWDD.

Tradition says that Traeth Saith—the Seven’s Shore—had its name from the seven daughters of a king who were wrecked there, having been put by order of their father into a vessel without sails or oars. A poem commemorates this tradition. Probably the place is named from a brook....

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TRAETH SAITH (CARDIGANSHIRE).

TRAETH SAITH (CARDIGANSHIRE).

The present vicar, the Rev. J. F. Lloyd, remembers hearing from an old lady, that when she was a little girl, it was customary for the women of the parish to curtsy to an oil painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on entering the church. It seems that there was a holy well once known as Ffynnon Drindod not far from Llanilar....

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LLANILAR.

LLANILAR.

An old man, named John Jones, informed me that Llangadock was a large town in ancient times; but that a part of it sunk. According to tradition, a church stood once where Pwll y Clychau—the Pool of the Bells—is now, and the old man added that people still hear the sound of the bells at the bottom of the pool. There is a stone in the river Sawdde, known as Coitan Arthur, respecting which there is a tradition that it was thrown down from the top of Pen Arthur—about a mile distant—by Arthur the Gia

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LLANGADOCK.

LLANGADOCK.

At the entrance gate of Abermarlais Park there is an interesting stone, near which, according to a tradition related to me by Mrs. De Rutzen, the Welsh Princes held a council of war. I was also informed by people in the neighbourhood that the spot was once haunted by the ghost of a lady in white....

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ABERMARLAIS.

ABERMARLAIS.

It is said that in an underground dungeon of Oystermouth Castle is, or there was, a large pillar known as “The Wishing Post,” around which young men and young women, when wishing for a lover or sweetheart, were in the habit of walking nine times, and at the same time sticking a pin in the pillar and looking on the wall, when they were supposed to see “a lady in white.”...

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OYSTERMOUTH CASTLE (GOWER).

OYSTERMOUTH CASTLE (GOWER).

Near the Bone Caves is a cromlech known as Arthur’s Stone. According to tradition, St. David split it with a sword in proof that it was not sacred....

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OXWITCH (GOWER).

OXWITCH (GOWER).

“Cae Halog,” at Llanbadarn-fawr means “Desecrated Field.” The tradition in the neighbourhood is, that in former times people met together at this spot to indulge in games and contests on Sundays, thus breaking the Sabbath....

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CAE HALOG (NORTH CARDIGANSHIRE).

CAE HALOG (NORTH CARDIGANSHIRE).

It was customary in former times for the people of this district to meet together on the First Sunday after New Year’s Day, called by them “Sul Coch” (Red Sunday), when wrestling, football, etc., took place, to commemorate a victory over the Flemings. In the neighbouring parish of Llangoedmore, is St. Cynllo’s Cave, where, according to ancient tradition, the holy Saint prayed, and where marks of his knees are to be seen in the rocks....

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MOUNT AND VERWICK (CARDIGAN).

MOUNT AND VERWICK (CARDIGAN).

It is said that this parish received its name from a stone which sounded like a bell. An old man named John Griffiths, informed me that he remembered this stone, which was a very large one, and that people broke it up in order to see what caused it to sound....

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MAENCLOCHOG (PEMBROKESHIRE).

MAENCLOCHOG (PEMBROKESHIRE).

There are old traditions that an ancient Welsh King, named Pryderi Ap Pwyll, had a palace here, somewhere on the river side, on a spot known according to the Mabinogion, as “Rhuddlan Teivi.” The present mansion is the country residence of Colonel Davies-Evans, the worthy Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire, who informed me that Sir John Rhys, Oxford, has been trying to discover traces of Pryderi’s palace. I dealt with this subject in a paper which I read at Highmead, June, 1910, before the Cardigan

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HIGHMEAD (CARDIGANSHIRE).

HIGHMEAD (CARDIGANSHIRE).

The late John Jones, Bristol House, Talybont, informed me six years ago, that there is a tradition in the neighbourhood that Henry VII. called at Gogerddan when on his way through Cardiganshire to Bosworth Field. Henry had been entertained at Wern Newydd and Llwyn Dafydd in the south of the county. Gogerddan is the ancient residence of the genial baronet, Sir Edward Webley-Parry-Pryse....

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GOGERDDAN (NEAR ABERYSTWYTH).

GOGERDDAN (NEAR ABERYSTWYTH).

There is a tradition in this parish, that in ancient times, the Romans put to death a young woman in the neighbourhood of Gernos, and that her spirit haunted the spot for generations. At first, she appeared as a cat, and afterwards as a “White lady.” There is a tradition that a son of Howell Dda, King of Wales, lived in the neighbouring district of Dyffryn Cerri....

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LLANGYNLLO (CARDIGANSHIRE).

LLANGYNLLO (CARDIGANSHIRE).

Tradition says that this parish received is name from eleven thousand Welsh virgins, who were massacred by barbarians on the coast of Germany. The virgins were on their way to Brittany....

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LLANGWYRYFON (CHURCH OF THE VIRGINS).

LLANGWYRYFON (CHURCH OF THE VIRGINS).

According to my friend, the Rev. Prys Williams (Brythonydd), there is a farm in this parish called “Perth Geraint”; and it is probable that Geraint, one of King Arthur’s knights was buried somewhere in this neighbourhood, as tradition locates in the parish of Penbryn, the “Battle of Llongborth,” at which Geraint was killed. This is the Geraint who figures in the Mabinogion, and in Tennyson, as the knight who married the young Lady Enid, who is described as “comely and graceful.” There is a stone

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PENBRYN (CARDIGANSHIRE).

