(1) THE FAIRIES OF CARAGONAN.
Source: This story came from a Welsh pedlar--a woman. Its genuineness
may be relied upon. I find it a common belief that fairies have power
over witches, and the witch-hare is commonly believed in; also a
witch-fox. I have heard of no evil fairies in Wales; all the mischief
seems to be the work of witches. I have heard several variants of the
witch-hare.
(2) THE CRAIG-Y-DON BLACKSMITH.
This story I have heard from four different persons.
(3) OLD GWILYM.
Source: This story came from an old Welshman who says he knew Gwilym,
and heard the story from his lips. The narrator may be relied upon.
(4) THE BABY-FARMER.
Same source.
(5) THE OLD MAN AND THE FAIRIES.
Same source as 2. In Wales, so far as I have heard, the disappointed
always find _cockle-shells_.
(6) TOMMY PRITCHARD.
Same source as 2.
(7) KADDY’S LUCK.
Same source as 2.
(8) STORY OF GELERT.
As told by an old fisherman. The variant of this well-known story may
prove useful. Borrow’s “tent” theory is, I think, an invention of his
own. I was fortunate enough to get possession of an old book (without
title-page, title, or author’s name), in which the following remarks on
this story occur:--
“Some say this should be written Bedd Gelert, or Gilert, signifying
Gelert’s, or Gilert’s Grave. To this name is annexed a traditional
story, which it is hardly worth while to mention. However, the substance
of the tradition is, that Prince Llewelyn ap Iorwerth, in a fit of
passion, killed a favourite greyhound in this place, named Gelert, or
Gilert, and that, repenting of the deed, he caused a tomb to be erected
over his grave, where afterwards the parish church was built. See the
story at large in Mr. Edw. Jones’s _Welsh Music_. But we may reasonably
conclude that this is all a fable, both when we consider the impiety of
building a church for divine worship over the grave of a dog, an impiety
not consistent with the genius of that age; and when we consider, also,
that the establishment of parochial cures, and the building of our
country churches in Wales, began soon after the dispersion of the
British clergy, which happened at the time of the massacre at Bangor
Iscoed, A.D. 603, at the instigation of Augustine the Monk, employed
for that purpose by the See of Rome. Llewelyn ap Iorwerth governed Wales
from A.D. 1194 to 1240, when he died; so that parish churches were built
between five and six hundred years before the time of this prince.
“This Gelert, or Gilert, must, in all probability, have been some old
monk or saint of that name, who was interred here, and was either the
first founder of this church, or one to whose memory it was dedicated,
if built after his time. Bethgelert, before the Reformation, was a
priory. Lewis Dwnn, a bard of the fifteenth century, in a poem (the
purport of which is to solicit David, the Prior of Bethgelert, to bestow
on John Wynne, of Gwydwr, Esq., a fine bay horse which he possessed)
extols the Prior for his liberality and learning. Hence we are led to
suppose that this monk was very opulent, and a popular character in his
time.”
The stories of a hunter killing his favourite greyhound (always a
greyhound) are common to many districts. The book quoted is said to be
written by a Mr. Williams, in 1800.
(9) ORIGIN OF THE WELSH.
Source: An old seaman, who avers he heard it on a ship, on the way home
from Calcutta. I look with suspicion on the story. However, the Welsh
always believed they were descended from the Trojans, and the author of
the book cited says on this point:--
“Elen was a very common name among the ancient British ladies, and it
seems to have been often bestowed out of compliment upon genteel and
beautiful women; as we sometimes hear at this day _Ei Elen O--his
Elen_ when a man has a young and beautiful wife; and there is hardly
a love-song but the woman is called or compared in it to the Trojan
Helena, or Elen, as the Welsh write and pronounce the word. The Welsh
have had amongst them, time out of mind, a tradition that the first
colony of Bretons came to these islands from Troy after the destruction
of that city.”
(10) THE STORY OF THE CROWS.
Source: Told me by an old man, who knew the defunct.
(11) ROBERTS AND THE FAIRIES.
Source: Told me by another old man, and I believe it to be genuine.
There is another story of the same kind, of a man who was searching for
treasure in Beaumaris Castle, and after he had told of his luck a stone
fell on him, so that he had to go away.
(12) THE QUEEN OF THE DELL.
Came from the same old pedlar as No. 1. A genuine story. The narrator
says you seldom hear a fairy story in Anglesea unless there is a witch
in it.
(13) ELLEN’S LUCK.
Source: Told me by the same old man as No. 11. I believe it to be
genuine, and the narrator trustworthy.
(14) THE PELLINGS.
Source: Taken _verbatim_ from the old book referred to. In the context
the author says these people inhabited the districts about the foot of
Snowdon, and were known by the nickname of Pellings, which is not yet
extinct; and he says they tell the tale as given. After telling
the story, which he entitles a fairy story, he makes the following
suggestive comments:--
“Before the Reformation, when the Christian world was enveloped in
Popish darkness and superstition, when the existence of fairies and
other spectres was not questioned, and when such a swarm of idle
people, under the names of minstrels, poets, begging friars, etc., were
permitted to ramble about, it may be supposed that these vagrants had
amongst themselves some kind of rule or government, if I may so term
it, as we are assured those that now-a-days go under the name of gypsies
have. Such people might, at appointed times on fine moonlight nights,
assemble in some sequestered spot, to regulate their dark affairs and
divide the spoil; and then perform their nightly _orgies_, so as to
terrify people from coming near them, lest their tricks and cheats
should be discovered. It is possible the men of Ystrad might have less
superstition, and somewhat more courage, than their neighbours, and
supposing such a one to come suddenly on these nightly revellers, he
would of course cause great consternation amongst them; and, on finding
a comely female in the group, it is not unnatural to imagine that he
might, as the heroes of old have done before him, seize on a beauteous
Helen, carry her home, and in process of time marry her--for many
valorous knights have done the latter; but she, on account of some
domestic jars, might afterwards have eloped from him, and returned to
her former companions and occupation.”