Folk-lore of West and Mid-Wales

About this eBook

Author

Davies, Jonathan Ceredig, 1859-1932

Title

Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales

Credits

Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously made available by Cornell University Digital Collections)

Language

English

LoC Class

GR: Geography, Anthropology, Recreation: Folklore

Subject

Folklore -- Wales

Category

Text

Project Gutenberg

eBook-No. 53915

Release Date

January 7, 2017

Copyright

Public domain in the USA.

Contents

1. 1.Untitled
2. 2.PREFACE
3. 3.INTRODUCTION.
4. 4.CONTENTS.
5. 5.LOVE CUSTOMS AND OMEN SEEKING. — THE CANDLE AND PIN DIVINATION. — GOING ROUND THE CHURCH. — WATER IN DISH DIVINATION. — THE BIBLE AND KEY DIVINATION. — DIVINATION BY THE TEA-CUP. — DIVINATION BY CARDS.
6. 6.WEDDING CUSTOMS. — THE WEDDING DAY. — THE HORSE WEDDING. — NEITHIOR.
7. 7.FUNERAL CUSTOMS.
8. 8.“GWYLNOS.
9. 9.“WAKE-NIGHT.
10. 10.“OFFERTORIES AT FUNERALS IN WALES.”
11. 11.VARIOUS OTHER CUSTOMS. — CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S DAY CUSTOMS. — NEW YEAR’S DAY. — ST. VALENTINE’S DAY. — ST. DAVID’S DAY. — SHROVE TUESDAY. — LENT. — PALM SUNDAY. — GOOD FRIDAY. — EASTER. — FIRST DAY OF APRIL. — MAY. — A PRESENT-DAY WELSH QUEEN OF MAY. — ALLHALLOW’S EVE ( NOS CALAN GAEA. ) — HARVEST CUSTOMS, Etc. — CYNNOS. — GLEANING. — CWRW BACH. — PERAMBULATION. — SHEEP SHEARING CUSTOMS. — TAI UNNOS (ONE NIGHT HOUSES). — THE CEFFYL PREN. — THE EMPLOYMENT OF DOGS TO TURN ROASTING-SPITS. — KNAPPAN. — THROWING THE BAR. — SCHOOL CUSTOMS. — THE WELSH “NOTE,” OR “NOT” .
12. 12.THE FAIRIES (TYLWYTH TEG). — ORIGIN OF FAIRIES. — FAIRY NAMES. — FAIRY DRESS, DWELLING, ETC. — FAIRIES MARRYING MORTALS. — LADY OF LLYN Y VAN VACH IN CARMARTHENSHIRE. — A STUDENT WHO HAD FAILED TO PASS HIS EXAMINATIONS TAUGHT BY THE FAIRIES. — THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE FAIRIES OF FRENIFAWR . — FAIRY MUSIC AND DANCING. — MR. EDWARD JONES, PENCWM, LLANRHYSTID, AND THE FAIRIES. — A FARM SERVANT NEAR TREGARON, WHO SPENT A YEAR AND A DAY WITH THE FAIRIES. — THE SERVANT GIRL WHO WAS LOST IN THE FAIRY CIRCLE. — THE LITTLE SERVANT BOY AND THE BARM. — A CARMARTHENSHIRE MAIDEN WHO GOT INTO A FAIRY RING. — IAGO AP DEWI AMONG THE FAIRIES SEVEN YEARS. — A MAN WHO WAS FOUND AMONG THE FAIRIES AT CAE CEFN PANTYDWR. — SON OF LLECH Y DERWYDD AND THE FAIRIES. — TAFFY AP SION OF PENCADER AMONG THE FAIRIES. — SHON AP SHENKIN SEDUCED BY FAIRY MUSIC. — A LLANRHYSTYD MAID LOST AMONG THE FAIRIES. — SHUI RHYS AND THE FAIRIES. — FAIRIES COMING INTO THE BEDROOM OF A HOUSE NEAR ABERYSTWYTH. — A SERVANT OF PERTHRHYS, LLANDDEINIOL, AND THE WHITE FAIRIES. — NANCY TYNLLAIN AND HER SON SEEING FAIRIES ON HORSES. — ELIAS, FORCH Y CWM AND THE FAIRIES. — THE CARDIGANSHIRE PAINTER AND MUSICIAN, WHO PLAYED HIS FLUTE TO THE FAIRY LADIES