British Goblins: Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and TraditionsSikes, Wirt
History
British Goblins: Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions
Sikes, Wirt
Folklore -- Wales; Goblins -- Wales; Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Mythology, Welsh; Wales -- Social life and customs
The landlord of the inn at Langattock Crickhowel, in Breconshire, was
a man called Richard the Tailor. He was more than suspected of
resorting to the company of fairies, and of practising infernal arts.
One day a company of gentlemen were hunting in that vicinity, when the
hounds started a hare, which ran so long and so hard that everybody
was prostrated with fatigue; and this hare disappeared from view at
the cellar window of the inn kept by Richard the Tailor. The
circumstance begat a suspicion among the hunters that the hare which
had so bothered them was none other than Richard the Tailor himself,
and that his purpose in taking that form had been to lead them a dance
and bring them to the door of his inn at an hour too late for them to
return home, thus compelling them to spend their money there. They
stayed, however, being very tired. But they growled very hard at their
landlord and were perfectly free with their comments on his base
conduct. One of their party, having occasion to go out-doors during
the evening, did not come back; his name was Walter Jones, and he was
well known in that part of the country. The company became uneasy at
his absence, and began to abuse the landlord roundly, threatening to
burn the house if Walter Jones did not return. Notwithstanding their
threats, Walter Jones came not back all night. Late the next morning
he made his appearance, looking like one who had been drawn through
thorns and briars, with his hair in disorder, and his whole aspect
terribly demoralised. His story was soon told. He had no sooner got
out-doors than invisible hands had whisked him up, and whirled him
along rough ways until daybreak, when he found himself near by the
town of Newport, helping a man from Risca to raise a load of coal upon
his horse. Suddenly he became insensible, and was whisked back again
to the inn where they now saw him. The distance he traversed in going
to and fro was about forty miles. And Walter Jones, who had hitherto
been an ungodly man, mended his ways from that time forth.
IX.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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