It seems that in Eastern countries also, there are traditions of magicians riding through the air, for in the “Arabian Nights,” we have the story of the Enchanted Horse.
An old carpenter, named Benjamin Phillips, Bronwydd Arms, Carmarthen, informed me the Wizard of Fos-y-Broga, often caused a demon to appear at night in the form of a white bull, on the road near Llanpumpsaint.
THE HARRIESES OF CWRTYCADNO, THE POPULAR MODERN WIZARDS.
The most popular and greatest wizards of modern days were undoubtedly the Harrieses of Cwrtycadno, in Carmarthenshire.
John Harries lived at Pantcoy, Cwrtycadno, in the Parish of Caio, and died in the year 1839. His sons were also popular conjurers, one of whom only died about 45 years ago.
Harries was a medical man, an astrologer, and a wizard, and people came to enquire of his oracle from all parts of Wales, and from the English borders, especially Herefordshire, and his name was familiar through the length and breadth of the land. It is said that he had a wonderful power over lunatics; could cure diseases; charm away pain; protect people from witches, and foretell future events, etc. Good many stories are told of him by old people, and I have already introduced his name in my account of witches.
I was told by an old man, Mr. David Evans, a millwright from Llandilo, that the popularity of Harries as a wizard originated as follows:—A young woman somewhere in that part of the country was lost, and could not be found after searching for her everywhere; at last her relations and friends went to Cwrtycadno to consult Dr. Harries. The wizard informed them that the girl had been murdered by her sweetheart, and that he had hid her body in the earth, under the shades of a tree, in the hollow of which they would find a bee’s nest. The tree stood alone near a brook. The searching party at last came across the spot indicated by the conjurer, and here they found the young woman’s body buried, as the wise man had told them. The young man who had murdered the girl was found, and confessed the crime. When the authorities of the law became aware of these facts, the wizard was brought before the magistrates, at Llandovery, where he was charged with knowing and abetting of murder, otherwise he could not have known she was murdered, and where she was buried. He was, however, discharged. According to the “History of Caio,” by F. S. Price, an interesting book presented to me by Lady Hills-Johnes, the wizard told the magistrates (Lloyd, Glansevin, and Gwyn, Glanbran), that if they would tell him the hour they were born, he would tell them the hour they would die!