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
As Mr. David Walter, of Pembrokeshire, 'a religious man, and far from
fear and superstition,' was travelling by himself through a field
called the Cot Moor, where there are two stones set up called the
Devil's Nags, which are said to be haunted, he was suddenly seized and
thrown over a hedge. He went there another day, taking with him for
protection a strong fighting mastiff dog. When he had come near the
Devil's Nags there appeared in his path the apparition of a dog more
terrible than any he had ever seen. In vain he tried to set his
mastiff on; the huge beast crouched frightened by his master's feet
and refused to attack the spectre. Whereupon his master boldly stooped
to pick up a stone, thinking that would frighten the evil dog; but
suddenly a circle of fire surrounded it, which lighting up the gloom,
showed the white snip down the dog's nose, and his grinning teeth, and
white tail. 'He then knew it was one of the infernal dogs of
hell.'[71]
Rebecca Adams was 'a woman who appeared to be a true living
experimental Christian, beyond many,' and she lived near Laugharne
Castle, in Carmarthenshire. One evening when she was going to
Laugharne town on some business, her mother dissuaded her from going,
telling her she would be benighted, and might be terrified by some
apparition at Pant y Madog. This was a pit by the side of the lane
leading to Laugharne, which was never known to be dry, and which was
haunted, as many had both seen and heard apparitions there. But the
bold Rebecca was not to be frighted at such nonsense, and went her
way. It was rather dark when she was returning, and she had passed by
the haunted pit of Pant y Madog, and was congratulating herself on
having seen no ghost. Suddenly she saw a great dog coming towards her.
When within about four or five yards of her it stopped, squatted on
its haunches, 'and set up such a scream, so loud, so horrible, and so
strong, that she thought the earth moved under her.' Then she fell
down in a swoon. When she revived it was gone; and it was past
midnight when she got home, weak and exhausted.
FOOTNOTES:
[70] 'Mabinogion,' 230.
[71] Jones, 'Apparitions.'
IV.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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