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
"The young couple were then married, by what ceremony was not stated,
and afterwards went to reside at a farm called Esgair Llaethy,
somewhat more than a mile from the Village of Myddfai, where they
lived in prosperity and happiness for several years, and became the
parents of three sons, who were beautiful children.
"Once upon a time there was a christening to take place in the
neighbourhood, to which the parents were specially invited. When the
day arrived the wife appeared very reluctant to attend the christening,
alleging that the distance was too great for her to walk. Her husband
told her to fetch one of the horses which were grazing in an adjoining
field. 'I will,' said she, 'if you will bring me my gloves which
I left in our house.' He went to the house and returned with the
gloves, and finding that she had not gone for the horse jocularly
slapped her shoulder with one of them, saying, 'go! go!' (dos, dos),
when she reminded him of the understanding upon which she consented
to marry him:--That he was not to strike her without a cause; and
warned him to be more cautious for the future.
"On another occasion, when they were together at a wedding in the midst
of the mirth and hilarity of the assembled guests, who had gathered
together from all the surrounding country, she burst into tears and
sobbed most piteously. Her husband touched her on her shoulder and
inquired the cause of her weeping: she said, 'Now people are entering
into trouble, and your troubles are likely to commence, as you have
the second time stricken me without a cause.'
"Years passed on, and their children had grown up, and were
particularly clever young men. In the midst of so many worldly
blessings at home, the husband almost forgot that there remained
only one causeless blow to be given to destroy the whole of his
prosperity. Still he was watchful lest any trivial occurrence should
take place which his wife must regard as a breach of their marriage
contract. She told him, as her affection for him was unabated, to be
careful that he would not, through some inadvertence, give the last
and only blow, which, by an unalterable destiny over which she had
no control, would separate them for ever.
"It, however, so happened that one day they were together at a funeral,
where, in the midst of the mourning and grief at the house of the
deceased, she appeared in the highest and gayest spirits, and indulged
in immoderate fits of laughter, which so shocked her husband that
he touched her, saying: 'Hush! hush! don't laugh.' She said that she
laughed 'because people when they die go out of trouble,' and rising
up she went out of the house, saying, 'The last blow has been struck,
our marriage contract is broken, and at an end! Farewell!' Then she
started off towards Esgair Llaethdy, where she called her cattle and
other stock together, each by name. The cattle she called thus:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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