Wild Wales: The People, Language, & SceneryBorrow, George
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Wild Wales: The People, Language, & Scenery
Borrow, George
Borrow, George, 1803-1881 -- Travel -- Wales; Wales -- Description and travel
“In truth, sir, he has; and a very good wife she is.”
“Has he children?”
“Plenty, sir; and very fine children they are.”
“Is he Welsh?”
“He is, sir! Cumro pur iawn.”
“Farewell,” said I; “I shall never forget you; you are the first tenant I
ever heard speak well of his landlord, or any one connected with him.”
“Then you have not spoken to the other tenants of Mr. Blicklin, sir.
Every tenant of Mr. Blicklin would say the same of him as I have said,
and of his wife and his children too. Good day, sir!”
I wended on my way; the sun was very powerful; saw cattle in a pool on my
right, maddened with heat and flies, splashing and fighting. Presently I
found myself with extensive meadows on my right, and a wall of rocks on
my left, on a lofty bank below which I saw goats feeding; beautiful
creatures they were, white and black, with long, silky hair, and long,
upright horns. They were of large size, and very different in appearance
from the common race. These were the first goats which I had seen in
Wales; for Wales is not at present the land of goats, whatever it may
have been.
I passed under a crag, exceedingly lofty, and of very frightful
appearance. It hung menacingly over the road. With this crag the wall
of rocks terminated; beyond it lay an extensive strath, meadow, or marsh,
bounded on the east by a lofty hill. The road lay across the marsh. I
went forward, crossed a bridge over a beautiful streamlet, and soon
arrived at the foot of the hill. The road now took a turn to the right,
that is, to the south, and seemed to lead round the hill. Just at the
turn of the road stood a small, neat cottage. There was a board over the
door with an inscription. I drew nigh and looked at it, expecting that
it would tell me that good ale was sold within, and read “Tea made here,
the draught which cheers but not inebriates.” I was before what is
generally termed a temperance house.
“The bill of fare does not tempt you, sir,” said a woman, who made her
appearance at the door, just as I was about to turn away with an
exceedingly wry face.
“It does not,” said I, “and you ought to be ashamed of yourself to have
nothing better to offer a traveller than a cup of tea. I am faint; and I
want good ale to give me heart, not wishy-washy tea to take away the
little strength I have.”
“What would you have me do, sir? Glad should I be to have a cup of ale
to offer you, but the magistrates, when I applied to them for a license,
refused me one; so I am compelled to make a cup of tea in order to get a
crust of bread. And if you choose to step in, I will make you a cup of
tea, not wishy-washy, I assure you, but as good as ever was brewed.”
“I had tea for my breakfast at Bethgelert,” said I, “and want no more
till to-morrow morning. What’s the name of that strange-looking crag
across the valley?”
“We call it Craig yr hyll ddrem, sir; which means— I don’t know what it
means in English.”
“Does it mean the Crag of the frightful look?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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