Folk-Lore of West and Mid-WalesDavies, Jonathan Ceredig
History
Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales
Davies, Jonathan Ceredig
Folklore -- Wales; Wales -- Social life and customs
"He was called Iago ap Dewi, and lived in the parish of Llanllawddog,
in a cottage situated in the wood of Llangwyly. He was absent from
the neighbourhood for a long period, and the universal belief among
the peasantry was that Iago got out of bed one night to gaze on the
starry sky, as he was accustomed (astrology being one of his favourite
studies), and whilst thus occupied the Fairies, passing by, carried
him away, and he dwelt with them seven years. Upon his return, he
was questioned by many as to where he had been, but always avoiding
giving them a reply."
A district famous for Fairies long ago was the parish of Llanedi
in Carmarthenshire, and Mr. Williams, says in his "Llen Gwerin Sir
Gaerfyrddin," that an intelligent old man in that parish, named John
Rees, gave him the following story of
A MAN WHO WAS FOUND AMONG THE FAIRIES AT CAE CEFN PANTYDWR.
This story which is similar to some of the tales I have already given
as located in other parts is as follows:--
A certain man of Llanedi, on one occasion long ago, went away to
another neighbourhood, leading by the "penwast" (collar) a very
wild and unmanageable horse; and in order to be sure not to lose
his hold of the animal, the man tied the end of the collar round
the middle. So both man and horse went together and got lost. After
much searching the horse was found without the collar, but nothing
was heard of the man. After giving up searching for him as hopeless,
they at last consulted a "Dyn Hysbys," (a conjuror or a wise man). The
wise man directed them to go on a certain night into a field known
as Cae Cefn Pantydwr, about forty yards from the road where the
Fairies could be seen dancing, and the lost man among them, with the
"penwast" still around his waist, which would enable them to know him;
and the way to get him out of the Fairy Ring was to watch him coming
round in the dance, and take hold of the collar when an opportunity
offered itself, and drag the man out boldly. They did so, and the
man was rescued. Ever since then people dreaded going to that field
after dark, especially children.
In some parts of Carmarthenshire, Fairy Rings are known as "Rings
y Gwr Drwg" (the rings of the Old Gentleman), suggesting that the
Fairies had some connection with the evil one.
SON OF LLECH Y DERWYDD AND THE FAIRIES.
The writer of the following tale was the late Rev. Benjamin Williams
(Gwynionydd), an eminent antiquarian, Folk-Lorist, and a bard, and
it is to be found in Welsh in Y Brython, vol. III., page 460. It is
evident that the scene of the story was West or Mid-Wales. Mr. Williams
heard the tale from old people who believed in the truth of it:--
"Yr oedd mab Llech y Derwydd yn unig blentyn ei rieni, ac hefyd yn
etifedd y tyddyn. Yr oedd felly yn anwyl, ie, yn ddau lygad ei dad
a'i fam.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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