PENBRYN (CARDIGANSHIRE).

It is said that the spot where the remains of the Castle now stand, was known in ancient times as “Dyngeraint,” so named from Geraint, one of King Arthur’s Knights. This is the Geraint I have just mentioned above in connection with the traditions of Penbryn, Cardiganshire, a parish which is only about seven miles distance from Cilgerran. Arthur and his Knights figure prominently in the traditions of Pembrokeshire, and there is a legend of a battle fought by Arthur’s sons in the neighbourhood of

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CILGERRAN (PEMBROKESHIRE).

CILGERRAN (PEMBROKESHIRE).

Lady Enid Vaughan, daughter of Countess Lisburne, and sister of the young Earl of Lisburne, informed me that there is a tradition in the neighbourhood of Harlech that Charles I. during the Civil War, was at one time hiding at Gorsygedol, and that the bedstead in which he slept is still to be seen there. Near the same old mansion is a large stone known as “Coeten Arthur”—Arthur’s coit....

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GORSYGEDOL (MERIONETHSHIRE).

GORSYGEDOL (MERIONETHSHIRE).

“There is one-half of him in Penboyr.” “Angylion Ceinewydd, Gwartheg Llanarth, Hwrddod Cilcennin.” (New Quay’s angels, Llanarth’s cows, Cilcennin’s rams.) “Gwyr Llanddeusant, capan crwyn, Lladron defaid, mamau’r wyn.” (Llanddeusant men, skin caps, Sheep stealers, lambs’s mothers .) “Moch Sir Benfro.” (Pembrokeshire pigs.) It is probable that Pembrokeshire was the particular part of Britain into which pigs were first introduced. In the Mabinogion, Gwydion tells Math, son of Mathonwy, Lord of Nort

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NICK-NAMES, OLD AND POPULAR SAYINGS.

NICK-NAMES, OLD AND POPULAR SAYINGS.

It is probable that Pembrokeshire was the particular part of Britain into which pigs were first introduced. In the Mabinogion, Gwydion tells Math, son of Mathonwy, Lord of North Wales, that Pryderi, Lord of the South, had some beasts called pigs. Pryderi, though he had a palace at Rhuddlan Teivi, in Cardiganshire, was a Pembrokeshire Prince, and it would seem that his chief palace was still at Narberth, and that he introduced some of his pigs from Pembrokeshire into Cardiganshire. “Esmwyth yw Cw

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“CYNGHOR GWRAIG HEB EI OFYN.”

“CYNGHOR GWRAIG HEB EI OFYN.”

The above sayings mentioned by Robert Burton 200 years ago have fallen into disuse now, but I have occasionally heard, “ Ni thorres Arthur nawdd gwraig. ” The following appeared in the “Western Mail,” December 3rd, 1910:— According to a work just published on South Pembrokeshire, the custom prevailing in that part of the country of chalking the door-step dates back to Druidical times. The object of this chalking was to keep evil spirits out of the house. The patterns run round the slated steps,

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CHALKING THE DOOR-STEP.

CHALKING THE DOOR-STEP.

The following account by an eye-witness of a Wake at Disserth, on July 9th, 1744, will prove of interest:— “ At the end of a mead, by this river side (the R. Ieithon), were a company dancing in a barn. They were about nine couple, genteely dressed, and all people of fortune and fashion, and I may with security say, the best and most active country dancers I ever saw. We observed that the men were gay and genteel, handsome, and well shaped; the women were genteel without pride, modest without aff

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WAKES IN RADNORSHIRE.

WAKES IN RADNORSHIRE.

Page 5 , line 27, read secretly instead of secretely. Page 89 , line 9. read hide instead of hid. Page 122 , line 10, read Morgan instead of Jenkins. Page 143 , line 12, read Goblin instead of Boblin. Page 209 . line 5, read present instead of preent. Page 210 , line 19. read cup instead of sup. Page 225 , line 38, read Witched instead of Wtiched. Page 247 , line 6, read at least instead of at east. Page 320 , line 39, read 1859 instead of 1850....

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ERRATA.

ERRATA.

ROYAL LIBRARY, SANDRINGHAM. HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS LOUISE, DUCHESS OF ARGYLL. His Grace the Duke of Norfolk. His Grace the Duke of Hamilton. His Grace the Duke of Westminster. His Grace the Duke of Leinster. Her Grace the Duchess of Beaufort, Badmington House. The Most Noble Marquis of Bute, Cardiff Castle (3 copies). Most Noble Marquis of Normanby, Castle Whitby. Right Hon. Earl of Pembroke (2 copies). Right Hon. Earl Lytton (Grandson of Lord Lytton, the distinguished novelist, poet, orato

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LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS

Aberystwyth University College Library. Aberystwyth Public Library. Aberdeen Public Library (per G. M. Fraser, M.A., Librarian). Antiquaries, The Society of, Burlington House, W. Adams, B., B.M., B.Ch. (Medical Superintendent of West Wales Sanatorium). Alban, E., M.D., Bryntirion, Lindfield, Sussex. Anwyl, Prof., M.A., University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. Arnold, Professor E. V., M.A., Bangor. Arnett, J. E., The Library, Tenby. Allen and Son, E. G., 14, Grape Street , London (two copies). A

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Corrections

Corrections

The following corrections have been applied to the text:...

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