AND NEARLY SECURED ONE OF THEM AS A WIFE. — TWO MEN WHO SAW THE FAIRIES IN CARMARTHENSHIRE DANCING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. — THE FAIRIES OF CWM MABWS, SEEN DRIVING IN THEIR CARRIAGES. — FAIRIES AND FOOTBALLERS. — FAIRIES MARKETING. — FAIRY CHANGELINGS. — HOW TO DETECT CHANGELINGS. — FAIRY MONEY. — FAIRY MOTHERS AND HUMAN MIDWIVES. — FAIRIES PLAYING TRICKS WITH THE OVEN. — FAIRY GLOVES. — FAIRY KNOCKERS. — A STORY OF PONT EINION (EINION BRIDGE) TREGARON. — MERMAIDS. — THE MERMAID AND THE FISHERMEN. — THE FISHERMEN OF LLANDUDOCH AND THE MERMAID. — A MERMAID SEEN NEAR ABERYSTWYTH.
13. 13.GHOST STORIES. — THE WEAVER OF LLANSADWRN TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE AIR BY A SPIRIT. — SPIRITS THROWING STONES. — CHWEDL AM YSPRYD. — A STORY OF A GHOST THROWING STONES AT LLANGELER. — SPIRITS AND HIDDEN TREASURE. — A CARPENTER WHO WAS HAUNTED BY A “WHITE LADY.” — THE “WHITE LADY” OF BROGININ, OR A GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN MONEY TO A YOUNG LOVER. — A GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN TREASURE TO A FARMER IN THE PARISH OF LLANAFAN. — THE GLANFREAD FAWR GHOST REVEALING HIDDEN MONEY TO THE HOUSEMAID . — A GHOST APPEARING TO POINT OUT HIDDEN TREASURE IN RADNORSHIRE. — THE POWIS CASTLE GHOST STORY. — THE SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN. — THE SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN APPEARING TO A LITTLE GIRL AT PONTSHAN. — SPIRIT OF A LIVING WOMAN SEEN ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT, NEAR LLANYBRI IN CARMARTHENSHIRE. — SPIRIT OF A REJECTED LOVER APPEARING TO A YOUNG WOMAN. — TALE OF A DOCTOR. — SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN IN A FIELD. — “YSFRYD DYN BYW. — SPIRIT OF A LIVING MAN THROWING STONES. — THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD MOTHER APPEARING TO HER BOY-SON AT LLANGYNOG, CARMARTHENSHIRE. — THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD DAUGHTER APPEARING TO THE MOTHER. — THE SPIRIT OF A DEAD MOTHER APPEARING TO HER CHILDREN. — ALLT Y CRIB GHOST, NEAR TALYBONT. — THE GHOST OF PONT-Y-GWENDRAETH , NEAR KIDWELY IN CARMARTHENSHIRE. — HAUNTED MANSIONS OF LLANELLY, CARMARTHENSHIRE. — A GHOST HAUNTING A YOUNG LOVER WHO WAS OUT LATE AT NIGHT, NEAR ALLTWALIS IN CARMARTHENSHIRE. — A PEMBROKESHIRE GHOST HAUNTING A SHIP. — A SPIRIT ON HORSEBACK. — A SPIRIT IN A CAVE. — A SPIRIT IN A RIVER. — APPARITIONS OF GOOD SPIRITS. — SPIRITS REMOVING CHURCHES. — LLANDDEUSANT (CARMARTHENSHIRE). — LLANBISTER CHURCH (RADNORSHIRE). — PENBRYN CHURCH. — LLANWINIO (CARMARTHENSHIRE). — LLANGAN (CARMARTHENSHIRE). — MAROS. — LLANGELER CHURCH. — LLANFIHANGEL GENEU’R GLYN. — LLANWENOG. — APPARITIONS OF THE DEVIL. — THE LEGEND OF THE DEVIL’S BRIDGE IN CARDIGANSHIRE. — PENTRE-CWRT FOLK AND THE DEVIL. — THE