Welsh Folk-Lore / a Collection of the Folk-Tales and Legends of North Wales
This eBook was transcribed by Les Bowler.
CONTENTS
WELSH FOLK-LORE A COLLECTION OF THE FOLK-TALES AND LEGENDS OF NORTH WALES BEING THE PRIZE ESSAY OF THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD 1887, BY THE REV. ELIAS OWEN, M.A, F.S.A.
To this Essay on the “Folk-lore of North Wales,” was awarded the first prize at the Welsh National Eisteddfod, held in London, in 1887. The prize consisted of a silver medal, and £20. The adjudicators were Canon Silvan Evans, Professor Rhys, and Mr Egerton Phillimore, editor of the Cymmrodor .
By an arrangement with the Eisteddfod Committee, the work became the property of the publishers, Messrs. Woodall, Minshall, & Co., who, at the request of the author, entrusted it to him for revision, and the present Volume is the result of his labours.
Before undertaking the publishing of the work, it was necessary to obtain a sufficient number of subscribers to secure the publishers from loss. Upwards of two hundred ladies and gentlemen gave their names to the author, and the work of publication was commenced. The names of the subscribers appear at the end of the book, and the writer thanks them one and all for their kind support. It is more than probable that the work would never have been published had it not been for their kind assistance. Although the study of Folk-lore is of growing interest, and its importance to the historian is being acknowledged; still, the publishing of a work on the subject involved a considerable risk of loss to the printers, which, however, has been removed in this case, at least to a certain extent, by those who have subscribed for the work.
The sources of the information contained in this essay are various, but the writer is indebted, chiefly, to the aged
inhabitants of Wales, for his information. In the discharge of his official duties, as Diocesan Inspector of Schools, he visited annually, for seventeen years, every parish in the Diocese of St. Asaph, and he was thus brought into contact with young and old. He spent several years in Carnarvonshire, and he had a brother, the Revd. Elijah Owen, M.A., a Vicar in Anglesey, from whom he derived much information. By his journeys he became acquainted with many people in North Wales, and he hardly ever failed in obtaining from them much singular and valuable information of bye-gone days, which there and then he dotted down on scraps of paper, and afterwards transferred to note books, which still are in his possession.
Elias Owen
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ORIGIN OF THE FAIRIES. (Y TYLWYTH TÊG.)
NAMES GIVEN TO THE FAIRIES.
FAIRY LADIES MARRYING MORTALS.
WELSH LEGENDS OF FAIRY LADIES MARRYING MEN.
FAIRY CHANGELINGS.
FAIRY MOTHERS AND HUMAN MIDWIVES.
FAIRY VISITS TO HUMAN ABODES.
FAIRY MONEY TURNED TO DROSS.
FAIRIES WORKING FOR MEN.
FAIRY DANCES.
FAIRY TRICKS WITH MORTALS.
FAIRY ILLUSIONS.
FAIRY MEN CAPTURED.
FAIRIES IN MARKETS AND FAIRS.
FAIRY KNOCKERS, OR COBLYNAU.
FAIRY, OR MYTHIC ANIMALS.
STORIES OF SATAN, GHOSTS, ETC.
Satan Playing Cards.
Satan Playing Cards at a Merry Meeting.
Satan Playing Cards on Rhyd-y-Cae Bridge, Pentrevoelas.
Satan Snatching a Man up into the Air.
Satan frightening a Man for gathering Nuts on Sunday.
Satan taking possession of a man who fished on Sunday.
Satan appearing in many forms to a Man who Travelled on Sunday.
The Evil Spirit appearing to a Man who frequented Alehouses on Sunday.
Satan Outwitted.
Satan and Churches.
Mysterious Removal of Churches.
Apparitions of the Devil.
Satan appearing to a Man who was fetching a Load of Bibles, etc.
The Devil appearing to a Dissenting Minister at Denbigh.
Satan seen Lying right across a Road.
The Devil’s Tree by Eglwys Rhos, near Llandudno.
Satan appearing as a Lovely Maiden.
A Man carried away by the Evil One.
Satan appearing to a Young Man.
Satan appearing to a Collier.
Ghosts, or Spirits.
The Gloddaeth Ghost.
Tymawr Ghost, Bryneglwys.
Ffrith Farm Ghost.
Pont-y-Glyn Ghost.
Ysbryd Ystrad Fawr.
Ty Felin Ghost, Llanynys.
Lady Jeffrey’s Spirit.
Pentrevoelas.—Squire Griffith’s Ghost.
David Salisbury’s Ghost.
A Ghost Appearing to point out Hidden Treasures.
The Powis Castle Ghost revealing a Hidden Box to a Woman.
The Spirit of Llyn-Nâd-y-Forwyn.
Spirit Laying.
Cynon’s Ghost.
Caellwyngrydd Spirit.
