Welsh Fairy Tales

By

WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFFIS

1921

A PREFACE-LETTER TO MY GRANDFATHER

DEAR CAPTAIN JOHN GRIFFIS:

Although I never saw you, since you died in 1804, I am glad you wereone of those Welshmen who opposed the policy of King George III andthat you, after coming to America in 1783, were among the first seacaptains to carry the American flag around the world. That you knewmany of the Free Quakers and other patriots of the Revolution and thatthey buried you among them, near Benjamin Franklin, is a matter ofpride to your descendants. That you were born in Wales and spokeWelsh, as did also those three great prophets of spiritual liberty, Roger Williams, William Penn, and Thomas Jefferson, is still furtherground for pride in one's ancestry. Now, in the perspective of historywe see that our Washington and his compeers and Wilkes, Barre, Burkeand the friends of America in Parliament were fighting the same battleof Freedom. Though our debt to Wales for many things is great, wecount not least those inheritances from the world of imagination, forwhich the Cymric Land was famous, even before the days of eitherAnglo-Saxon or Norman. 

W. E. G. 

Saint David's and the day of the Daffodil, March 1, 1921. 

CONTENTS

I. WELSH RABBIT AND HUNTED HARES

II. THE MIGHTY MONSTER AFANG

III. THE TWO CAT WITCHES

IV. HOW THE CYMRY LAND BECAME INHABITED

V. THE BOY THAT WAS NAMED TROUBLE

VI. THE GOLDEN HARP

VII. THE GREAT RED DRAGON OF WALES

VIII. THE TOUCH OF CLAY

IX. THE TOUCH OF IRON

X. THE MAIDEN OF THE GREEN FOREST

XI. THE TREASURE STONE OF THE FAIRIES

XII. GIANT TOM AND GIANT BLUBB

XIII. A BOY THAT VISITED FAIRYLAND

XIV. THE WELSHERY AND THE NORMANS

XV. THE WELSH FAIRIES HOLD A MEETING

XVI. KING ARTHUR'S CAVE

XVII. THE LADY OF THE LAKE

XVIII. THE KING'S FOOT HOLDER

XIX. POWELL, PRINCE OF DYFED

XX. POWELL AND HIS BRIDE

XXI. WHY THE BACK DOOR WAS FRONT

XXII. THE RED BANDITS OF MONTGOMERY

XXIII. THE FAIRY CONGRESS

XXIV. THE SWORD OF AVALON

I

WELSH RABBIT AND HUNTED HARES

Long, long ago, there was a good saint named David, who taught theearly Cymric or Welsh people better manners and many good things toeat and ways of enjoying themselves. 

Now the Welsh folks in speaking of their good teacher pronounced hisname Tafid and affectionately Taffy, and this came to be the usualname for a person born in Wales. In our nurseries we all learned that"Taffy was a Welshman, " but it was their enemies who made a bad rhymeabout Taffy. 

Wherever there were cows or goats, people could get milk. So theyalways had what was necessary for a good meal, whether it werebreakfast, dinner or supper. Milk, cream, curds, whey and cheeseenriched the family table. Were not these enough?

But Saint David taught the people how to make a still more deliciousfood out of cheese, and that this could be done without taking thelife of any creature. 

Saint David showed the girls how to take cheese, slice and toast itover the coals, or melt it in a skillet and pour it hot over toast orbiscuit. This gave the cheese a new and sweeter flavor. When spread onbread, either plain, or browned over the fire, the result, incombination, was a delicacy fit for a king, and equal to anythingknown. 

The fame of this new addition to the British bill of fare spread nearand far. The English people, who had always been fond of rabbit pie, and still eat thousands of Molly Cotton Tails every day, named it"Welsh Rabbit, " and thought it one of the best things to eat. In fact, there are many people, who do not easily see a joke, who misunderstandthe fun, or who suppose the name to be either slang, or vulgar, or amistake, and who call it "rarebit. " It is like "Cape Cod turkey"(codfish), or "Bombay ducks" (dried fish), or "Irish plums" (potatoes)and such funny cookery with fancy names. 

Now up to this time, the rabbits and hares had been so hunted with theaid of dogs, that there was hardly a chance of any of them survivingthe cruel slaughter. 

In the year 604, the Prince of Powys was out hunting. The dogs starteda hare, and pursued it into a dense thicket. When the hunter with thehorn came up, a strange sight met his eyes. There he saw a lovelymaiden. She was kneeling on the ground and devoutly praying. Thoughsurprised at this, the prince was anxious to secure his game. Hehissed on the hounds and ordered the horn to be blown, for the dogs tocharge on their prey, expecting them to bring him the game at once. Instead of this, though they were trained dogs and would fight even awolf, they slunk away howling, and frightened, as if in pain, whilethe horn stuck fast to the lips of the blower and he was silent. Meanwhile, the hare nestled under the maiden's dress and seemed not inthe least disturbed. 

Amazed at this, the prince turned to the fair lady and asked:

"Who are you?"

She answered, "My mother named me Monacella. I have fled from Ireland, where my father wished to marry me to one of his chief men, whom I didnot love. Under God's guidance, I came to this secret desert place, where I have lived for fifteen years, without seeing the face of man. "

To this, the prince in admiration replied: "O most worthy Melangell[which is the way the Welsh pronounce Monacella], because, on accountof thy merits, it has pleased God to shelter and save this little, wild hare, I, on my part, herewith present thee with this land, to befor the service of God and an asylum for all men and women, who seekthy protection. So long as they do not pollute this sanctuary, letnone, not even prince or chieftain, drag them forth. "

The beautiful saint passed the rest of her life in this place. Atnight, she slept on the bare rock. Many were the wonders wrought forthose who with pure hearts sought her refuge. The little wild hareswere under her special protection, and they are still called"Melangell's Lambs. "

II

THE MIGHTY MONSTER AFANG

After the Cymric folk, that is, the people we call Welsh, had come upfrom Cornwall into their new land, they began to cut down the trees, to build towns, and to have fields and gardens. Soon they made thelandscape smile with pleasant homes, rich farms and playing children. 

They trained vines and made flowers grow. The young folks made pets ofthe wild animals' cubs, which their fathers and big brothers broughthome from hunting. Old men took rushes and reeds and wove them intocages for song birds to live in. 

While they were draining the swamps and bogs, they drove out themonsters, that had made their lair in these wet places. These terriblecreatures liked to poison people with their bad breath, and even ateup very little boys and girls, when they strayed away from home. 

So all the face of the open country between the forests became verypretty to look at. The whole of Cymric land, which then extended fromthe northern Grampian Hills to Cornwall, and from the Irish Sea, pasttheir big fort, afterward called London, even to the edge of theGerman Ocean, became a delightful place to live in. 

The lowlands and the rivers, in which the tide rose and fell daily, were especially attractive. This was chiefly because of the manybright flowers growing there; while the yellow gorse and the pinkheather made the hills look as lovely as a young girl's face. Besidesthis, the Cymric maidens were the prettiest ever, and the lads wereall brave and healthy; while both of these knew how to sing often andwell. 

Now there was a great monster named the Afang, that lived in a bigbog, hidden among the high hills and inside of a dark, rough forest. 

This ugly creature had an iron-clad back and a long tail that couldwrap itself around a mountain. It had four front legs, with big kneesthat were bent up like a grasshopper's, but were covered with scaleslike armor. These were as hard as steel, and bulged out at the thighs. Along its back, was a ridge of horns, like spines, and higher than analligator's. Against such a tough hide, when the hunters shot theirdarts and hurled their javelins, these weapons fell down to theground, like harmless pins. 

On this monster's head, were big ears, half way between those of ajackass and an elephant. Its eyes were as green as leeks, and wereround, but scalloped on the edges, like squashes, while they were asbig as pumpkins. 

The Afang's face was much like a monkey's, or a gorilla's, with longstraggling gray hairs around its cheeks like those of a walrus. Italways looked as if a napkin, as big as a bath towel, would benecessary to keep its mouth clean. Yet even then, it slobbered a gooddeal, so that no nice fairy liked to be near the monster. 

When the Afang growled, the bushes shook and the oak leaves trembledon the branches, as if a strong wind was blowing. 

But after its dinner, when it had swallowed down a man, or two calves, or four sheep, or a fat heifer, or three goats, its body swelled uplike a balloon. Then it usually rolled over, lay along the ground, orin the soft mud, and felt very stupid and sleepy, for a long while. 

All around its lair, lay wagon loads of bones of the creatures, girls, women, men, boys, cows, and occasionally a donkey, which it haddevoured. 

But when the Afang was ravenously hungry and could not get theseanimals and when fat girls and careless boys were scarce, it wouldlive on birds, beasts and fishes. Although it was very fond of cowsand sheep, yet the wool and hair of these animals stuck in its bigteeth, it often felt very miserable and its usually bad temper grewworse. 

Then, like a beaver, it would cut down a tree, sharpen it to a pointand pick its teeth until its mouth was clean. Yet it seemed all themore hungry and eager for fresh human victims to eat, especially juicymaidens; just as children like cake more than bread. 

The Cymric men were not surprised at this, for they knew that girlswere very sweet and they almost worshiped women. So they learned toguard their daughters and wives. They saw that to do such things aseating up people was in the nature of the beast, which could never betaught good manners. 

But what made them mad beyond measure was the trick which the monsteroften played upon them by breaking the river banks, and the dykeswhich with great toil they had built to protect their crops. Then thewaters overflowed all their farms, ruined their gardens and spoiledtheir cow houses and stables. 

This sort of mischief the Afang liked to play, especially about thetime when the oat and barley crops were ripe and ready to be gatheredto make cakes and flummery; that is sour oat-jelly, or pap. So itoften happened that the children had to do without their cookies andporridge during the winter. Sometimes the floods rose so high as towash away the houses and float the cradles. Even those with littlebabies in them were often seen on the raging waters, and sent dancingon the waves down the river, to the sea. 

Once in a while, a mother cat and all her kittens were seen mewing forhelp, or a lady dog howling piteously. Often it happened that bothpuppies and kittens were drowned. 

So, whether for men or mothers, pussies or puppies, the Cymric menthought the time had come to stop this monster's mischief. It was badenough that people should be eaten up, but to have all their cropsruined and animals drowned, so that they had to go hungry all winter, with only a little fried fish, and no turnips, was too much for humanpatience. There were too many weeping mothers and sorrowful fathers, and squalling brats and animals whining for something to eat. 

Besides, if all the oats were washed away, how could their wives makeflummery, without which, no Cymric man is ever happy? And where wouldthey get seed for another year's sowing? And if there were no cows, how could the babies or kitties live, or any grown-up persons getbuttermilk?

Someone may ask, why did not some brave man shoot the Afang, with apoisoned arrow, or drive a spear into him under the arms, where theflesh was tender, or cut off his head with a sharp sword?