EVIL ONE APPEARING AT NAG’S HEAD IN THE FORM OF A DOG. — “THE OLD GENTLEMAN” APPEARING IN PEMBROKESHIRE, AS A BLACK CALF. — A GHOST SEEN IN THE FORM OF A CALF IN CARDIGANSHIRE. — A DEMON ASSUMING THE FORM OF A HORSE. — THE GWYLLGI, OR DOG OF DARKNESS. — “A DEMON STEWARD.” — A DEMON TEMPTING A YOUNG MAIDEN IN GOWER. — SATAN AND SABBATH BREAKERS; OR THE “OLD GENTLEMAN ” APPEARING IN MANY FORMS TO A MAN WHO TRAVELLED ON SUNDAY. — THE DEVIL AND LLANARTH CHURCH. — HOW TO GET RID OF GHOSTS, SPIRITS, GOBLINS, AND DEVILS, ETC. — YSPRYD PENPOMPREN PLAS OR A SPIRIT “LAID” IN A BOTTLE. — THE “LAYING” OF THE HAVOD UCHTRYD GOBLIN. — THE MONACHDY GHOST DOOMED TO CUT THE ROCK NEAR LLANRHYSTYD. — THE “LAYING” OF THE STACKPOLE GHOST. — SHAN AND THE GHOST. — TWO YOUNG WOMEN AND THE GOBLIN.
14. 14.DEATH PORTENTS. — THE “TOILI” OR PHANTOM FUNERAL. — A PRESENT DAY PHANTOM FUNERAL. — A PHANTOM FUNERAL. — THE NEUADDLWYD “TOILI.” — A HORSE SEEING A “TOILI” OR PHANTOM FUNERAL. — SPIRIT FUNERALS CARRYING PEOPLE TO CHURCHYARDS. — AN OLD WOMAN WHO SAW THE APPARITION OF HER OWN FUNERAL. — A PHANTOM TRAIN. — A “TOILI” SEEN IN THE DAY-TIME. — SINGING HEARD TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE DEATH. — A DAY-DREAM. — THE CORPSE CANDLE. — A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN AT SILIAN. — A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO. — A CORPSE CANDLE SEEN NEAR CONWIL. — A PEMBROKESHIRE TALE OF A CORPSE CANDLE. — A LLANGATHEN TALE. — THE CORPSE BIRD. — A BIRD COMING INTO A HOUSE BEFORE A DEATH. — BIRD SINGING HEARD BEFORE DEATH. — MUSIC OF ANGELS HEARD BEFORE DEATH. — CYHYRAETH: OR DEATH SOUND. — THE TOLAETH. — THE TOLLING OF BLAENPORTH CHURCH BELL BEFORE A DEATH. — A REMARKABLE ACCOUNT OF KNOCKING AND WAILING BEFORE DEATH. — LLEDRITH—WRAITH. — TANWEDD. — GWRACH Y RHIBYN. — CWN ANNWN—HELL HOUNDS. — OTHER DEATH OMENS. — MISSING A BUTT.
15. 15.MISCELLANEOUS BELIEFS, WEATHER SIGNS, BIRDS, LORE, Etc. — THE MOON. — WEATHER SIGNS, SEASONS. — “A NUTTY YEAR.” — A MILD WINTER. — BIRDS AND BEASTS LORE. — THE CUCKOO. — THE SWALLOW— Y WENNOL . — ROBIN REDBREAST. — THE WREN— Y DRYW . — THE OWL. — THE RAVEN. — THE MAGPIE. — THE MAGPIE AND THE WOOD-PIGEON . — THE PIGEON. — THE BEES. — THE BEES AND ST. DAVID. — THE COCK. — THE CAT. — FLYING SERPENTS—GWIBEROD. — A FLYING SERPENT AT NEWCASTLE EMLYN. — CATTLE. — THE MILK-WHITE MILCH COW. — THE ASS.
16. 16.WITCHES, WIZARDS, PROPHECIES, DIVINATION, DREAMS. — WITCHES. — A SERVANT MAID WITCHED IN A CHAPEL. — A GIRL WHO WAS BEWITCHED BY THE GYPSIES, NEAR CARMARTHEN. — A CARDIGANSHIRE GIRL WHO HAD BEEN WITCHED. — ANOTHER CARDIGANSHIRE WOMAN WITCHED. — A FARMER’S DAUGHTER AT WALTON EAST, IN PEMBROKESHIRE BEWITCHED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS FOR REFUSING ALMS TO AN OLD HAG. — MEN WITCHED BY AN OLD LLEDROD HAG. — A