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
Clothed in rags he knocked at the back door, and pretended to be
a tramp. One of the maid servants took compassion on the "poor
old tramp," and allowed him to come in and warm himself near the
kitchen fire.
"We are very busy here to-day," said she to him, "our mistress who
has been a widow for many years is about to get married again, and
the bride and bridegroom and a party of invited guests are now in the
parlour, but, unfortunately, not one of those present is able to tune
the harp, a fine old instrument which belonged to the lady's first
husband who went away from home and got drowned at sea many years
ago." "Please ask them to allow me to tune the harp," said Einion to
the maid. The girl then went to inform her mistress that there was
an old man in the kitchen who could tune the harp for them.
Einion now entered the parlour, and to the astonishment of the bride
and bridegroom and the guests, soon tuned the harp; and as soon as
he began to play an old favourite tune of his:
"Myfi bia'm ty, a'm telyn, a'm tân,"
(My house, and my harp, and my fire are mine).
The lady of the house recognised him at once as her husband.
Then turning to the young bridegroom to whom she was engaged to be
married, addressed him thus:--"You may go now, as my husband has come
home to me once more."
A short time after my visit to Mr. J. Jones, Pontrhydfendigaid, I
went to Tregaron, where I found out from Mr. Jenkin Lloyd (formerly
of Pant), and others, that the story of Pont Einion (Einion Bridge)
was well-known in the neighbourhood, but that Einion during the many
years he was away from home, was not in prison but among the Fairies.
It seems probable that the above story is a modern local version
of a tale which is to be found in the Iolo MSS. entitled:--"Einion
Ap Gwalchmai and the Lady of the Greenwood," which I introduce here
for comparison:--
Einion, the son of Gwalchmai, the son of Meilir, of Treveilir in
Anglesey, married Angharad, the daughter of Ednyved Vychan.
As he was one fine summer morning walking in the woods of Treveilir,
he beheld a graceful slender lady of elegant growth, and delicate
features; 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. 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. But she told
him that his dissatisfaction was all in vain. "Thou must" said she,
"follow me wheresoever I go, as long as I continue in my beauty,
for this is the consequence of our mutual affection."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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