The trouble was just here. There were plenty of brave fellows, readyto fight the monster, but nothing made of iron could pierce that hideof his. This was like armor, or one of the steel battleships of ourday, and the Afang always spit out fire or poison breath down theroad, up which a man was coming, long before the brave fellow couldget near him. Nothing would do, but to go up into his lair, and draghim out. 

But what man or company of men was strong enough to do this, when adozen giants in a gang, with ropes as thick as a ship's hawser, couldhardly tackle the job?

Nevertheless, in what neither man nor giant could do, a pretty maidenmight succeed. True, she must be brave also, for how could she know, but if hungry, the Afang might eat her up?

However, one valiant damsel, of great beauty, who had lots ofperfumery and plenty of pretty clothes, volunteered to bind themonster in his lair. She said, "I'm not afraid. " Her sweetheart wasnamed Gadern, and he was a young and strong hunter. He talked over thematter with her and they two resolved to act together. 

Gadern went all over the country, summoning the farmers to bring theirox teams and log chains. Then he set the blacksmiths to work, forgingnew and especially heavy ones, made of the best native iron, from themines, for which Wales is still famous. 

Meanwhile, the lovely maiden arrayed herself in her prettiest clothes, dressed her hair in the most enticing way, hanging a white blossom oneach side, over her ears, with one flower also at her neck. 

When she had perfumed her garments, she sallied forth and up the lakewhere the big bog and the waters were and where the monster hidhimself. 

While the maiden was still quite a distance away, the terrible Afang, scenting his visitor from afar, came rushing out of his lair. Whenvery near, he reared his head high in the air, expecting to pounce onher, with his iron clad claws and at one swallow make a breakfast ofthe girl. 

But the odors of her perfumes were so sweet, that he forgot what hehad thought to do. Moreover, when he looked at her, he was so takenwith unusual beauty, that he flopped at once on his forefeet. Then hebehaved just like a lovelorn beau, when his best girl comes near. Heties his necktie and pulls down his coat and brushes off the collar. 

So the Afang began to spruce up. It was real fun to see how a monsterbehaves when smitten with love for a pretty girl. He had no idea howfunny he was. 

The girl was not at all afraid, but smoothed the monster's back, stroked and played with its big moustaches and tickled its neck untilthe Afang's throat actually gurgled with a laugh. Pretty soon heguffawed, for he was so delighted. 

When he did this, the people down in the valley thought it wasthunder, though the sky was clear and blue. 

The maiden tickled his chin, and even put up his whiskers in curlpapers. Then she stroked his neck, so that his eyes closed. Soon shehad gently lulled him to slumber, by singing a cradle song, which hermother had taught her. This she did so softly, and sweetly, that in afew minutes, with its head in her lap, the monster was sound asleepand even began to snore. 

Then, quietly, from their hiding places in the bushes, Gadern and hismen crawled out. When near the dreaded Afang, they stood up andsneaked forward, very softly on tip toe. They had wrapped the links ofthe chain in grass and leaves, so that no clanking was heard. Theyalso held the oxen's yokes, so that nobody or anything could rattle, or make any noise. Slowly but surely they passed the chain over itsbody, in the middle, besides binding the brute securely between itsfore and hind legs. 

All this time, the monster slept on, for the girl kept on crooning hermelody. 

When the forty yoke of oxen were all harnessed together, the droverscracked all their whips at once, so that it sounded like a clap ofthunder and the whole team began to pull together. 

Then the Afang woke up with a start. 

The sudden jerk roused the monster to wrath, and its bellowing wasterrible. It rolled round and round, and dug its four sets of toes, each with three claws, every one as big as a plowshare, into theground. It tried hard to crawl into its lair, or slip into the lake. 

Finding that neither was possible, the Afang looked about, for somebig tree to wrap its tail around. But all his writhings or plungingswere of no use. The drovers plied their whips and the oxen kept onwith one long pull together and forward. They strained so hard, thatone of them dropped its eye out. This formed a pool, and to this daythey call it The Pool of the Ox's Eye. It never dries up or overflows, though the water in it rises and falls, as regularly as the tides. 

For miles over the mountains the sturdy oxen hauled the monster. Thepass over which they toiled and strained so hard is still named thePass of the Oxen's Slope. When going down hill, the work of draggingthe Afang was easier. 

In a great hole in the ground, big enough to be a pond, they dumpedthe carcass of the Afang, and soon a little lake was formed. Thisuncanny bit of water is called "The Lake of the Green Well. " It isconsidered dangerous for man or beast to go too near it. Birds do notlike to fly over the surface, and when sheep tumble in, they sink tothe bottom at once. 

If the bones of the Afang still lie at the bottom, they must have sunkdown very deep, for the monster had no more power to get out, or tobreak the river banks. The farmers no longer cared anything about thecreature, and they hardly every think of the old story, except when asheep is lost. 

As for Gadern and his brave and lovely sweetheart, they were marriedand lived long and happily. Their descendants, in the thirty-seventhgeneration, are proud of the grand exploit of their ancestors, whileall the farmers honor his memory and bless the name of the lovely girlthat put the monster asleep. 

III

THE TWO CAT WITCHES

In old days, it was believed that the seventh son, in a family ofsons, was a conjurer by nature. That is, he could work wonders likethe fairies and excel the doctors in curing diseases. 

If he were the seventh son of a seventh son, he was himself a wonderof wonders. The story ran that he could even cure the "shingles, "which is a very troublesome disease. It is called also by a Latinname, which means a snake, because, as it gets worse, it coils itselfaround the body. 

Now the eagle can attack the serpent and conquer and kill thispoisonous creature. To secure such power, Hugh, the conjurer, ate theflesh of eagles. When he wished to cure the serpent-disease, heuttered words in the form of a charm which acted as a talisman andcure. After wetting the red rash, which had broken out over the sickperson's body, he muttered:

"He-eagle, she-eagle, I send you over nine seas, and over ninemountains, and over nine acres of moor and fen, where no dog shallbark, no cow low, and no eagle shall higher rise. "

After that, the patient was sure that he felt better. 

There was always great rivalry between these conjurers and those whomade money from the Pilgrims at Holy Wells and visitors to the relicshrines, but this fellow, named Hugh, and the monks, kept on mutuallygood terms. They often ate dinner together, for Hugh was a greattraveler over the whole country and always had news to tell to theholy brothers who lived in cells. 

One night, as he was eating supper at an inn, four men came in and satdown at the table with him. By his magical power, Hugh knew that theywere robbers and meant to kill him that night, in order to get hismoney. 

So, to divert their attention, Hugh made something like a horn to growup out of the table, and then laid a spell on the robbers, so thatthey were kept gazing at the curious thing all night long, while hewent to bed and slept soundly. 

When he rose in the morning, he paid his bill and went away, while therobbers were still gazing at the horn. Only when the officers arrivedto take them to prison did they come to themselves. 

Now at Bettws-y-Coed-that pretty place which has a name that sounds sofunny to us Americans and suggests a girl named Betty the Co-ed atcollege--there was a hotel, named the "Inn of Three Kegs. " The shopsign hung out in front. It was a bunch of grapes gilded and set belowthree small barrels. 

This inn was kept by two respectable ladies, who were sisters. 

Yet in that very hotel, several travelers, while they were asleep, hadbeen robbed of their money. They could not blame anyone nor tell howthe mischief was done. With the key in the keyhole, they had kepttheir doors locked during the night. They were sure that no one hadentered the room. There were no signs of men's boots, or of anyone'sfootsteps in the garden, while nothing was visible on the lock ordoor, to show that either had been tampered with. Everything was inorder as when they went to bed. 

Some people doubted their stories, but when they applied to Hugh theconjurer, he believed them and volunteered to solve the mystery. Hismotto was "Go anywhere and everywhere, but catch the thief. "

When Hugh applied one night for lodging at the inn, nothing could bemore agreeable than the welcome, and fine manners of his twohostesses. 

At supper time, and during the evening, they all chatted togethermerrily. Hugh, who was never at a loss for news or stories, told aboutthe various kinds of people and the many countries he had visited, inimagination, just as if he had seen them all, though he had never setfoot outside of Wales. 

When he was ready to go to bed, he said to the ladies:

"It is my custom to keep a light burning in my room, all night, but Iwill not ask for candles, for I have enough to last me until sunrise. "So saying, he bade them good night. 

Entering his room and locking the door, he undressed, but laid hisclothes near at hand. He drew his trusty sword out of its sheath andlaid it upon the bed beside him, where he could quickly grasp it. Thenhe pretended to be asleep and even snored. 

It was not long before, peeping between his eyelids, only half closed, he saw two cats come stealthily down the chimney. 

When in the room, the animals frisked about, and then gamboled andromped in the most lively way. Then they chased each other around thebed, as if they were trying to find out whether Hugh was asleep. 

Meanwhile, the supposed sleeper kept perfectly motionless. Soon thetwo cats came over to his clothes and one of them put her paw into thepocket that contained his purse. 

At this, with one sweep of his sword, Hugh struck at the cat's paw. The beast howled frightfully, and both animals ran for the chimney anddisappeared. After that, everything was quiet until breakfast time. 

At the table, only one of the sisters was present. Hugh politelyinquired after the other one. He was told that she was not well, forwhich Hugh said he was very sorry. 

After the meal, Hugh declared he must say good-by to both the sisters, whose company he had so enjoyed the night before. In spite of theother lady's many excuses, he was admitted to the sick lady's room. 

After polite greetings and mutual compliments, Hugh offered his handto say "good-by. " The sick lady smiled at once and put out her hand, but it was her left one. 

"Oh, no, " said Hugh, with a laugh. "I never in all my life have takenany one's left hand, and, beautiful as yours is, I won't break myhabit by beginning now and here. "

Reluctantly, and as if in pain, the sick lady put out her hand. It wasbandaged. 

The mystery was now cleared up. The two sisters were cats. 

By the help of bad fairies they had changed their forms and were thereal robbers. 

Hugh seized the hand of the other sister and made a little cut in it, from which a few drops of blood flowed, but the spell was over. 

"Henceforth, " said Hugh, "you are both harmless, and I trust you willboth be honest women. "

And they were. From that day they were like other women, and kept oneof the best of those inns--clean, tidy, comfortable and at modestprices--for which Wales is, or was, noted. 

Neither as cats with paws, nor landladies, with soaring bills, didthey ever rob travelers again. 

IV

HOW THE CYMRY LAND BECAME INHABITED

In all Britain to-day, no wolf roams wild and the deer are all tame. 

Yet in the early ages, when human beings had not yet come into theland, the swamps and forests were full of very savage animals. Therewere bears and wolves by the thousand besides lions and the woollyrhinoceros, tigers, with terrible teeth like sabres. 

Beavers built their dams over the little rivers, and the great hornedoxen were very common. Then the mountains were higher, and the woodsdenser. Many of the animals lived in caves, and there were billions ofbees and a great many butterflies. In the bogs were ferns of giantsize, amid which terrible monsters hid that were always ready for afight or a frolic. 