HORSE WITCHED. — CATTLE WITCHED . — HORSES KILLED BY WITCHCRAFT IN RADNORSHIRE. — SHEEP KILLED BY AN OLD WITCH. — A SHIP WITCHED. — MILK THAT WOULD NOT CHURN AND THE WITCH. — ANOTHER CARDIGANSHIRE STORY OF MILK THAT WOULD NOT TURN TO BUTTER. — BURYING THE CHARM. — PROTECTIVES AGAINST WITCHCRAFT. — A FISHGUARD WITCH DISCOMFITED. — A CILCWM STORY. — WITCHES AND THE MOUNTAIN ASH. — DRAWING BLOOD FROM A WITCH. — THE TRANSFORMATION OF WITCHES. — A WITCH WHO APPEARED IN THE FORM OF AN HARE EVERY MORNING TO A SERVANT MAID AT MILKING TIME. — A WITCH IN THE FORM OF AN HARE SHOT BY A FARM SERVANT. — A WITCH IN THE FORM OF A HARE HUNTED BY A PEMBROKESHIRE SQUIRE’S HOUNDS. — A WITCH IN THE FORM OF A HARE HUNTED IN CARDIGANSHIRE. — THE FAMILIAR SPIRIT OF A WITCH SHOT IN THE FORM OF A HARE. — MEN CHANGED INTO ANIMALS. — WIZARDS. — THE PRIESTS AND THE HORNETS. — SIR DAFYDD LLWYD, YSPYTTY YSTWYTH. — SIR DAFYDD DEFEATING A RIVAL WIZARD. — WIZARDS RIDING DEMONS THROUGH THE AIR. — THE HARRIESES OF CWRTYCADNO, THE POPULAR MODERN WIZARDS. — CWRTYCADNO CONJURER AND SPIRIT RAISING. — HOW TO OBTAIN THE FAMILIAR OF THE GENIUS OR GOOD SPIRIT AND CAUSE HIM TO APPEAR. — THE FARMER WHO CONSULTED THE CONJUROR; OR THE FAMILIAR SPIRITS AND THE LOST COWS. — A FAMILIAR SPIRIT IN THE SHAPE OF A DOG AND THE LONELY NIGHT TRAVELLER. — CONJURERS AND LUNATICS. — WIZARDS REVEALING THE FUTURE. — “NATIVITY CALCULATED.” — A CONJURER SHOWING A YOUNG MAN HIS FUTURE WIFE. — ANOTHER SIMILAR TALE. — THE WIZARD OF CWRTYCADNO FORETELLING THE FUTURE DESTINY OF A NEW BORN CHILD. — PREDICTION CONCERNING THE DEATH OF HIS LATE MAJESTY KING EDWARD. — SIR RHYS AP THOMAS CONSULTING A WIZARD CONCERNING KING HENRY VII. — THE CONJURER AND THE LOST OX. — THE CONJURER AND THE LOST HORSE. — A LLANFAIR CLYDOGAU WIZARD. — THE WIZARD OF LLANPUMPSAINT AND THE DUCKS OF ALLTYFERIN. — WIZARD MARKING THE CULPRITS. — A WIZARD AND THE YOUNG MAN WHO HAD BEEN CURSED. — MERLIN. — MERLIN’S FATE. — PEMBROKESHIRE WOMAN’S PROPHECY FULFILLED. — THE CRIMEAN WAR SEEN IN THE SKIES. — A REMARKABLE FULFILMENT OF A CONDEMNED MAN’S PREDICTION. — SHOULDER-BLADE DIVINATION. — DREAMS. — CONVERSING WITH THE DEPARTED IN A DREAM.
17. 17.THE HEALING ART; OR HOW TO CHARM AWAY DISEASES, Etc. — CHARMS FOR WARTS. — ROSEMARY CHARM FOR TOOTHACHE. — “SLIME” OF TROUT AS MEDICINE. — CHARMS FOR FITS AND FOR QUINSY. — ABRACADABRA. — THE PENTACLE. — CHARMS FOR CATTLE AND PIGS. — THE CURE OF RICKETS. — HOW TO CURE A DOG THAT HAS BEEN BITTEN BY A MAD DOG. — HEALING STONES. — LLAETHFAEN. — THE PHYSICIANS OF MYDDFAI. — TO EXTRACT A TOOTH WITHOUT PAIN. — FOR THE BITE OF A MAD DOG. — FOR PAIN IN THE EYE. — HOLY BREAD AS A REMEDY. — HOW TO CURE A “FOUL FOOT.” — PILLS OF DEAD MEN’S BONES. — GWELLA CLEFYD Y GALON, OR HEART DISEASE, A LOVE SICKNESS. — THE MEDICINE. — TOUCHING; OR THE CURE OF THE DISEASE KNOWN AS “THE KING’S EVIL.” — HOLY RELICS. — THE NANTEOS CUP. — THE HEALING CUP. — THE STAFF OF ST. CURIG. — PENGLOG TEILO (TEILO’S SKULL. )
