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
But this Owen Lawgoch, the national deliverer of our ancient race
of Brythons, did not, according to the Troed yr Aur people, tarry
in a foreign land, but somewhere in Wales, not far from Offa's
Dyke. They used to say that one Dafydd Meirig of Bettws Bledrws,
having quarrelled with his father left for England. When he had
got a considerable distance from home, he struck a bargain with a
cattle dealer to drive a herd of his beasts to London. Somewhere on
the corner of a vast moor, Dafydd cut a very remarkable hazel stick;
for a good staff is as essential to the vocation of a good drover as
teeth are to a dog. So while his comrades had had their sticks broken
before reaching London, Dafydd's remained as it was, and whilst they
were conversing together on London Bridge a stranger accosted Dafydd,
wishing to know where he had obtained that wonderful stick. He replied
that in Wales he had had it, and on the stranger's assuring him that
there were wonderful things beneath the tree on which it had grown,
they both set out for Wales. When they reached the spot and dug a
little they found that there was a great hollow place beneath. As
night was spreading out her sable mantle, and as they were getting
deeper, what should they find but stairs easy to step, and great lamps
illuminating the vast chamber! When they reached the bottom of the
stairs, they found themselves near a large table, at one end of which
they beheld sitting a tall man of about seven foot. He occupied an
old-fashioned chair and rested his head on his left hand, while the
other hand, all red, lay on the table and grasped a great sword. He
was withal enjoying a wondrously serene sleep, and at his feet on the
floor lay a big dog. After casting a glance at them, the wizard said
to Dafydd: 'This is Owen Lawgoch, who is to sleep on till a special
time, when he will wake and reign over the Brythons. That weapon in
his hand is one of the swords of the ancient Kings of Britain.' Then
they moved slowly on, gazing at the wonders of that subterranean
chamber; and they beheld everywhere the arms of ages long past, and
on the table thousands of gold and silver pieces bearing the images
of the different Kings of Britain. They got to understand that it
was permitted them to take a handful of each, but not to put any in
their purses. They both visited the cave several times, but at last
Dafydd put in his purse a little of the gold bearing the image of one
of the Owen's ancestors. But after coming out again they were never
able any more to find Owen's subterranean palace."
This story of Owen Lawgoch and his sleeping warriors is a version of
the well-known Welsh tradition of the enchanted sleep of King Arthur
and his Knights.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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