In so beautiful a land, it seemed a pity that there were no men andwomen, no boys or girls, and no babies. 

Yet the noble race of the Cymry, whom we call the Welsh, were alreadyin Europe and lived in the summer land in the South. A greatbenefactor was born among them, who grew up to be a wonderfully wiseman and taught his people the use of bows and arrows. He made laws, bywhich the different tribes stopped their continual fighting andquarrels, and united for the common good of all. He persuaded them totake family names. He invented the plow, and showed them how to useit, making furrows, in which to plant grain. 

When the people found that they could get things to eat right out ofthe ground, from the seed they had planted, their children were wildwith joy. 

No people ever loved babies more than these Cymry folk and it was theywho invented the cradle. This saved the hard-working mothers many aburden, for each woman had, besides rearing the children, to work forand wait on her husband. 

He was the warrior and hunter, and she did most of the labor, in boththe house and the field. When there were many little brats to lookafter, a cradle was a real help to her. In those days, "brat" was thegeneral name for little folks. There were good laws, about womenespecially for their protection. Any rough or brutish fellow was finedheavily, or publicly punished, for striking one of them. 

By and by, this great benefactor encouraged his people to the braveadventure, and led them, in crossing the sea to Britain. Men had notyet learned to build boats, with prow or stern, with keels and masts, or with sails, rudders, or oars, or much less to put engines in theirbowels, or iron chimneys for smoke stacks, by which we see the mightyships driven across the ocean without regard to wind or tide. 

This great benefactor taught his people to make coracles, and on thesethe whole tribe of thousands of Cymric folk crossed over into Britain, landing in Cornwall. The old name of this shire meant the Horn ofGallia, or Wallia, as the new land was later named. We think ofCornwall as the big toe of the Mother Land. These first comers calledit a horn. 

It was a funny sight to see these coracles, which they named aftertheir own round bodies. The men went down to the riverside or the seashore, and with their stone hatchets, they chopped down trees. Theycut the reeds and osiers, peeled the willow branches, and wove greatbaskets shaped like bowls. In this work, the women helped the men. 

The coracle was made strong by a wooden frame fixed inside round theedge, and by two cross boards, which also served as seats. Then theyturned the wicker frame upside down and stretched the hides of animalsover the whole frame and bottom. With pitch, gum, or grease, theycovered up the cracks or seams. Then they shaped paddles out of wood. When the coracle floated on the water, the whole family, daddy, mammy, kiddies, and any old aunts or uncles, or granddaddies, got into it. They waited for the wind to blow from the south over to the northernland. 

At first the coracle spun round and round, but by and by each daddycould, by rowing or paddling, make the thing go straight ahead. Sofinally all arrived in the land now called Great Britain. 

Though sugar was not then known, or for a thousand years later, thefirst thing they noticed was the enormous number of bees. When theysearched, they found the rock caves and hollow trees full of honey, which had accumulated for generations. Every once in a while thebears, that so like sweet things, found out the hiding place of thebees, and ate up the honey. The children were very happy in suckingthe honey comb and the mothers made candles out of the beeswax. Thenew comers named the country Honey Island. 

The brave Cymry men had battles with the darker skinned people whowere already there. When any one, young or old, died, their friendsand relatives sat up all night guarding the body against wild beastsor savage men. This grew to be a settled custom and such a meeting wascalled a "wake. " Everyone present did keep awake, and often in a verylively way. 

As the Cymry multiplied, they built many _don_, or towns. Allover the land to-day are names ending in _don_ like London, orCroydon, showing where these villages were. 

But while occupied in things for the body, their great ruler did notneglect matters of the mind. He found that some of his people had goodvoices and loved to sing. Others delighted in making poetry. So heinvented or improved the harp, and fixed the rules of verse and song. 

Thus ages before writing was known, the Cymry preserved their historyand handed down what the wise ones taught. 

Men might be born, live and die, come and go, like leaves on thetrees, which expand in the springtime and fall in the autumn; buttheir songs, and poetry, and noble language never die. Even to-day, the Cymry love the speech of their fathers almost as well as they lovetheir native land. 

Yet things were not always lovely in Honey Land, or as sweet as sugar. As the tribes scattered far apart to settle in this or that valley, some had fish, but no salt, and others had plenty of salt, but nofish. Some had all the venison and bear meat they wanted, but nobarley or oats. The hill men needed what the men on the seashore couldsupply. From their sheep and oxen they got wool and leather, and fromthe wild beasts fur to keep warm in winter. So many of them grewexpert in trade. Soon there were among them some very rich men whowere the chiefs of the tribes. 

In time, hundreds of others learned how to traffic among the tribesand swap, or barter their goods, for as yet there were no coins formoney, or bank bills. So they established markets or fairs, to whichthe girls and boys liked to go and sell their eggs and chickens, forwhen the wolves and foxes were killed off, sheep and geese multiplied. 

But what hindered the peace of the land, were the feuds, or quarrels, because the men of one tribe thought they were braver, or betterlooking, than those in the other tribe. The women were very apt toboast that they wore their clothes--which were made of fox and weaselskins--more gracefully than those in the tribe next to them. 

So there was much snarling and quarreling in Cymric Land. The peoplewere too much like naughty children, or when kiddies are not taughtgood manners, to speak gently and to be kind one to the other. 

One of the worst quarrels broke out, because in one tribe there weretoo many maidens and not enough young men for husbands. This was badfor the men, for it spoiled them. They had too many women to wait onthem and they grew to be very selfish. 

In what might be the next tribe, the trouble was the other way. Therewere too many boys, a surplus of men, and not nearly enough girls togo round. When any young fellow, moping out his life alone and anxiousfor a wife, went a-courting in the next tribe, or in their vale, or ontheir hill top, he was usually driven off with stones. Then there wasa quarrel between the two tribes. 

Any young girl, who sneaked out at night to meet her young man ofanother clan, was, when caught, instantly and severely spanked. Then, with her best clothes taken off, she had to stand tied to a post inthe market place a whole day. Her hair was pulled down in disorder, and all the dogs were allowed to bark at her. The girls made fun ofthe poor thing, while they all rubbed one forefinger over the other, pointed at her and cried, "Fie, for shame!" while the boys called herhard names. 

If it were known that the young man who wanted a wife had visited agirl in the other tribe, his spear and bow and arrows were taken awayfrom him till the moon was full. The other boys and the girls treatedhim roughly and called him hard names, but he dare not defend himselfand had to suffer patiently. This was all because of the feud betweenthe two tribes. 

This went on until the maidens in the valley, who were very many, while yet lovely and attractive, became very lonely and miserable;while the young men, all splendid hunters and warriors, multiplied inthe hill country. They were wretched in mind, because not one couldget a wife, for all the maidens in their own tribe were alreadyengaged, or had been mated. 

One day news came to the young men on the hill top, that the valleymen were all off on a hunting expedition. At once, without waiting amoment, the poor lonely bachelors plucked up courage. Then, armed withropes and straps, they marched in a body to the village in the valleybelow. There, they seized each man a girl, not waiting for any maid tocomb her hair, or put on a new frock, or pack up her clothes, or carryany thing out of her home, and made off with her, as fast as one pairof legs could move with another pair on top. 

At first, this looked like rough treatment--for a lovely girl, thus tobe strapped to a brawny big fellow; but after a while, the girlsthought it was great fun to be married and each one to have a man tocaress, and fondle, and scold, and look for, and boss around; for eachwife, inside of her own hut was quite able to rule her husband. Everyone of these new wives was delighted to find a man who cared so muchfor her as to come after her, and risk his life to get her, and eachone admired her new, brave husband. 

Yet the brides knew too well that their men folks, fathers andbrothers, uncles and cousins, would soon come back to attempt theirrecapture. 

And this was just what happened. When a runner brought, to the valleymen now far away, the news of the rape of their daughters, the huntersat once ceased chasing the deer and marched quickly back to get thegirls and make them come home. 

The hill men saw the band of hunters coming after their daughters. They at once took their new wives into a natural rocky fortress, onthe top of a precipice, which overlooked the lake. 

This stronghold had only one entrance, a sort of gateway of rocks, infront of which was a long steep, narrow path. Here the hill men stood, to resist the attack and hold their prizes. 

It was a case of a very few defenders, assaulted by a multitude, andthe battle was long and bloody. The hill men scorned to surrender andshot their arrows and hurled their javelins with desperate valor. Theybattled all day from sunrise until the late afternoon, when shadowsbegan to lengthen. The stars, one by one came out and both parties, after setting sentinels, lay down to rest. 

In the morning, again, charge after charge was made. Sword beatagainst shield and helmet, and clouds of arrows were shot by thearchers, who were well posted in favorable situations, on the rocks. Long before noon, the field below was dotted and the narrow pass waschoked with dead bodies. In the afternoon, after a short rest andrefreshed with food, the valley men, though finding that only four ofthe hill fighters were alive, stood off at a distance and with theirlong bows and a shower of arrows left not one to breathe. 

Now, thought the victors, we shall get our maidens back again. So, taking their time to wash off the blood and dust, to bind up theirwounds, and to eat their supper, they thought it would be an easy jobto load up all the girls on their ox-carts and carry them home. 

But the valley brides, thus suddenly made widows, were too true totheir brave husbands. So, when they had seen the last of their loversquiet in death, they stripped off all their ornaments and fur robes, until all stood together, each clad in her own innocence, as pure intheir purpose as if they were a company of Druid priestesses. 

Then, chanting their death song, they marched in procession to thetall cliff, that rose sheer out of the water. One by one, eachuttering the name of her beloved, leaped into the waves. 

Men at a distance, knowing nothing of the fight, and sailors andfishermen far off on the water, thought that a flock of white birdswere swooping down from their eyrie, into the sea to get their foodfrom the fishes. But when none rose up above the waters, theyunderstood, and later heard the whole story of the valor of the menand the devotion of the women. 

The solemn silence of night soon brooded over the scene. 

The men of the valley stayed only long enough to bury their own dead. Then they marched home and their houses were filled with mourning. Yetthey admired the noble sacrifice of their daughters and were proud ofthem. Afterwards they raised stone monuments on the field ofslaughter. 

To-day, this water is called the Lake of the Maidens, and the greatstones seen near the beach are the memorials marking the place of theslain in battle. 

During many centuries, the ancient custom of capturing the bride, withresistance from her male relatives, was vigorously kept up. In thecourse of time, however, this was turned into a mimic play, with muchfun and merriment. Yet, the girls appear to like it, and some evencomplain if it is not rough enough to seem almost real. 

V

THE BOY THAT WAS NAMED TROUBLE

In one of the many "Co-eds, " or places with this name, in ancient andforest-covered Wales, there was a man who had one of the mostbeautiful mares in all the world. Yet great misfortunes befell boththis Co-ed mare and her owner. 

Every night, on the first of May, the mare gave birth to a prettylittle colt. Yet no one ever saw, or could ever tell what became ofany one, or all of the colts. Each and all, and one by one, theydisappeared. Nobody knew where they were, or went, or what had becomeof them. 

