_No. 3. Meddygon Myddvai_.--On the heights of the Black Mountains, in
Caermarthenshire, lies a dark-watered lake, known by the name of _Lyn y Van
Vach_. As might be predicated, from the wild grandeur of its situation, as
well as from the ever-changing hues which it takes from the mountain
shadows, many a superstition--gloomy or beautiful--is connected with its
history. Amongst these may be reckoned the legend of the _Meddygon Myddvai_
or "surgeons of Myddvai." Tradition affirms that "once upon a time" a man
who dwelt in the parish of Myddvai led his lambs to graze on the borders of
this lake; a proceeding which he was induced to repeat in consequence of
his visits being celebrated by the appearance of three most beautiful
nymphs, who, rising from the waters of the lake, frequently came on shore,
and wandered about amongst his flock. On his endeavouring, however, to
catch or retain these nymphs, they fled to the lake and sank into its
depths, singing--
"Cras dy fara,
Anhawdd ein dala!"
which may be rendered [eater of] "hard baked bread, it is difficult to
retain us!" Difficulties, however, but increased the determination of the
shepherd; and day after day he watched beside the haunted lake, until at
length his perseverance was rewarded by the discovery of a substance
resembling unbaked bread, which floated on the water: this he fished up and
ate, and on the following day he succeeded in capturing the nymphs: on
which he requested one of them to become his wife; to this she consented,
on condition that he should be able to distinguish her from her sisters on
the following day. This was no easy task, as the nymphs bore the most
striking resemblance to each other; but the lover noticed some trifling
peculiarity in the dress of his choice, by means of which he identified
her. She then assured him that she would be to him as good a wife as any
_earthly_ maiden could be, until he should strike her three times without a
cause. This was deemed by the shepherd an impossible contingency, and he
led his bride in triumph from the mountain; followed by seven cows, two
oxen, and one bull, which she had summoned from the waters of the lake to
enrich her future home.
Many years passed happily on, and three smiling children--afterwards the
"surgeons of Myddvai"--blessed the shepherd and his Undine-like bride; but
at length, on requesting her to go to the field and catch his horse, she
replied that she would do so presently; when striking her arm three times
he exclaimed, _Dos, dos, dos_; Go, go, go. This was more than a free
dweller in the waters could brook; so calling her ten head of cattle to
follow her, she fled to the lake, and once more plunged beneath its waters.
Such is the legend; of which reason vainly expresses its disbelief, as long
as the eye of faith can discern physical proofs of its truth in the deep
furrow which, crossing the mountain in detached portions, terminates
abruptly in the lake; for it seems that when the two oxen were summoned by
their mistress, they were ploughing in the field; and at their departure,
they carried the plough with them, and dragged it into the lake.
The nymph once more appeared upon the earth; for as her sons grew to
manhood, she met them {389} one day in a place which, from this
circumstance, received the name of _Cwm Meddygon_, and delivered to each of
them a bag, containing such mysterious revelations in the science of
medicine, that they became greater in the art than were ever any before
them.
Though so curiously connected with this fable, the "surgeons of Myddvai"
are supposed to be historical personages, who, according to a writer in the
_Cambro-Briton_, flourished in the thirteenth century, and left behind them
a MS. treatise on their practice, of which several fragments and imperfect
copies are still preserved.
_No. 4. Trwyn Pwcca._--Many years ago, there existed in a certain part of
Monmouthshire a Pwcca, or fairy, which, like a faithful English Brownie,
performed innumerable services for the farmers and householders in its
neighbourhood, more especially that of feeding the cattle, and cleaning
their sheds in wet weather; until at length some officious person,
considering such practices as unchristian proceedings, laid the kindly
spirit for three generations, banishing him to that common receptacle for
such beings--the Red Sea. The spot in which he disappeared obtained the
name of _Trwyn Pwcca_ (Fairy's nose); and as the three generations have
nearly passed away, the approaching return of the Pwcca is anxiously looked
forward to in its vicinity, as an earnest of the "good time coming."
The form which tradition assigns to this Pwcca, is that of a handful of
loose dried grass rolling before the wind (such as is constantly seen on
moors); a circumstance which recalls to mind the Pyrenean legend of the
spirit of the Lord of Orthez, mentioned by Miss Costello, which appeared as
two straws moving on the floor. Query, Has the name of "Will o' the Wisp"
any connexion with the supposed habit of appearing in this form?