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
Mr. John Jones, of Pontrhydfendigaid, an old man of over 95 years of
age, related to me the following story about seven years ago:--
In the 18th century there was a certain clergyman in North
Cardiganshire, who was supposed to have been educated by the Fairies.
When he was a boy, his parents were very ambitious to see their son a
clergyman, but, unfortunately, the lad either neglected his studies,
or was a regular "blockhead," and always failed to pass his college
examinations, to the great regret and disappointment of his father
and mother. One day, however, when the boy was roaming about the
country (near the banks of the river Rheidol, as far as Mr. Jones
could remember the story), he suddenly met three boys, or rather
three little men who were not bigger than boys, who took him into
some cave and led him along a subterranean passage into the land
of the Fairies. The Fairies proved very kind to him, and when they
heard his story, they undertook to help him to learn his lessons,
so that in course of time he acquired a considerable knowledge of
the classics. After spending a certain number of years very happily
in Fairy Land, the young man returned to the world of mortals, and
to the great joy of his parents passed his examinations now without
the least difficulty, and in due time was ordained by the bishop, and
became a vicar of a parish north of Aberystwyth, either Llanfihangel,
Llancynfelin, or Eglwysfach.
This tale seems to be a version of the Story of Elidorus, which
Giraldus Cambrensis heard in the neighbourhood of Swansea during his
"Itinerary through Wales," with Archbishop Baldwin in the year 1188,
which is as follows:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account