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
Poor Taffy was so ragged and wan that the farmer's Welsh heart was at
once stirred to sympathy. 'Who are you, poor man?' he asked, to which
Taffy answered, 'I know who I was, but I do not know who I am now. I
was the son of a shoemaker who lived in this place, this morning;
for that rock, though it is changed a little, I know too well.' 'Poor
fellow,' said the farmer, 'You have lost your senses. This house was
built by my great-grandfather, repaired by my grandfather; and that
part there, which seems newly built, was done about three years ago
at my expense. You must be deranged, or you have missed the road; but
come in and refresh yourself with some victuals, and rest.' Taffy was
half persuaded that he had overslept himself and lost his road, but
looking back he saw the rock before mentioned, and exclaimed, 'It is
but an hour since I was on yonder rock robbing a hawk's nest.' 'Where
have you been since?' Taffy related his adventure. 'Ah,' quoth the
farmer, 'I see how it is--you have been with the Fairies. Pray who
was your father?' 'Sion Evan y Crydd o Glanrhyd,' was the answer. 'I
never heard of such a man,' said the farmer, shaking his head, 'nor
of such a place as Glanrhyd, either; but no matter, after you have
taken a little food we will step down to Catti Shon, at Pencader,
who will probably be able to tell something.' With this he beckoned
Taffy to follow him, and walked on; but hearing behind him the sound
of footsteps growing weaker and weaker, he turned round, when to his
horror he beheld the poor fellow crumble in an instant to about a
thimbleful of black ashes. The farmer, though much terrified at this
sight, preserved his calmness sufficiently to go at once and see old
Catti, the aged crone he had referred to, who lived at Pencader,
near by. He found her crouching over a fire of faggots, trying to
warm her old bones. 'And how do you do the day, Catti Shon?' asked
the farmer. 'Ah,' said old Catti, 'I'm wonderful well, farmer,
considering how old I am.' 'Yes, yes, you are very old. Now, since
you are so old, let me ask you--do you remember anything about Sion
y Crydd o Glanrhyd? Was there ever such a man, do you know?' 'Sion
Glanrhyd? O! I have a faint recollection of hearing my grandfather,
old Evan Shenkin, Penferdir, relate that Sion's son was lost one
morning, and they never heard of him afterwards, so that it was said
he was taken by the Fairies. His father's cottage stood somewhere near
your house.' 'Were there many Fairies about at that time?' asked the
farmer. 'O, yes; they were often seen on yonder hill, and I was told
they were lately seen in Pant Shon Shenkin, eating flummery out of
egg-shells, which they had stolen from a farm hard by.' 'Dir anwyl
fi!' cried the farmer; 'dear me! I recollect now--I saw them myself.'
SHON AP SHENKIN SEDUCED BY FAIRY MUSIC.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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