Ghost Raising.
Witches and Conjurors.
Witches transforming themselves into Cats.
The Witches’ Revenge on Huw Llwyd.
A Witch transformed into a Hare injured by one whom she tormented.
A Witch shot when in the form of a Hare.
A Witch in the form of a Hare in a Churn.
A Hare crossing the Road.
A Witch in the form of a Hare hunted by a Black Greyhound.
Early reference to Witches turning themselves into Hares.
Ceridwen and Gwion (Gwiawn) Bach’s Transformation.
A Man turned into a Hare.
A Man changed into a Horse.
A Witch who turned a Blue Dye into a Red Dye.
A Pig Witched.
Milk that would not churn, and the steps taken to counteract the malice of the Witch that had cursed the churn and its contents.
A Witch who was refused a Goose, and her revenge.
A Witch refused Butter, and the consequence.
A Witch’s Revenge, and her Discomfiture.
A Horse Witched.
Cows and Horses Witched.
Witches Punished.
How to break, or protect people from, a Witch’s Spell.
The way to find out whether a Hag is a Witch or not.
CONJURORS.
Huw Llwyd and his Magical Books.
A Conjuror’s Punishment of an Innkeeper for his exorbitant charges.
A Conjuror and Robbers.
The Conjuror and the Cattle.
Stolen property discovered through fear of applying to the Llanbrynmair Conjuror.
Reclaiming stolen property through fear of the Conjuror.
Another similar Tale.
A Conjuror’s Collusion exposed.
CHARMS.
Swyno’r ’Ryri (Charming the Shingles).
A Charm for the Shingles.
Toothache charms.
Whooping Cough Charm.
Charm for Fits.
Charm for Cocks about to fight.
Charm for Asthma.
Charms for Warts.
Charm for removing a Stye from the eye.
Charms for Quinsy.
Charming the Wild Wart.
Charm for Rheumatism.
Charm for removing the Ringworm.
Cattle Charms.
Charm against Foot and Mouth Disease.
A Charm for Calves.
A Charm for Stopping Bleeding.
Charm to make a Servant reliable.
The Charms performed with Rosemary.
Charm for Clefyd y Galon, or Heart Disease.
Clefyd yr Ede Wlan or Yarn Sickness.
RHAMANTA, OR OMEN SEEKING.
Coel Ede Wlan, or the Yarn Test.
Divination with the Twca or Knife.
The Washing Test.
Troi Crysau or Clothes Drying Test.
Hemp Seed Sowing.
Pullet’s Egg Divination.
The Candle and Pin Divination.
To ascertain the condition of the Person whom you are to Marry.
The Apple Pip Trial of Lovers.
SPIRITUALISM.
A Spirit leaving and re-entering the body.
A Spiritualistic Story from Wales.
A Doctor called from his bed by a Voice.
Another Tale of a Doctor.
DEATH PORTENTS.
The Corpse Bird, or Deryn Corph.
A Crowing Hen.
A Cock Crowing in the Night.
The Corpse Candle—Canwyll Corph.
Tale of a Corpse Candle.
Spectral Funerals, or Drychiolaeth.
Cyhyraeth—Death Sound.
Lledrith—Spectre of a Person.
Tolaeth—Death Rapping or Knocking.
A Raven’s Croaking.
The Owl.
A Solitary Crow.
The Dog’s Howl.
Missing a Butt.
Stopping of a Clock.
A Goose Flying over a House.
Hen laying Two Eggs in the same day.
Thirteen at a Table.
Heather.
Death Watch.
Music and Bird Singing heard before Death.
Birds singing before February.
Birds flocking in early Autumn.
Birds’ Feathers.
The Cock.
The Goose.
Crows’ Feathers.
A White Cock.
Crane.
Ducks.
Eagle.
Putting Hens to Sit.
The Heron.
Fable of why the Heron frequents the banks of rivers and lakes.
The Jackdaw.
The Magpie.
The Owl.
Peacock.
Pigeon.
The Sea Gull.
The Swallow.
The Swan.
The Swift.
The Wren.
The Wood Pigeon.
The Magpie teaching a Wood Pigeon how to make a nest.
Woodpecker.
Ass.
The Bee.
Buying a Hive of Bees.
Time of Bee Swarming.
The Day of Swarming.
Luck comes with a Strange Swarm.
It is considered unlucky for Bees to fly away from their owner.
Bees in a Roof.
Informing Bees of a Death in a Family.
Putting Bees in Mourning.
Stolen Bees.
A Swarm entering a House.
Cat.
Cows.
Crickets.
Hare.
Haddock.
Hedgehog.
Horse.
Lady-bird.
Moles.
Pigs.
The Snake, Serpent.
Flying Serpents.
Snake Rings, or Glain Nadroedd.
Spider.
The Squirrel.
The Blind Worm, or Slow Worm.