Welsh Folk-Lore | Page 9

a Fairy-maid, whom he took home
with him. She was a most handsome woman, but rather short and slight
in person. She was admired by everybody on account of her great
beauty. Shon Rolant fell desperately in love with her, and would have
married her, but this she would not allow. He, however, continued
pressing her to become his wife, and, by and by, she consented to do so,

provided he could find out her name. As Shon was again going home
from the market about a month later, he heard some one saying, near
the place where he had seized the Fairy-maid, "Where is little Penloi
gone? Where is little Penloi gone?" Shon at once thought that some one
was searching for the Fairy he had captured, and when he reached
home, he addressed the Fairy by the name he had heard, and Penloi
consented to become his wife. She, however, expressed displeasure at
marrying a dead man, as the Fairies call us. She informed her lover that
she was not to be touched with iron, or she would disappear at once.
Shon took great care not to touch her with iron. However, one day,
when he was on horseback talking to his beloved Penloi, who stood at
the horse's head, the horse suddenly threw up its head, and the curb,
which was of iron, came in contact with Penloi, who immediately
vanished out of sight.
The next legend is taken from Williams's Observations on the Snowdon
Mountains. His work was published in 1802. He, himself, was born in
Anglesey, in 1738, and migrated to Carnarvonshire about the year 1760.
It was in this latter county that he became a learned antiquary, and a
careful recorder of events that came under his notice. His
"Observations" throw considerable light upon the life, the customs, and
the traditions of the inhabitants of the hill parts and secluded glens of
Carnarvonshire. I have thought fit to make these few remarks about the
author I quote from, so as to enable the reader to give to him that
credence which he is entitled to. Williams entitles the following story,
"A Fairy Tale," but I will for the sake of reference call it "The Ystrad
Legend."
2. The Ystrad Legend.
"In a meadow belonging to Ystrad, bounded by the river which falls
from Cwellyn Lake, they say the Fairies used to assemble, and dance
on fair moon-light-nights. One evening a young man, who was the heir
and occupier of this farm, hid himself in a thicket close to the spot
where they used to gambol; presently they appeared, and when in their
merry mood, out he bounced from his covert and seized one of their
females; the rest of the company dispersed themselves, and disappeared

in an instant. Disregarding her struggles and screams, he hauled her to
his home, where he treated her so very kindly that she became content
to live with him as his maid servant; but he could not prevail upon her
to tell him her name. Some time after, happening again to see the
Fairies upon the same spot, he heard one of them saying, 'The last time
we met here, our sister Penelope was snatched away from us by one of
the mortals!' Rejoiced at knowing the name of his Incognita, he
returned home; and as she was very beautiful, and extremely active, he
proposed to marry her, which she would not for a long time consent to;
at last, however, she complied, but on this condition, 'That if ever he
should strike her with iron, she would leave him, and never return to
him again.' They lived happily for many years together, and he had by
her a son, and a daughter; and by her industry and prudent management
as a house-wife he became one of the richest men in the country. He
farmed, besides his own freehold, all the lands on the north side of
Nant-y-Bettws to the top of Snowdon, and all Cwmbrwynog in
Llanberis; an extent of about five thousand acres or upwards.
Unfortunately, one day Penelope followed her husband into the field to
catch a horse; and he, being in a rage at the animal as he ran away from
him, threw at him the bridle that was in his hand, which unluckily fell
on poor Penelope. She disappeared in an instant, and he never saw her
afterwards, but heard her voice in the window of his room one night
after, requesting him to take care of the children, in these words:--
Rhag bod anwyd ar fy mab, Yn rhodd rhowch arno gob ei dad, Rhag
bod anwyd ar liw'r cann, Rhoddwch arni bais ei mam.
That is--
Oh! lest my son should suffer cold, Him in his father's coat infold, Lest
cold should seize my