18. 18.FOLK-LORE OF FOUNTAINS, LAKES, AND CAVES. — HOLY WELLS. — ST. TEILO’S WELL. — THE PRIEST’S WELL. — ST. LEONARD’S WELL. — WELLS OF THE FIVE SAINTS. — THE HOLY WELL OF LLANFIHANGEL GENEU’R GLYN. — THE LLANCYNVELYN WELL. — CANNA’S WELL (CARMARTHENSHIRE). — ST. ANTHONY’S WELL. — THE “WISHING WELL” OF CAREG CENEN CASTLE. — ST. MARY’S WELL, RHAYADER. — PILLETH CHURCHYARD WELL (RADNORSHIRE). — LLANNON (CARMARTHENSHIRE.) — LLANELLY. — HOLY WELL AT LLANGYBI. — THE HOLY WELL OF ST. GWENOG. — THE LLANLLWNI WELL. — THE PWLLFFEIN WELL. — THE LLANDYSSILIO WELL. — FFYNON Y GROES (WELL OF THE CROSS). — FFYNON Y PISTYLL. — THE WELL OF FFOSANNA. — FFYNON BECCA. — ST. NON’S WELL, NEAR ST. DAVID’S. — ST. EDREN’S WELL. — THE LETTERSTON WELL . — THE LLANLLAWER WELL. — RHOSCROWTHER. — ST. KEYNAN’S WELL (LLANGURIG.) — LAKES. — LLYN MOEL LLYN. — TREGARON LAKE. — PENCARREG LAKE. — TALLEY LAKES. — LLYN LLECHWEN. — LLYN Y FAN FACH. — LLYN EIDDWEN, LLYN FANOD, AND LLYN FARCH. — SAVADDAN LAKE (BRECONSHIRE). — RIVER LEGENDS. — CAVES. — OGOF MORRIS (MORRIS’S CAVE). — BLOODY CAVE. — PLANT MAT’S CAVE. — TWM SHION CATTI’S CAVE. — OWEN LAWGOCH’S CAVE.
19. 19.LOCAL TRADITIONS, Etc. — LLANDDEWI BREFI. — CAIO (CARMARTHENSHIRE). — ST. GOVAN’S. — TREGARON. — CRUG MAWR. — CANTREF Y GWAELOD; OR THE LOST LOWLAND. — LLANFIHANGEL YSTRAD. — A STRANGE CARMARTHENSHIRE TREE LEGEND. — MAESYFELIN. — TENBY (PEMBROKESHIRE ). — CWM KERWYN (PEMBROKESHIRE). — LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE (CARMARTHENSHIRE). — CWMYREGLWYS (PEMBROKESHIRE ). — MESUR Y DORTH (MEASURE OF THE LOAF). — ABERGWILI. — CAE POETH (HOT FIELD). — CRAIG GWRTHEYRN (VORTIGERN’S ROCK). — BRYNBERIAN (PEMBROKESHIRE). — LLANON (CARDIGANSHIRE). — TYNYCASTELL (DEVIL’S BRIDGE). — BEDD TALIESIN (TALIESIN’S GRAVE). — CRUGIAU’R LADIS (CARMARTHENSHIRE). — EURGLAWDD. — TRAETH SAITH (CARDIGANSHIRE). — LLANILAR. — LLANGADOCK. — ABERMARLAIS. — OYSTERMOUTH CASTLE (GOWER). — OXWITCH (GOWER ). — CAE HALOG (NORTH CARDIGANSHIRE ). — MOUNT AND VERWICK (CARDIGAN). — MAENCLOCHOG (PEMBROKESHIRE). — HIGHMEAD (CARDIGANSHIRE). — GOGERDDAN (NEAR ABERYSTWYTH). — LLANGYNLLO (CARDIGANSHIRE). — LLANGWYRYFON (CHURCH OF THE VIRGINS). — PENBRYN (CARDIGANSHIRE ). — CILGERRAN (PEMBROKESHIRE). — GORSYGEDOL (MERIONETHSHIRE). — NICK-NAMES, OLD AND POPULAR SAYINGS. — “CYNGHOR GWRAIG HEB EI OFYN.” — CHALKING THE DOOR-STEP. — WAKES IN RADNORSHIRE.
20. 20.ERRATA.
21. 21.INDEX.
22. 22.LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS
23. 23.Table of Contents
24. 24.Colophon — Availability — Metadata — Catalog entries — Encoding — Revision History — External References — Corrections

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