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 legend of the Lady of the Wood is contained in the Iolo MSS., and
is of considerable antiquity. It is a most fascinating tale: Einion,
the son of Gwalchmai, 'was one fine summer morning walking in the
woods of Treveilir,' when 'he beheld a graceful slender lady of
elegant growth, and delicate feature, and her complexion surpassing
every white and red in the morning dawn and the mountain snow, and
every beautiful colour in the blossoms of wood, field, and hill. And
then he felt in his heart an inconceivable commotion of affection, and
he approached her in a courteous manner, and she also approached him
in the same manner; and he saluted her, and she returned his
salutation; and by these mutual salutations he perceived that his
society was not disagreeable to her. He then chanced to cast his eye
upon her foot, and he saw that she had hoofs instead of feet, and he
became exceedingly dissatisfied,' as well he might. But the lady gave
him to understand that he must pay no attention to this trifling freak
of nature. 'Thou must,' she said, 'follow me wheresoever I go, as long
as I continue in my beauty.' The son of Gwalchmai thereupon asked
permission to go and say good-bye to his wife, at least. This the lady
agreed to; 'but,' said she, 'I shall be with thee, invisible to all
but thyself.' 'So he went, and the goblin went with him; and when he
saw Angharad, his wife, he saw her a hag like one grown old, but he
retained the recollection of days past, and still felt extreme
affection for her, but he was not able to loose himself from the bond
in which he was. "It is necessary for me," said he, "to part for a
time, I know not how long, from thee, Angharad, and from thee, my son,
Einion," and they wept together, and broke a gold ring between them;
he kept one half and Angharad the other, and they took their leave of
each other, and he went with the Lady of the Wood, and knew not where;
for a powerful illusion was upon him, and he saw not any place, or
person, or object under its true and proper appearance, excepting the
half of the ring alone. And after being a long time, he knew not how
long, with the goblin, the Lady of the Wood, he looked one morning as
the sun was rising upon the half of the ring, and he bethought him to
place it in the most precious place he could, and he resolved to put
it under his eyelid; and as he was endeavouring to do so, he could see
a man in white apparel, and mounted on a snow-white horse, coming
towards him, and that person asked him what he did there; and he told
him that he was cherishing an afflicting remembrance of his wife
Angharad. "Dost thou desire to see her?" said the man in white. "I
do," said Einion, "above all things, and all happiness of the world."
"If so," said the man in white, "get upon this horse, behind me;" and
that Einion did, and looking around he could not see any appearance of
the Lady of the Wood, the goblin, excepting the track of hoofs of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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