At last, the owner, who had no children, and loved little horses, determined not to lose another. He girded on his sword, and with histrusty spear, stood guard all night in the stable to catch the mortalrobber, as he supposed he must be. 

When on this same night of May first, the mare foaled again, and thecolt stood up on its long legs, the man greatly admired the youngcreature. It looked already, as if it could, with its own legs, runaway and escape from any wolf that should chase it, hoping to eat itup. 

But at this moment, a great noise was heard outside the stable. Thenext moment a long arm, with a claw at the end of it, was pokedthrough the window-hole, to seize the colt. 

Instantly the man drew his sword and with one blow, the claw part ofthe arm was cut off, and it dropped inside, with the colt. 

Hearing a great cry and tumult outside, the owner of the mare rushedforth into the darkness. But though he heard howls of pain, he couldsee nothing, so he returned. 

There, at the door, he found a baby, with hair as yellow as gold, smiling at him. Besides its swaddling clothes, it was wrapped up inflame-colored satin. 

As it was still night, the man took the infant to his bed and laid italongside of his wife, who was asleep. 

Now this good woman loved children, though she had none of her own, and so when she woke up in the morning, and saw what was beside her, she was very happy. Then she resolved to pretend that it was her own. 

So she told her women, that she had borne the child, and they calledhim Gwri of the Golden Hair. 

The boy baby grew up fast, and when only two years old, was as strongas most children are at six. 

Soon he was able to ride the colt that had been born on the May night, and the two were as playmates together. 

Now it chanced, the man had heard the tale of Queen Rhiannon, wife ofPowell, Prince of Dyfed. She had become the mother of a baby boy, butit was stolen from her at night. 

The six serving women, whose duty it was to attend to the Queen, andguard her child, were lazy and had neglected their duty. They wereasleep when the baby was stolen away. To excuse themselves and besaved from punishment, they invented a lying story. They declared thatRhiannon had devoured the child, her own baby. 

The wise men of the Court believed the story which the six wickedwomen had told, and Rhiannon, the Queen, though innocent, wascondemned to do penance. She was to serve as a porter to carryvisitors and their baggage from out doors into the castle. 

Every day, for many months, through the hours of daylight, she stoodin public disgrace in front of the castle of Narberth, at the stoneblock, on which riders on horses dismounted from the saddle. Whenanyone got off at the gate, she had to carry him or her on her backinto the hall. 

As the boy grew up, his foster father scanned his features closely, and it was not long before he made up his mind that Powell was hisfather and Rhiannon was his mother. 

One day, with the boy riding on his colt, and with two knights keepinghim company, the owner of the Co-ed mare came near the castle ofNarberth. 

There they saw the beautiful Rhiannon sitting on the horse block atthe gate. 

When they were about to dismount from their horses, the lovely womanspoke to them thus:

"Chieftains, go no further thus. I will carry everyone of you on myback, into the palace. "

Seeing their looks of astonishment, she explained:

"This is my penance for the charge brought against me of slaying myson and devouring him. "

One and all the four refused to be carried and went into the castle ontheir own feet. There Powell, the prince, welcomed them and made afeast in their honor. It being night, Rhiannon sat beside him. 

After dinner when the time for story telling had come, the chief guesttold the tale of his mare and the colt, and how he cut the clawedhand, and then found the boy on the doorstep. 

Then to the joy and surprise of all, the owner of the Co-ed mare, putting the golden-haired boy before Rhiannon, cried out:

"Behold lady, here is thy son, and whoever they were who told thestory and lied about your devouring your own child, have done you agrievous wrong. "

Everyone at the table looked at the boy, and all recognized the lad atonce as the child of Powell and Rhiannon. 

"Here ends my trouble (pryderi), " cried out Rhiannon. 

Thereupon one of the chiefs said:

"Well hast thou named thy child 'Trouble, '" and henceforth Pryderi washis name. 

Soon it was made known, by the vision and word of the bards and seers, that all the mischief had been wrought by wicked fairies, and that thesix serving women had been under their spell, when they lied about theQueen. Powell, the castle-lord, was so happy that he offered the manof Co-ed rich gifts of horses, jewels and dogs. 

But this good man felt repaid in delivering a pure woman and lovingmother from undeserved shame and disgrace, by wisdom and honestyaccording to common duty. 

As for Pryderi, he was educated as a king's son ought to be, in allgentle arts and was trained in all manly exercises. 

After his father died, Pryderi became ruler of the realm. He marriedKieva the daughter of a powerful chieftain, who had a pedigree as longas the bridle used to drive a ten-horse chariot. It reached back toPrince Casnar of Britain. 

Pryderi had many adventures, which are told in the Mabinogian, whichis the great storehouse of Welsh hero, wonder, and fairy tales. 

VI

THE GOLDEN HARP

Morgan is one of the oldest names in Cymric land. It means one wholives near the sea. 

Every day, for centuries past, tens of thousands of Welsh folks havelooked out on the great blue plain of salt water. 

It is just as true, also, that there are all sorts of Morgans. One ofthese named Taffy, was like nearly all Welshmen, in that he was veryfond of singing. 

The trouble in his case, however, was that no one but himself loved tohear his voice, which was very disagreeable. Yet of the sounds whichhe himself made with voice or instrument, he was an intense admirer. Nobody could persuade him that his music was poor and his voice rough. He always refused to improve. 

Now in Wales, the bard, or poet, who makes up his poetry or song as hegoes along, is a very important person, and it is not well to offendone of these gentlemen. In French, they call such a person by a verylong name--the improvisator. 

These poets have sharp tongues and often say hard things about peoplewhom they do not like. If they used whetstones, or stropped theirtongues on leather, as men do their razors, to give them a keeneredge, their words could not cut more terribly. 

Now, on one occasion, Morgan had offended one of these bards. It waswhile the poetic gentleman was passing by Taffy's house. He heard thejolly fellow inside singing, first at the top and then at the bottomof the scale. He would drop his voice down on the low notes and thenagain rise to the highest until it ended in a screech. 

Someone on the street asked the poet how he liked the music which hehad heard inside. 

"Music?" replied the bard with a sneer. "Is that what Morgan istrying? Why! I thought it was first the lowing of an aged cow, andthen the yelping of a blind dog, unable to find its way. Do you callthat music?"

The truth was that when the soloist had so filled himself with strongale that his brain was fuddled, then it was hard to tell just whatkind of a noise he was making. It took a wise man to discover thetune, if there was any. 

One evening, when Morgan thought his singing unusually fine, and feltsorry that no one heard him, he heard a knock. 

[Illustration: THE MORE MORGAN PLAYED, THE MADDER THE DANCE]

Instead of going to the door to inquire, or welcome the visitor, heyelled out "Come in!"

The door opened and there stood three tired looking strangers. Theyappeared to be travelers. One of them said:

"Kind sir, we are weary and worn, and would be glad of a morsel ofbread. If you can give us a little food, we shall not trouble youfurther. "

"Is that all?" said Morgan. "See there the loaf and the cheese, with aknife beside them. Take what you want, and fill your bags. No manshall ever say that Taffy Morgan denied anyone food, when he had anyhimself. "

Whereupon the three travelers sat down and began to eat. 

Meanwhile, without being invited to do so, their host began to singfor them. 

Now the three travelers were fairies in disguise. They were journeyingover the country, from cottage to cottage, visiting the people. Theycame to reward all who gave them a welcome and were kind to them, butto vex and play tricks upon those who were stingy, bad tempered, or ofsour disposition. Turning to Taffy before taking leave, one of themsaid:

"You have been good to us and we are grateful. Now what can we do foryou? We have power to grant anything you may desire. Please tell uswhat you would like most. "

At this, Taffy looked hard in the faces of the three strangers, to seeif one of them was the bard who had likened his voice in its ups anddowns to a cow and a blind dog. Not seeing any familiar face, heplucked up his courage, and said:

"If you are not making fun of me, I'll take from you a harp. And, if Ican have my wish in full, I want one that will play only lively tunes. No sad music for me!"

Here Morgan stopped. Again he searched their faces, to see if theywere laughing at him and then proceeded. 

"And something else, if I can have it; but it's really the same thingI am asking for. "

"Speak on, we are ready to do what you wish, " answered the leader. 

"I want a harp, which, no matter how badly I may play, will sound outsweet and jolly music. "

"Say no more, " said the leader, who waved his hand. There was a floodof light, and, to Morgan's amazement, there stood on the floor agolden harp. 

But where were the three travelers? They had disappeared in a flash. 

Hardly able to believe his own eyes, it now dawned upon him that hisvisitors were fairies. 

He sat down, back of the harp, and made ready to sweep the strings. Hehardly knew whether or not he touched the instrument, but there rolledout volumes of lively music, as if the harp itself were mad. The tunewas wild and such as would set the feet of young folks agoing, even inchurch. 

As Taffy's fingers seemed every moment to become more skillful, thelivelier the music increased, until the very dishes rattled on thecupboard, as if they wanted to join in. Even the chair looked as ifabout to dance. 

Just then, Morgan's wife and some neighbors entered the house. Immediately, the whole party, one and all, began dancing in thejolliest way. For hours, they kept up the mad whirl. Yet all thewhile, Taffy seemed happier and the women the merrier. 

No telegraph ever carried the news faster, all over the region, thatMorgan had a wonderful harp. 

All the grass in front of the house, was soon worn away by the crowds, that came to hear and dance. As soon as Taffy touched the harpstrings, the feet of everyone, young and old, began shuffling, norcould anyone stop, so long as Morgan played. Even very old, lame andone-legged people joined in. Several old women, whom nobody had everprevailed upon to get out of their chairs, were cured of theirrheumatism. Such unusual exercise was severe for them, but it seemedto be healthful. 

A shrewd monk, the business manager of the monastery near by, wantedto buy Morgan's house, set up a sanatarium and advertise it as a holyplace. He hoped thus to draw pilgrims to it and get for it a greatreputation as a healing place for the lame and the halt, the palsiedand the rheumatic. Thus the monastery would be enriched and all themonks get fat. 

But Taffy was a happy-go-lucky fellow, who cared little about moneyand would not sell; for, with his harp, he enjoyed both fun and fame. 

One day, in the crowd that stood around his door waiting to begin tohop and whirl, Morgan espied the bard who had compared his voice to acow and a cur. The bard had come to see whether the stories about theharp were true or not. 

He found to his own discomfort what was the fact and the reality, which were not very convenient for him. As soon as the harp musicbegan, his feet began to go up, and his legs to kick and whirl. Themore Morgan played, the madder the dance and the wilder the antics ofthe crowd, and in these the bard had to join, for he could not helphimself. Soon they all began to spin round and round on the flagstonesfronting the door, as if crazy. They broke the paling of the gardenfence. They came into the house and knocked over the chairs and sofa, even when they cracked their shins against the wood. They bumped theirheads against the walls and ceiling, and some even scrambled over theroof and down again. The bard could no more stop his weary legs thancould the other lunatics. 

