CONTENTS.
[BOOK I.]
THE REALM OF FAERIE.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| PAGE | |
| Fairy Tales and the Ancient Mythology—The Compensations ofScience—Existing Belief in Fairies in Wales—The Faith ofCulture—The Credulity of Ignorance—The Old-Time WelshFairyland—The Fairy King—The Legend of St. Collen andGwyn ap Nudd—The Green Meadows of the Sea—Fairies atMarket—The Land of Mystery | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Classification of Welsh Fairies—General Designation—Habits ofthe Tylwyth Teg—Ellyllon, or Elves—Shakspeare’s Use ofWelsh Folk-Lore—Rowli Pugh and the Ellyll—Household StoryRoots—The Ellylldan—The Pooka—Puck Valley, Breconshire—WhereShakspeare got his Puck—Pwca’r Trwyn—UsualForm of the Pooka Story—Coblynau, or Mine Fairies—TheKnockers—Miners’ Superstitions—Basilisks and Fire Fiends—AFairy Coal-mine—The Dwarfs of Cae Caled—Counterpartsof the Coblynau—The Bwbach, or Household Fairy—Legendof the Bwbach and the Preacher—Bogies and Hobgoblins—CarryingMortals through the Air—Counterparts and Originals | [11] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Lake Fairies—The Gwragedd Annwn, or Dames of Elfin-Land—St.Patrick and the Welshmen; a Legend of Crumlyn Lake—TheElfin Cow of Llyn Barfog—Y Fuwch Laethwen Lefrith—TheLegend of the Meddygon Myddfai—The Wife of SupernaturalRace—The Three Blows; a Carmarthenshire Legend—Cheeseand the Didactic Purpose in Welsh Folk-Lore—TheFairy Maiden’s Papa—The Enchanted Isle in the MountainLake—Legend of the Men of Ardudwy—Origin of WaterFairies—Their prevalence in many Lands | [34] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Mountain Fairies—The Gwyllion—The Old Woman of the Mountain—TheBlack Mountain Gwyll—Exorcism by Knife—OccultIntellectual Powers of Welsh Goats—The Legend of Cadwaladr’s Goat | [49] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Changelings—The Plentyn-newid—The Cruel Creed of Ignoranceregarding Changelings—Modes of Ridding the House of theFairy Child—The Legend of the Frugal Meal—Legend of thePlace of Strife—Dewi Dal and the Fairies—Prevention of FairyKidnapping—Fairies caught in the Act by Mothers—Piety asan Exorcism | [56] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Living with the Tylwyth Teg—The Tale of Elidurus—Shuï Rhysand the Fairies—St. Dogmell’s Parish, Pembrokeshire—Dancingwith the Ellyllon—The Legend of Rhys and Llewellyn—Deathfrom joining in the Fairy Reel—Legend of the Bush ofHeaven—The Forest of the Magic Yew—The Tale of Twm andIago—Taffy ap Sion, a Legend of Pencader—The Traditionsof Pant Shon Shenkin—Tudur of Llangollen; the Legend ofNant yr Ellyllon—Polly Williams and the Trefethin Elves—TheFairies of Frennifawr—Curiosity Tales—The Fiend Master—Iagoap Dewi—The Original of Rip Van Winkle | [65] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Fairy Music—Birds of Enchantment—The Legend of Shon apShenkin—Harp-Music in Welsh Fairy Tales—Legend of theMagic Harp—Songs and Tunes of the Tylwyth Teg—TheLegend of Iolo ap Hugh—Mystic Origin of an old Welsh Air | [91] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Fairy Rings—The Prophet Jones and his Works—The MysteriousLanguage of the Tylwyth Teg—The Horse in Welsh Folk-Lore—EquestrianFairies—Fairy Cattle, Sheep, Swine, etc.—TheFlying Fairies of Bedwellty—The Fairy Sheepfold at Cae’r Cefn | [103] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Piety as a Protection from the Seductions of the Tylwyth Teg—VariousExorcisms—Cock-crowing—The Name of God—Fencingoff the Fairies—Old Betty Griffith and her Eithin Barricade—Meansof Getting Rid of the Tylwyth Teg—The Bwbachof the Hendrefawr Farm—The Pwca’r Trwyn’s Flitting in aJug of Barm | [112] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Fairy Money and Fairy Gifts in General—The Story of Gitto Bach,or Little Griffith—The Penalty of Blabbing—Legends of theShepherds of Cwm Llan—The Money Value of Kindness—IantoLlewellyn and the Tylwyth Teg—The Legend of HafodLwyddog—Lessons inculcated by these Superstitions | [119] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Origins of Welsh Fairies—The Realistic Theory—Legend of theBaron’s Gate—The Red Fairies—The Trwyn Fairy a ProscribedNobleman—The Theory of hiding Druids—Colour in WelshFairy Attire—The Green Lady of Caerphilly—White thefavourite Welsh Hue—Legend of the Prolific Woman—ThePoetico-Religious Theory—The Creed of Science | [127] |
[BOOK II.]
THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Modern Superstition regarding Ghosts—American ‘Spiritualism’—WelshBeliefs—Classification of Welsh Ghosts—DepartedMortals—Haunted Houses—Lady Stradling’s Ghost—TheHaunted Bridge—The Legend of Catrin Gwyn—DidacticPurpose in Cambrian Apparitions—An Insulted Corpse—Duty-performingGhosts—Laws of the Spirit-World—Cadogan’s Ghost | [137] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Household Ghosts and Hidden Treasures—The Miser of St.Donat’s—Anne Dewy’s Ghost—The Ghost on Horseback—HiddenObjects of Small Value—Transportation through theAir—From Breconshire to Philadelphia, Pa., in Thirty-SixHours—Sir David Llwyd, the Magician—The Levitation ofWalter Jones—Superstitions regarding Hares—The Legendof Monacella’s Lambs—Aerial Transportation in ModernSpiritualism—Exorcising Household Ghosts—The Story ofHaunted Margaret | [151] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Spectral Animals—The Chained Spirit—The Gwyllgi, or Dog ofDarkness—The Legend of Lisworney-Crossways—The Gwyllgiof the Devil’s Nags—The Dog of Pant y Madog—Terrors ofthe Brute Creation at Phantoms—Apparitions of NaturalObjects—Phantom Ships and Phantom Islands | [167] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Grotesque Ghosts—The Phantom Horseman—Gigantic Spirits—TheBlack Ghost of Ffynon yr Yspryd—Black Men in theMabinogion—Whirling Ghosts—Antic Spirits—The TridollValley Ghost—Resemblance to Modern Spiritualistic Performances—Household Fairies | [174] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Familiar Spirits—The Famous Sprite of Trwyn Farm—Was it aFairy?—The Familiar Spirits of Magicians—Sir David Llwyd’sDemon—Familiar Spirits in Female Form—The Legend of theLady of the Wood—The Devil as a Familiar Spirit—HisDisguises in this Character—Summoning and ExorcisingFamiliars—Jenkin the Pembrokeshire Schoolmaster—TheTerrible Tailor of Glanbran | [187] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| The Evil Spirit in his customary Form—The stupid MedievalDevil in Wales—Sion Cent—The Devil outwitted—Pacts withthe Fiend and their Avoidance—Sion Dafydd’s Foul Pipe—TheDevil’s Bridge and its Legends—Similar Legends in otherLands—The Devil’s Pulpit near Tintern—Angelic Spirits—WelshSuperstitions as to pronouncing the Name of the EvilSpirit—The Bardic Tradition of the Creation—The Strugglebetween Light and Darkness and its Symbolization | [202] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Cambrian Death-Portents—The Corpse-Bird—The Tan-Wedd—Listeningat the Church-Door—The Lledrith—The Gwrachy Rhibyn—The Llandaff Gwrach—Ugliness of this FemaleApparition—The Black Maiden—The Cyhyraeth, or CryingSpirit—Its Moans on Land and Sea—The St. Mellons Cyhyraeth—TheGroaning Spirit of Bedwellty | [212] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| The Tolaeth Death Portent—Its various Forms—The Tolaethbefore Death—Ewythr Jenkin’s Tolaeth—A modern Instance—TheRailway Victim’s Warning—The Goblin Voice—The Voicefrom the Cloud—Legend of the Lord and the Beggar—TheGoblin Funeral—The Horse’s Skull—The Goblin Veil—TheWraith of Llanllwch—Dogs of Hell—The Tale of Pwyll—SpiritualHunting Dogs—Origin of the Cwn Annwn | [225] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| The Corpse Candle—Its Peculiarities—The Woman of Caerau—Graspinga Corpse Candle—The Crwys Candle—Lights issuingfrom the Mouth—Jesting with the Canwyll Corph—The Candleat Pontfaen—The Three Candles at Golden Grove—Origin ofDeath-Portents in Wales—Degree of Belief prevalent at thePresent Day—Origin of Spirits in General—The Supernatural—TheQuestion of a Future Life | [238] |
[BOOK III.]
