THE CUCKOO.
It is believed in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire by many, especially old people, that the cuckoo does not go away from this country in winter, but sleeps in some sheltered place. When a boy, I often heard the following ditty:—
“Amser y gwcw yw Ebrill a Mai,
A hanner Mehefin, chwi wyddoch bob rhai.”
(The Cuckoo’s time is April and May,
And half of June, as all know, I daresay).
The cuckoo making its appearance before the leaves are on the hawthorn bush is a sign of a bad year; and for the bird not to appear at its usual time is also a bad sign; hence:
“Gwcw Glamme,
Cosyn dime.”
When you hear the cuckoo for the first time in the season it is very important to have money in your pocket in order to secure good luck for the coming year. People turn the money in their pockets with their hands, and sometimes toss a piece into the air. It is also considered very lucky to hear this bird for the first time when you are standing on green grass; but if you are on the road or on bare ground, it is otherwise.