To Morgan his revenge was so sweet, that he kept on until the bard'slegs snapped, and he fell down on top of people that had tumbled fromshear weariness, because no more strength was left in them. 

Meanwhile, Morgan laughed until his jaws were tired and his stomachmuscles ached. 

But no sooner did he take his fingers off the strings, to rest them, than he opened his eyes in wonder; for in a flash the harp haddisappeared. 

He had made a bad use of the fairies' gift, and they were displeased. So both the monk and Morgan felt sorry. 

Yet the grass grew again when the quondam harper and singer ceaseddesolating the air with his quavers. The air seemed sweeter tobreathe, because of the silence. 

However, the fairies kept on doing good to the people of good will, and to-day some of the sweetest singers in Wales come from the pooresthomes. 

VII

THE GREAT RED DRAGON OF WALES

Every old country that has won fame in history and built up acivilization of its own, has a national flower. Besides this, someliving creature, bird, or beast, or, it may be, a fish is on its flag. In places of honor, it stands as the emblem of the nation; that is, ofthe people, apart from the land they live on. Besides flag and symbol, it has a motto. That of Wales is: "Awake: It is light. "

Now because the glorious stories of Wales, Scotland and Ireland havebeen nearly lost in that of mighty England, men have at times, almostforgotten about the leek, the thistle, and the shamrock, which standfor the other three divisions of the British Isles. 

Yet each of these peoples has a history as noble as that of which therose and the lion are the emblems. Each has also its patron saint andcivilizer. So we have Saint George, Saint David, Saint Andrew, andSaint Patrick, all of them white-souled heroes. On the union flag, orstandard of the United Kingdom, we see their three crosses. 

The lion of England, the harp of Ireland, the thistle of Scotland, andthe Red Dragon of Wales represent the four peoples in the BritishIsles, each with its own speech, traditions, and emblems; yet all inunity and in loyalty, none excelling the Welsh, whose symbol is theRed Dragon. In classic phrase, we talk of Albion, Scotia, Cymry, andHibernia. 

But why red? Almost all the other dragons in the world are white, oryellow, green or purple, blue, or pink. Why a fiery red color likethat of Mars?

Borne on the banners of the Welsh archers, who in old days won thebattles of Crecy and Agincourt, and now seen on the crests on the townhalls and city flags, in heraldry, and in art, the red dragon is asrampant, as when King Arthur sat with His Knights at the Round Table. 

The Red Dragon has four three-toed claws, a long, barbed tongue, andtail ending like an arrow head. With its wide wings unfolded, itguards those ancient liberties, which neither Saxon, nor Norman, norGerman, nor kings on the throne, whether foolish or wise, have everbeen able to take away. No people on earth combine so handsomely loyalfreedom and the larger patriotism, or hold in purer loyalty to theunion of hearts and hands in the British Empire, which the sovereignrepresents, as do the Welsh. 

The Welsh are the oldest of the British peoples. They preserve thelanguage of the Druids, bards, and chiefs, of primeval ages which goback and far beyond any royal line in Europe, while most of theirfairy tales are pre-ancient and beyond the dating. 

Why the Cymric dragon is red, is thus told, from times beyond humanrecord. 

It was in those early days, after the Romans in the south had left theisland, and the Cymric king, Vortigern, was hard pressed by the Pictsand Scots of the north. To his aid, he invited over from beyond theNorth Sea, or German Ocean, the tribes called the Long Knives, orSaxons, to help him. 

But once on the big island, these friends became enemies and would notgo back. They wanted to possess all Britain. 

Vortigern thought this was treachery. Knowing that the Long Kniveswould soon attack him, he called his twelve wise men together fortheir advice. With one voice, they advised him to retreat westwardbehind the mountains into Cymry. There he must build a strong fortressand there defy his enemies. 

So the Saxons, who were Germans, thought they had driven the Cymrybeyond the western borders of the country which was later calledEngland, and into what they named the foreign or Welsh parts. Centuries afterwards, this land received the name of Wales. 

People in Europe spoke of Galatians, Wallachians, Belgians, Walloons, Alsatians, and others as "Welsh. " They called the new fruit importedfrom Asia walnuts, but the names "Wales" and "Welsh" were unheard ofuntil after the fifth century. 

The place chosen for the fortified city of the Cymry was among themountains. From all over his realm, the King sent for masons andcarpenters and collected the materials for building. Then, a solemninvocation was made to the gods by the Druid priests. These grandlooking old men were robed in white, with long, snowy beards fallingover their breasts, and they had milk-white oxen drawing theirchariot. With a silver knife they cut the mistletoe from thetree-branch, hailing it as a sign of favor from God. Then with harp, music and song they dedicated the spot as a stronghold of the Cymricnation. 

Then the King set the diggers to work. He promised a rich reward tothose men of the pick and shovel who should dig the fastest and throwup the most dirt, so that the masons could, at the earliest moment, begin their part of the work. 

But it all turned out differently from what the king expected. Somedragon, or powerful being underground, must have been offended by thisinvasion of his domain; for, the next morning, they saw thateverything in the form of stone, timber, iron or tools, haddisappeared during the night. It looked as if an earthquake hadswallowed them all up. 

Both king and seers, priests and bards, were greatly puzzled at this. However, not being able to account for it, and the Saxons likely tomarch on them at any time, the sovereign set the diggers at work andagain collected more wood and stone. 

This time, even the women helped, not only to cook the food, but todrag the logs and stones. They were even ready to cut off theirbeautiful long hair to make ropes, if necessary. 

But in the morning, all had again disappeared, as if swept by atempest. The ground was bare. 

Nevertheless, all hands began again, for all hearts were united. 

For the third time, the work proceeded. Yet when the sun rose nextmorning, there was not even a trace of either material or labor. 

What was the matter? Had some dragon swallowed everything up?

Vortigern again summoned his twelve wise men, to meet in council, andto inquire concerning the cause of the marvel and to decide what wasto be done. 

After long deliberation, while all the workmen and people outsidewaited for their verdict, the wise men agreed upon a remedy. 

Now in ancient times, it was a custom, all over the world, notably inChina and Japan and among our ancestors, that when a new castle orbridge was to be built, they sacrificed a human being. This was doneeither by walling up the victim while alive, or by mixing his or herblood with the cement used in the walls. Often it was a virgin or alittle child thus chosen by lot and made to die, the one for the many. 

The idea was not only to ward off the anger of the spirits of the air, or to appease the dragons under ground, but also to make the workmendo their best work faithfully, so that the foundation should be sureand the edifice withstand the storm, the wind, and the earthquakeshocks. 

So, nobody was surprised, or raised his eyebrows, or shook his head, or pursed up his lips, when the king announced that what the wise mendeclared, must be done and that quickly. Nevertheless, many a motherhugged her darling more closely to her bosom, and fathers feared fortheir sons or daughters, lest one of these, their own, should bechosen as the victim to be slain. 

King Vortigern had the long horn blown for perfect silence, and thenhe spoke:

"A child must be found who was born without a father. He must bebrought here and be solemnly put to death. Then his blood will besprinkled on the ground and the citadel will be built securely. "

Within an hour, swift runners were seen bounding over the Cymrichills. They were dispatched in search of a boy without a father, and alarge reward was promised to the young man who found what was wanted. So into every part of the Cymric land, the searchers went. 

One messenger noticed some boys playing ball. Two of them werequarreling. Coming near, he heard one say to the other:

"Oh, you boy without a father, nothing good will ever happen to you. "

"This must be the one looked for, " said the royal messenger tohimself. So he went up to the boy, who had been thus twitted and spoketo him thus:

"Don't mind what he says. " Then he prophesied great things, if hewould go along with him. The boy was only too glad to go, and the nextday the lad was brought before King Vortigern. 

The workmen and their wives and children, numbering thousands, hadassembled for the solemn ceremony of dedicating the ground by sheddingthe boy's blood. In strained attention the people held their breath. 

The boy asked the king:

"Why have your servants brought me to this place?"

Then the sovereign told him the reason, and the boy asked:

"Who instructed you to do this?"

"My wise men told me so to do, and even the sovereign of the landobeys his wise councilors. "

"Order them to come to me, Your Majesty, " pleaded the boy. 

When the wise men appeared, the boy, in respectful manner, inquired ofthem thus:

"How was the secret of my life revealed to you? Please speak freelyand declare who it was that discovered me to you. "

Turning to the king, the boy added:

"Pardon my boldness, Your Majesty. I shall soon reveal the wholematter to you, but I wish first to question your advisers. I want themto tell you what is the real cause, and reveal, if they can, what ishidden here underneath the ground. "

But the wise men were confounded. They could not tell and they fullyconfessed their ignorance. 

The boy then said:

"There is a pool of water down below. Please order your men to dig forit. "

At once the spades were plied by strong hands, and in a few minutesthe workmen saw their faces reflected, as in a looking glass. Therewas a pool of clear water there. 

Turning to the wise men, the boy asked before all:

"Now tell me, what is in the pool?"

As ignorant as before, and now thoroughly ashamed, the wise men weresilent. 

"Your Majesty, I can tell you, even if these men cannot. There are twovases in the pool. "

Two brave men leaped down into the pool. They felt around and broughtup two vases, as the boy had said. 

Again, the lad put a question to the wise men:

"What is in these vases?"

Once more, those who professed to know the secrets of the world, evento the demanding of the life of a human being, held their tongues. 

"There is a tent in them, " said the boy. "Separate them, and you willfind it so. "

By the king's command, a soldier thrust in his hand and found a foldedtent. 

Again, while all wondered, the boy was in command of the situation. Everything seemed so reasonable, that all were prompt and alert toserve him. 

"What a splendid chief and general, he would make, to lead us againstour enemies, the 'Long Knives!'" whispered one soldier to another. 

"What is in the tent?" asked the boy of the wise men. 

Not one of the twelve knew what to say, and there was an almostpainful silence. 

"I will tell you, Your Majesty, and all here, what is in this tent. There are two serpents, one white and one red. Unfold the tent. "

With such a leader, no soldier was afraid, nor did a single person inthe crowd draw back? Two stalwart fellows stepped forward to open thetent. 

But now, a few of the men and many of the women shrank back whilethose that had babies, or little folks, snatched up their children, fearing lest the poisonous snakes might wriggle towards them. 

The two serpents were coiled up and asleep, but they soon showed signsof waking, and their fiery, lidless eyes glared at the people. 

"Now, Your Majesty, and all here, be you the witnesses of what willhappen. Let the King and wise men look in the tent. "

At this moment, the serpents stretched themselves out at full length, while all fell back, giving them a wide circle to struggle in. 

Then they reared their heads. With their glittering eyes flashingfire, they began to struggle with each other. The white one rose upfirst, threw the red one into the middle of the arena, and thenpursued him to the edge of the round space. 