QUAINT OLD CUSTOMS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Serious Significance of seemingly Trivial Customs—Their Origins—CommonSuperstitions—The Age we Live in—Days andSeasons—New Year’s Day—The Apple Gift—Lucky Acts onNew Year’s Morning—The First Foot—Showmen’s Superstitions—LevyDew Song—Happy New Year Carol—TwelfthNight—The Mari Lwyd—The Penglog—The Cutty Wren—Toolingand Sowling—St. Valentine’s Day—St. Dewi’s Day—TheWearing of the Leek—The Traditional St. David—St.Patrick’s Day—St. Patrick a Welshman—Shrove Tuesday | [250] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Sundry Lenten Customs—Mothering Sunday—Palm Sunday—FloweringSunday—Walking Barefoot to Church—SpiritualPotency of Buns—Good Friday Superstitions—Making Christ’sBed—Bad Odour of Friday—Unlucky Days—Holy Thursday—TheEagle of Snowdon—New Clothing at Easter—Lifting—TheCrown of Porcelain—Stocsio—Ball-Playing in Churchyards—TheTump of Lies—Dancing in Churchyards—Seeingthe Sun Dance—Calan Ebrill, or All Fools’ Day—May Day—TheWelsh Maypole—The Daughter of Lludd Llaw Ereint—Carryingthe Kings of Summer and Winter | [266] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Midsummer Eve—The Druidic Ceremonies at Pontypridd—TheSnake Stone—Beltane Fires—Fourth of July Fires in America—St.Ulric’s Day—Carrying Cynog—Marketing on Tombstones—TheFirst Night of Winter—The Three Nights forSpirits—The Tale of Thomas Williams the Preacher—AllHallows Eve Festivities—Running through Fire—QuaintBorder Rhymes—The Puzzling Jug—Bobbing for Apples—TheFiery Features of Guy Fawkes’ Day—St. Clement’s Day—Stripping the Carpenter | [277] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Nadolig, the Welsh Christmas—Bell-Ringing—Carols—Dancingto the Music of the Waits—An Evening in Carmarthenshire—ShenkinHarry, the Preacher, and the Jig Tune—WelshMorality—Eisteddfodau—Decorating Houses and Churches—TheChristmas Thrift-box—The Colliers’ Star—The Plygain—PaganOrigin of Christmas Customs | [286] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Courtship and Marriage—Planting Weeds and Rue on the Gravesof Old Bachelors—Special Significance of Flowers in connectionwith Virginity—The Welsh Venus—Bundling, or CourtingAbed—Kissing Schools—Rhamanta—Lovers’ Superstitions—TheMaid’s Trick—Dreaming on a Mutton Bone—Wheat andShovel—Garters in a Lovers’ Knot—Egg-Shell Cake—SowingLeeks—Twca and Sheath | [298] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Wedding Customs—The Bidding—Forms of Cymmhorth—TheGwahoddwr—Horse-Weddings—Stealing a Bride—Obstructionsto the Bridal Party—The Gwyntyn—Chaining—EvergreenArches—Strewing Flowers—Throwing Rice and Shoes—Rosemaryin the Garden—Names after Marriage—The Coolstrin—The Ceffyl Pren | [306] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Death and Burial—The Gwylnos—Beer-drinking at WelshFunerals—Food and Drink over the Coffin—Sponge Cakes atModern Funerals—The Sin-eater—Welsh Denial that thisCustom ever existed—The Testimony concerning it—Superstitionsregarding Salt—Plate of Salt on Corpse’s Breast—TheScapegoat—The St. Tegla Cock and Hen—WelshFuneral Processions—Praying at Cross-roads—Superstitionregarding Criminals’ Graves—Hanging and Welsh Prejudice—TheGrassless Grave—Parson’s Penny, or Offrwm—OldShoes to the Clerk—Arian y Rhaw, or Spade Money—Burialswithout Coffin—The Sul Coffa—Planting and Strewing Graves with Flowers | [321] |