Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx (Volume 2 of 2)

CELTIC FOLKLORE
J. RHŶS
HENRY FROWDE, M.A.
PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK
CELTIC FOLKLORE
WELSH AND MANX
BY JOHN RHŶS, M.A., D.Litt. HON. LL.D. OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH PROFESSOR OF CELTIC PRINCIPAL OF JESUS COLLEGE, OXFORD
VOLUME II OXFORD AT THE CLARENDON PRESS MDCCCCI
Oxford PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS BY HORACE HART, M.A. PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY
Une des légendes les plus répandues en Bretagne est celle d’une prétendue ville d’Is, qui, à une époque inconnue, aurait été engloutie par la mer. On montre, à divers endroits de la côte, l’emplacement de cette cité fabuleuse, et les pécheurs vous en font d’étranges récits. Les jours de tempête, assurent-ils, on voit, dans les creux des vagues, le sommet des flèches de ses églises; les jours de calme, on entend monter de l’abîme le son de ses cloches, modulant l’hymne du jour.—Renan.
More than once in the last chapter was the subject of submersions and cataclysms brought before the reader, and it may be convenient to enumerate here the most remarkable cases, and to add one or two to their number, as well as to dwell at somewhat greater length on some instances which may be said to have found their way into Welsh literature. He has already been told of the outburst of the Glasfryn Lake (p. 367) and Ffynnon Gywer (p. 376), of Ỻyn Ỻech Owen (p. 379) and the Crymlyn (p. 191), also of the drowning of Cantre’r Gwaelod (p. 383); not to mention that one of my informants had something to say (p. 219) of the submergence of Caer Arianrhod, a rock now visible only at low water between Celynnog Fawr and Dinas Dinỻe, on the coast of Arfon. But, to put it briefly, it is an ancient belief in the Principality that its lakes generally have swallowed up habitations of men, as in the case of Ỻyn Syfađon (p. 73) and the Pool of Corwrion (p. 57). To these I now proceed to add other instances, to wit those of Bala Lake, Kenfig Pool, Ỻynclys, and Helig ab Glannog’s territory including Traeth Lafan.