Three times did the white serpent gain the victory over the red one. 

But while the white serpent seemed to be gloating over the other for afinal onset, the red one, gathering strength, erected its head andstruck at the other. 

The struggle went on for several minutes, but in the end the redserpent overcame the white, driving it first out of the circle, thenfrom the tent, and into the pool, where it disappeared, while thevictorious red one moved into the tent again. 

When the tent flap was opened for all to see, nothing was visibleexcept a red dragon; for the victorious serpent had turned into thisgreat creature which combined in one new form the body and the powersof bird, beast, reptile and fish. It had wings to fly, the strongestanimal strength, and could crawl, swim, and live in either water orair, or on the earth. In its body was the sum total of all life. 

Then, in the presence of all the assembly, the youth turned to thewise men to explain the meaning of what had happened. But not a worddid they speak. In fact, their faces were full of shame before thegreat crowd. 

"Now, Your Majesty, let me reveal to you the meaning of this mystery. "

"Speak on, " said the King, gratefully. 

"This pool is the emblem of the world, and the tent is that of yourkingdom. The two serpents are two dragons. The white serpent is thedragon of the Saxons, who now occupy several of the provinces anddistricts of Britain and from sea to sea. But when they invade oursoil our people will finally drive them back and hold fast forevertheir beloved Cymric land. But you must choose another site, on whichto erect your castle. "

After this, whenever a castle was to be built no more human victimswere doomed to death. All the twelve men, who had wanted to keep upthe old cruel custom, were treated as deceivers of the people. By theKing's orders, they were all put to death and buried before all thecrowd. 

To-day, like so many who keep alive old and worn-out notions by meansof deception and falsehood, these men are remembered only by theTwelve Mounds, which rise on the surface of the field hard by. 

As for the boy, he became a great magician, or, as we in our age wouldcall him, a man of science and wisdom, named Merlin. He lived long onthe mountain, but when he went away with a friend, he placed all histreasures in a golden cauldron and hid them in a cave. He rolled agreat stone over its mouth. Then with sod and earth he covered it allover so as to hide it from view. His purpose was to leave this hiswealth for a leader, who, in some future generation, would use it forthe benefit of his country, when most needed. 

This special person will be a youth with yellow hair and blue eyes. When he comes to Denas, a bell will ring to invite him into the cave. The moment his foot is over the place, the stone of entrance will openof its own accord. Anyone else will be considered an intruder and itwill not be possible for him to carry away the treasure. 

VIII

THE TOUCH OF CLAY

Long, long ago before the Cymry came into the beautiful land of Wales, there were dark-skinned people living in caves. 

In these early times there were a great many fairies of all sorts, butof very different kinds of behavior, good and bad. 

It was in this age of the world that fairies got an idea riveted intotheir heads which nothing, not even hammers, chisels or crowbars canpry up. Neither horse power, nor hydraulic force nor sixteen-inchbombs, nor cannon balls, nor torpedoes can drive it out. 

It is a settled matter of opinion in fairy land that, compared withfairies, human beings are very stupid. The fairies think that mortalsare dull witted and awfully slow, when compared to the smarter andmore nimble fairies, that are always up to date in doing things. 

Perhaps the following story will help explain why this is. 

These ancient folks who lived in caves, could not possibly know somethings that are like A B C to the fairies of to-day. For the Welshfairies, King Puck and Queen Mab, know all about what is in thetelegraphs, submarine cables and wireless telegraphy of to-day. Puckwould laugh if you should say that a telephone was any new thing tohim. Long ago, in Shakespeare's time, he boasted that he could "put agirdle round the earth in forty minutes. " Men have been trying eversince to catch up with him, but they have not gone ahead of him yet. 

If, only three hundred years ago, this were the case, what must havebeen Puck's fun, when he saw men in the early days, working so hard tomake even a clay cup or saucer. These people who slept and ate in caveboarding-houses, knew nothing of metals, or how to make iron or brasstools, wire, or machines, or how to touch a button and light up awhole room, which even a baby can now do. 

There is one thing that we, who have traveled in many fairy lands, have often noticed and told our friends, the little folks, and that isthis:

All the fairies we ever knew are very slow to change either theiropinions, or their ways, or their fashions. Like many mortals, theythink a great deal of their own notions. They imagine that the onlyway to do a thing is in that which they say is the right one. 

So it came to pass that even when the Cymric folk gave up wearing theskins of animals, and put on pretty clothes woven on a loom, and ateout of dishes, instead of clam shells, there were still some fairiesthat kept to the notions and fashions of the cave days. To one ofthese, came trouble because of this failing. 

Now there was once a pretty nymph, who lived in the Red Lake, to whicha young and handsome farmer used to come to catch fish. One misty day, when the lad could see only a few feet before him, a wind cleared theair and blew away the fog. Then he saw near him a little old man, standing on a ladder. He was hard at work in putting a thatched roofon a hut which he had built. 

A few minutes later, as the mist rose and the breezes blew, the farmercould see no house, but only the ripplings of water on the lake'ssurface. 

Although he went fishing often, he never again saw anything unusual, during the whole summer. 

On one hot day in the early autumn, while he stopped to let his horsedrink, he looked and saw a very lovely face on the water. Wondering towhom it might belong, there rose up before him the head and shouldersof a most beautiful woman. She was so pretty that he had two tumbles. He fell off his horse and he fell in love with her at one and the sametime. 

Rushing toward the lovely vision, he put out his arms at that spotwhere he had seen her, but only to embrace empty air. Then heremembered that love is blind. So he rubbed his eyes, to see if hecould discern anything. Yet though he peered down into the water, andup over the hills, he could not see her anywhere. 

But he soon found out to his joy that his eyes were all right, for inanother place, the face, flower-crowned hair, and her reflection inthe water came again. Then his desire to possess the damsel wasdoubled. But again, she disappeared, to rise again somewhere else. 

Five times he was thus tantalized and disappointed. She rose up, andquickly disappeared. 

It seemed as though she meant only to tease him. So he rode homesorrowing, and scarcely slept that night. 

Early morning, found the lovelorn youth again at the lake side, butfor hours he watched in vain. He had left his home too excited to haveeaten his usual breakfast, which greatly surprised his housekeeper. Now he pulled out some sweet apples, which a neighbor had given him, and began to munch them, while still keeping watch on the waters. 

No sooner had the aroma of the apples fallen on the air, than thepretty lady of the lake bobbed up from beneath the surface, and thistime quite near him. She seemed to have lost all fear, for she askedhim to throw her one of the apples. 

"Please come, pretty maid, and get it yourself, " cried the farmer. Then he held up the red apple, turning it round and round before her, to tempt her by showing its glossy surface and rich color. 

Apparently not afraid, she came up close to him and took the applefrom his left hand. At once, he slipped his strong right arm aroundher waist, and hugged her tight. At this, she screamed loudly. 

Then there appeared in the middle of the lake the old man, he had seenthatching the roof by the lake shore. This time, besides his longsnowy beard, he had on his head a crown of water lilies. 

"Mortal, " said the venerable person. "That is my daughter you areclasping. What do you wish to do with her?"

At once, the farmer broke out in passionate appeal to the old man thatshe might become his wife. He promised to love her always, treat herwell, and never be rough or cruel to her. 

The old father listened attentively. He was finally convinced that thefarmer would make a good husband for his lovely daughter. Yet he wasvery sorry to lose her, and he solemnly laid one condition upon hisfuture son-in-law. 

He was never under any pretense, or in any way, to strike her withclay, or with anything made or baked from clay. Any blow with thatfrom which men made pots and pans, and jars and dishes, or in fact, with earth of any sort, would mean the instant loss of his wife. Evenif children were born in their home, the mother would leave them, andreturn to fairy land under the lake, and be forever subject to the lawof the fairies, as before her marriage. 

The farmer was very much in love with his pretty prize, and aspromises are easily made, he took oath that no clay should ever touchher. 

They were married and lived very happily together. Years passed andthe man was still a good husband and lover. He kept up the habit whichhe had learned from a sailor friend. Every night, when far from homeand out on the sea, he and his mates used to drink this toast;"Sweethearts and wives: may every sweetheart become a wife and everywife remain a sweetheart, and every husband continue a lover. "

So he proved that though a husband he was still a lover, by alwaysdoing what she asked him and more. When the children were born andgrew up, their father told them about their mother's likes anddislikes, her tastes and her wishes, and warned them always to becareful. So it was altogether a very happy family. 

One day, the wife and mother said to her husband, that she had a greatlonging for apples. She would like to taste some like those which helong ago gave her. At once, the good man dropped what he was doing andhurried off to his neighbor, who had first presented him with atrayful of these apples. 

The farmer not only got the fruit, but he also determined that hewould plant a tree and thus have apples for his wife, whenever shewanted them. So he bought a fine young sapling, to set in his orchard, for the children to play under and to keep his pantry full of the finered-cheeked fruit. At this his wife was delighted. 

So happy enough--in fact, too merry to think of anything else, they, both husband and wife, proceeded to set the sapling in the ground. Sheheld the tree, while he dug down to make the hole deep enough to makesure of its growing. 

But farmers are sometimes very superstitious. They even believe inluck, though not in Puck. Some of them have faith in what the almanac, and the patent medicine may say, and in planting potatoes according tothe moon, but they scout the idea of there being any fairies. 

With the farmer, this had become a fixed state of mind and now itbrought him to grief, as we shall see. For though he remembered whathis wife liked and disliked, and recalled what her father had toldhim, he had forgotten that she was a fairy. 

With this farmer and other Welsh mortals, it had become a habit, whenplanting a young tree, to throw the last shovelful of earth over theleft shoulder. This was for good luck. The farmer was afraid to breaksuch a good custom, as he thought it to be. 

So merrily he went to work, forgetting everything in his adherence tohabit. He became so absorbed in his job, that he did not look wherehis spadeful went, and it struck his dear wife full in the breast. 

At that moment, she cried out bitterly, not in pain, but in sorrow. Then she started to run towards the lake. At the shore, she calledout, "Good-by, dear, dear husband. " Then, leaping into the water, shewas never seen again and all his tears and those of the children neverbrought her back. 

IX

THE TOUCH OF IRON

Ages ago, before the Cymry rowed in their coracles across the sea, there was a race of men already in the Land of Honey, as Great Britainwas then called. 

These ancient people, who lived in caves, did not know how to buildhouses or to plow the ground. They had no idea that they could gettheir food out of the earth. As for making bread and pies, cookies andgoodies, from what grew from the soil, they never heard of such athing. They were not acquainted with the use of fire for meltingcopper, nor did they know how to get iron out of the ore, to makeknives and spears, arrow heads and swords, and armor and helmets. 

All they could do was to mold clay, so as to make things to cook withand hold milk, or water. When they baked this soft stuff in the fire, they found they had pots, pans and dishes as hard as stone, thoughthese were easily broken. 

To hunt the deer, or fight the wolves and bears, they fashioned clubsof wood. For javelins and arrows, they took hard stone like flint andchipped it to points and sharpened it with edges. This was the timewhich men now call the Stone Age. When the men went to war, theirweapons were wholly of wood or stone. 

They had not yet learned to weave the wool of the sheep into warmclothing, but they wore the skins of animals. Each one of the caves, in which they lived, was a general boarding house, for dogs and pigs, as well as people. 

When a young man of one tribe wanted a wife, he sallied out secretlyinto another neighborhood. There he lay in wait for a girl to comealong. He then ran away with her, and back to his own daddy's cave. 

By and by, when the Cymry came into the land, they had iron tools andbetter weapons of war. Then there were many and long battles and theaborigines were beaten many times. 

So the cave people hated everything made of iron. Anyone of the cavepeople, girls or boys, who had picked up iron ornaments, and werefound wearing or using iron tools, or buying anything of iron from thecave people's enemies, was looked upon as a rascal, or a villain, oreven as a traitor and was driven out of the tribe. 

However, some of the daughters of the cave men were so pretty and hadsuch rosy cheeks, and lovely bodies, and beautiful, long hair, thatquite often the Cymric youth fell in love with them. 

Many of the cave men's daughters were captured and became wives of theCymry and mothers of children. In course of ages, their descendantshelped to make the bright, witty, song-loving Welsh people. 

Now the fairies usually like things that are old, and they are veryslow to alter the ancient customs, to which they have been used; for, in the fairy world, there is no measure of time, nor any clocks, watches, or bells to strike the hours, and no almanacs or calendars. 

The fairies cannot understand why ladies change the fashions so often, and the men their ways of doing things. They wonder why beards arefashionable at one time; then, moustaches long or short, at another;or smooth faces when razors are cheap. Most fairies like to keep ondoing the same thing in the old way. They enjoy being like themountains, which stand; or the sea, that rolls; or the sun, that risesand sets every day and forever. They never get tired of repeatingto-morrow what they did yesterday. They are very different from thepeople that are always wanting something else, and even cry if theycannot have it. 

That is the reason why the fairies did not like iron, or to see menwearing iron hats and clothes, called helmets and armor, when theywent to war. They no more wanted to be touched by iron than by filth, or foul disease. They hated knives, stirrups, scythes, swords, pots, pans, kettles, or this metal in any form, whether sheet, barbed wire, lump or pig iron. 

Now there was a long, pretty stretch of water, near which lived ahandsome lad, who loved nothing better than to go out on moonlightnights and see the fairies dance, or listen to their music. This youthfell in love with one of these fairies, whose beauty was great beyonddescription. At last, unable to control his passion, he rushed intothe midst of the fairy company, seized the beautiful one, and rushedback to his home, with his prize in his arms. This was in truecave-man fashion. When the other fairies hurried to rescue her, theyfound the man's house shut. They dared not touch the door, for it wascovered over with iron studs and bands, and bolted with the metalwhich they most abhorred. 

The young man immediately began to make love to the fairy maid, hopingto win her to be his wife. For a long time she refused, and moped allday and night. While weeping many salt water tears, she declared thatshe was too homesick to live. 

Nevertheless the lover persevered. Finding herself locked in with ironbars, while gratings, bolts and creaking hinges were all about her, and unable to return to her people, the fairy first thought out a planof possible escape. Then she agreed to become the man's wife. Sheresolved, at least, that, without touching it, she should oil all theiron work, and stop the noise. 

She was a smart fairy, and was sure she could outwit the man, even ifhe were so strong, and had every sort of iron everywhere in order tokeep her as it were in a prison. So, pretending she loved him dearly, she said: "I will not be your wife, but, if you can find out my name, I shall gladly become your servant. "

"Easily won, " thought the lover to himself. Yet the game was a harderone to play than he supposed. It was like playing Blind Man's Buff, orHunt the Slipper. Although he made guesses of every name he couldthink of, he was never "hot" and got no nearer to the thing soughtthan if his eyes were bandaged. All the time, he was deeper and deeperin love with the lovely fairy maid. 

But one night, on returning home, he saw in a turf bog, a group offairies sitting on a log. At once, he thought, they might be talkingabout their lost sister. So he crept up quite near them, and soonfound that he had guessed right. After a long discussion, findingthemselves still at a loss, as to how to recover her, he heard one ofthem sigh and say, "Oh, Siwsi, my sister, how can you live with amortal?"

"Enough, " said the young man to himself. "I've got it. " Then, crawlingaway noiselessly, he ran back all the way to his house, and unlockedthe door. Once inside the room, he called out his servant'sname--"Siwsi! Siwsi!"

Astonished at hearing her name, she cried out, "What mortal hasbetrayed me? For, surely no fairy would tell on me? Alas, my fate, myfate!"

But in her own mind, the struggle and the fear were over. She hadbravely striven to keep her fairyhood, and in the battle of wits, hadlost. 

She would not be wife, but what a wise, superb and faithful servantshe made!

Everything prospered under her hand. The house and the farm becamemodels. Not twice, but three times a day, the cows, milked by her, yielded milk unusually rich in cream. In the market, her butterexcelled, in quality and price, all others. 

Meanwhile, the passion of the lover abated not one jot, or for aninstant. His perseverance finally won. She agreed to become his wife;but only on one condition. 

"You must never strike me with iron, " she said. "If you do, I'll feelfree to leave you, and go back to my relatives in the fairy family. "

A hearty laugh from the happy lover greeted this remark, made by thelovely creature, once his servant, but now his betrothed. He thoughtthat the condition was very easy to obey. 

So they were married, and no couple in all the land seemed to behappier. Once, twice, the cradle was filled. It rocked with newtreasures that had life, and were more dear than farm, or home, orwealth in barns or cattle, cheese and butter. A boy and a girl weretheirs. Then the mother's care was unremitting, day and night. 

Even though the happy father grew richer every year, and bought farmafter farm, until he owned five thousand acres, he valued, more thanthese possessions, his lovely wife and his beautiful children. 

Yet this very delight and affection made him less vigilant; yes, evenless careful concerning the promise he had once given to his fairywife, who still held to the ancient ideas of the Fairy Family inregard to iron. 

One of his finest mares had given birth to a filly, which, when theday of the great fair came, he determined to sell at a high price. 

So with a halter on his arm, he went out to catch her. 

But she was a lively creature, so frisky that it was much like hisfirst attempt to win his fairy bride. It almost looked as if she werea cave girl running away from a lover, who had a lasso in his hand. The lively and frolicsome beast scampered here and there, grazing asshe stopped, as if she were determined to put off her capture as longas possible. 

So, calling to his wife, the two of them together, tried their skillto catch the filly. This time, leaving the halter in the house, theman took bit and bridle, and the two managed to get the prettycreature into a corner; but, when they had almost captured her, awayshe dashed again. 

By this time, the man was so vexed that he lost his temper; and he whodoes that, usually loses the game, while he who controls the wrathwithin, wins. Mad as a flaming fire, he lost his brains also and threwbit and bridle and the whole harness after the fleet animal. 

Alas! alas! the wife had started to run after the filly and the ironbit struck her on the cheek. It did not hurt, but he had broken hisvow. 

Now came the surprise of his life. It was as if, at one moment, aflash of lightning had made all things bright; and then in anothersecond was inky darkness. He saw this lovely wife, one moment activeand fleet as a deer. In another, in the twinkling of an eye, nothingwas there. She had vanished. After this, there was a lonely home, empty of its light and cheer. 

But by living with human beings, a new idea and form of life hadtransformed this fairy, and a new spell was laid on her. Mother-lovehad been awakened in her heart. Henceforth, though the law of thefairy world would not allow her to touch again the realm of earth, she, having once been wife and parent, could not forget the babiesborn of her body. So, making a sod raft, a floating island, she cameup at night, and often, while these three mortals lived, this fairymother would spend hours tenderly talking to her husband and her twochildren, who were now big boy and girl, as they stood on the lakeshore. 

On his part, the father did not think it "an ideal arrangement, " assome modern married folks do, to be thus separated, wife and husband, one from the other; but by her coming as near as could be allowed, sheshowed her undying love. Even to-day, good people sometimes see alittle island floating on the lake, and this, they point out as theplace where the fairy mother was wont to come and hold converse withher dear ones. When they merrily eat the pink delicacy, called"floating island, " moving it about with a spoon on its yellow lake ofeggs and cream, they call this "the Fairy Mother's rocking chair. "

X

THE MAIDEN OF THE GREEN FOREST

Many a palace lies under the waves that wash Cymric land, for the seahas swallowed up more than one village, and even cities. 

When Welsh fairies yield to their mortal lovers and consent to becometheir wives, it is always on some condition or promise. Sometimesthere are several of these, which the fairy ladies compel their mortallovers to pledge them, before they agree to become wives. In fact, thefairies in Cymric land are among the most exacting of any known. 

A prince named Benlli, of the Powys region, found this out to hisgrief, for he had always supposed that wives could be had simply forthe asking. All that a man need say, to the girl to whom he took afancy, was this: "Come along with me, and be my bride, " and then shewould say, "Thank you, I'll come, " and the two would trot offtogether. This was the man's notion. 

Now Benlli was a wicked old fellow. He was already married, butwrinkles had gathered on his wife's face. She had a faded, washed-outlook, and her hair was thinning out. She would never be young again, and he was tired of her, and wanted a mate with fresh rosy cheeks, andlong, thick hair. He was quite ready to fall in love with such amaiden, whenever his eyes should light upon her. 

One day, he went out hunting in the Green Forest. While waiting for awild boar to rush out, there rode past him a young woman whose beautywas dazzling. He instantly fell in love with her. 

The next day, while on horseback, at the same opening in the forest, the same maiden reappeared; but it was only for a moment, and then shevanished. 

Again, on the third day, the prince rode out to the appointed place, and again the vision of beauty was there. He rode up to her and beggedher to come and live with him at his palace. 

"I will come and be your wedded wife on three conditions: You must putaway the wife you now have; you must permit me to leave you, one nightin every seven, without following after or spying upon me; and youmust not ask me where I go or what I do. Swear to me that you will dothese three things. Then, if you keep your promises unbroken, mybeauty shall never change, no, not until the tall vegetable flag-reedswave and the long green rushes grow in your hall. "

The Prince of Powys was quite ready to swear this oath and he solemnlypromised to observe the three conditions. So the Maid of the GreenForest went to live with him. 

"But what of his old wife?" one asks. 

Ah! he had no trouble from that quarter, for when the newly-weddedcouple arrived at the castle, she had already disappeared. 

Happy, indeed, were the long bright days, which the prince and his newbride spent together, whether in the castle, or out doors, riding onhorseback, or in hunting the deer. Every day, her beauty seemeddiviner, and she more lovely. He lavished various gifts upon her, among others that of a diadem of beryl and sapphire. Then he put onher finger a diamond ring worth what was a very great sum--a king'sransom. In the Middle Ages, monarchs as well as nobles were takenprisoners in battle and large amounts of money had to be paid to getthem back again. So a king's ransom is what Benlli paid for his wife'sdiamond ring. He loved her so dearly that he never suspected for amoment that he would ever have any trouble in keeping his threepromises. 

But without variety, life has no spice, and monotony wearies the soul. After nine years had passed, and his wife absented herself everyFriday night, he began to wonder why it could be. His curiosity, toknow the reason for her going away, so increased that it so wore onhim that he became both miserable in himself and irritable towardothers. Everybody in the castle noticed the change in their master, and grieved over it. 

One night, he invited a learned monk from the white monastery, not faraway, to come and take dinner with him. The table in the greatbanqueting hall was spread with the most delicious viands, the lightswere magnificent, and the music gay. 

But Wyland, the monk, was a man of magic and could see through things. He noticed that some secret grief was preying upon the Prince's mind. He discerned that, amidst all this splendor, he, Benlli, the lord ofthe castle, was the most miserable person within its walls. So Wylandwent home, resolved to call again and find out what was the trouble. 

When they met, some days later, Wyland's greeting was this:

"Christ save thee, Benlli! What secret sorrow clouds thy brow? Why sogloomy?"

Benlli at once burst out with the story of how he met the Maid of theGreen Forest, and how she became his wife on three conditions. 

"Think of it, " said Benlli, groaning aloud. "When the owls cry and thecrickets chirp, my wife leaves my bed, and until the daystar appears, I lie alone, torn with curiosity, to know where she is, and what sheis doing. I fall again into heavy sleep, and do not awake untilsunrise, when I find her by my side again. It is all such a mystery, that the secret lies heavy on my soul. Despite all my wealth, and mystrong castle, with feasting and music by night and hunting by day, Iam the most miserable man in Cymric land. No beggar is more wretchedthan I. "

Wyland, the monk, listened and his eyes glittered. There came into hishead the idea of enriching the monastery. He saw his chance, andimproved it at once. He could make money by solving the secret for atroubled soul. 

"Prince Benlli, " said he, "if you will bestow upon the monks of theWhite Minster, one tenth of all the flocks that feed within yourdomain, and one tenth of all that flows into the vaults of yourpalace, and hand over the Maiden of the Green Forest to me, I shallwarrant that your soul will be at peace and your troubles end. "

To all this, Prince Benlli agreed, making solemn promise. Then themonk Wyland took his book, leather bound, and kept shut by means ofmetal clasps, and hid himself in the cranny of a rock near the Giant'sCave, from which there was entrance down into Fairyland. 

He had not long to wait, for soon, with a crown on her head, a lady, royally arrayed, passed by out of the silvery moonlight into the darkcave. It was none other than the Maiden of the Green Forest. 

Now came a battle of magic and spells, as between the monk's own andthose of the Green Forest Maiden. He moved forward to the mouth of thecave. Then summoning into his presence the spirits of the air and thecave, he informed them as to Benlli's vow to enrich the monastery, andto deliver the Green Forest Maiden to himself. Then, calling aloud, hesaid:

"Let her forever be, as she now appears, and never leave my side. "

"Bring her, before the break of day, to the cross near the town of theWhite Minster, and there will I wed her, and swear to make her myown. "

Then, by the power of his magic, he made it impossible for any personor power to recall or hinder the operation of these words. Leaving thecave's mouth, in order to be at the cross, before day should dawn, thefirst thing he met was a hideous ogress, grinning and rolling herbleared red eyes at him. On her head seemed what was more like moss, than hair. She stretched out a long bony finger at him. On it, flashedthe splendid diamond, which Benlli had given his bride, the beautifulMaid of the Green Forest. 

"Take me to thy bosom, monk Wyland, " she shrieked, laughing hideouslyand showing what looked like green snags in her mouth. "For I am thewife you are sworn to wed. Thirty years ago, I was Benlli's bloomingbride. When my beauty left me, his love flew out of the window. Now Iam a foul ogress, but magic makes me young again every seventh night. I promised that my beauty should last until the tall flag reeds andthe long green rushes grow in his hall. "

Amazed at her story, Wyland drew in his breath. 

"And this promise, I have kept. It is already fulfilled. Your spelland mine are both completed. Yours brought to him the peace of thedead. Mine made the river floods rush in. Now, waters lap to and froamong the reeds and rushes that grow in the banqueting hall, which isnow sunk deep below the earth. With the clash of our spells, no charmcan redress our fate. 

"Come then and take me as thy bride, for oath and spell have bothdecreed it as thy reward. As Benlli's promise to you is fulfilled, forthe waters flow in the palace vaults, the pike and the dare (fish)feed there. "

So, caught in his own dark, sordid plot, the monk, who playedconjurer, had become the victim of his own craft. 

They say that Wyland's Cross still recalls the monk, while fishermenon the Welsh border, can, on nights with smooth water, see towers andchimneys far below, sunk deep beneath the waves. 

XI

THE TREASURE STONE OF THE FAIRIES

The Gruffyds were one of the largest of the Welsh tribes. To-day, itis said that in Britain one man in every forty has this, as either hisfirst, middle, or last name. It means "hero" or "brave man, " and asfar back as the ninth century, the word is found in the Book of SaintChad. 

The monks, who derived nearly every name from the Latin, insisted theword meant Great Faith. 

Another of the most common of Welsh personal names was William; which, when that of a father's son, was written Williams and was only theLatin for Gild Helm, or Golden Helmet. 

Long ago, when London was a village and Cardiff only a hamlet, therewas a boy of this name, who tended sheep on the hill sides. His fatherwas a hard working farmer, who every year tried to coax to grow out ofthe stony ground some oats, barley, leeks and cabbage. In summer, heworked hard, from the first croak of the raven to the last hoot of theowl, to provide food for his wife and baby daughter. When his boy wasborn, he took him to the church to be christened Gruffyd, but everybody called him "Gruff. " In time several little sisters came to keepthe boy company. 

His mother always kept her cottage, which was painted pink, very neatand pretty, with vines covering the outside, while flowers bloomedindoors. These were set in pots and on shelves near the latticedwindows. They seemed to grow finely, because so good a woman lovedthem. The copper door-sill was kept bright, and the broad borders onthe clay floor, along the walls, were always fresh with whitewash. Thepewter dishes on the sideboard shone as if they were moons, and thechina cats on the mantle piece, in silvery luster, reflected both sunand candle light. Daddy often declared he could use these polishedmetal plates for a mirror, when he shaved his face. Puss, the pet, wasalways happy purring away on the hearth, as the kettle boiled to makethe flummery, of sour oat jelly, which, daddy loved so well. 

Mother Gruffyd was always so neat, with her black and white stripedapron, her high peaked hat, with its scalloped lace and quilledfastening around her chin, her little short shawl, with its pointed, long tips, tied in a bow, and her bright red plaid petticoat foldedback from her frock. Her snowy-white, rolling collar and neck clothknotted at the top, and fringed at the ends, added fine touches to herpicturesque costume. 

In fact, young Gruffyd was proud of his mother and he loved herdearly. He thought no woman could be quite as sweet as she was. 

Once, at the end of the day, on coming back home, from the hills, theboy met some lovely children. They were dressed in very fine clothes, and had elegant manners. They came up, smiled, and invited him to playwith them. He joined in their sports, and was too much interested totake note of time. He kept on playing with them until it was pitchdark. 

Among other games, which he enjoyed, had been that of "The King in hiscounting house, counting out his money, " and "The Queen in herkitchen, eating bread and honey, " and "The Girl hanging out theclothes, " and "The Saucy Blackbird that snipped off her nose. " Inplaying these, the children had aprons full of what seemed to be realcoins, the size of crowns, or five-shilling pieces, each worth adollar. These had "head and tail, " beside letters on them and the boysupposed they were real. 

But when he showed these to his mother, she saw at once from theirlightness, and because they were so easily bent, that they were onlypaper, and not silver. 

She asked her boy where he had got them. He told her what a nice timehe had enjoyed. Then she knew that these, his playmates, were fairychildren. Fearing that some evil might come of this, she charged him, her only son, never to go out again alone, on the mountain. Shemistrusted that no good would come of making such strange children hiscompanions. 

But the lad was so fond of play, that one day, tired of seeing nothingbut byre and garden, while his sisters liked to play girls' games morethan those which boys cared most for, and the hills seeming to beckonhim to come to them, he disobeyed, and slipped out and off to themountains. He was soon missed and search was made for him. 

Yet nobody had seen or heard of him. Though inquiries were made onevery road, in every village, and at all the fairs and markets in theneighborhood, two whole years passed by, without a trace of the boy. 

But early one morning of the twenty-fifth month, before breakfast, hismother, on opening the door, found him sitting on the steps, with abundle under his arm, but dressed in the same clothes, and not lookinga day older or in any way different, from the very hour hedisappeared. 

"Why my dear boy, where have you been, all these months, which havenow run into the third year--so long a time that they have seemed tome like ages?"

"Why, mother dear, how strange you talk. I left here yesterday, to goout and to play with the children, on the hills, and we have had alovely time. See what pretty clothes they have given me for apresent. " Then he opened his bundle. 

But when she tore open the package, the mother was all the more surethat she was right, and that her fears had been justified. In it shefound only a dress of white paper. Examining it carefully, she couldsee neither seam nor stitches. She threw it in the fire, and againwarned her son against fairy children. 

But pretty soon, after a great calamity had come upon them, bothfather and mother changed their minds about fairies. 

They had put all their savings into the venture of a ship, which hadfor a long time made trading voyages from Cardiff. Every year, it cameback bringing great profit to the owners and shareholders. In thisway, daddy was able to eke out his income, and keep himself, his wifeand daughters comfortably clothed, while all the time the table waswell supplied with good food. Nor did they ever turn from their dooranyone who asked for bread and cheese. 

But in the same month of the boy's return, bad news came that the goodship had gone down in a storm. All on board had perished, and thecargo was totally lost, in the deep sea, far from land. In fact, noword except that of dire disaster had come to hand. 

Now it was a tradition, as old as the days of King Arthur, that on acertain hill a great boulder could be seen, which was quite differentfrom any other kind of rock to be found within miles. It was partlyimbedded in the earth, and beneath it, lay a great, yes, an untoldtreasure. The grass grew luxuriantly around this stone, and the sheeploved to rest at noon in its shadow. Many men had tried to lift, orpry it up, but in vain. The tradition, unaltered and unbroken forcenturies, was to the effect, that none but a very good man could everbudge this stone. Any and all unworthy men might dig, or pull, or pry, until doomsday, but in vain. Till the right one came, the treasure wasas safe as if in heaven. 

But the boy's father and mother were now very poor and his sisters nowgrown up wanted pretty clothes so badly, that the lad hoped that he orhis father might be the deserving one. He would help him to win thetreasure for he felt sure that his parent would share his gains withall his friends. 

Though his neighbors were not told of the generous intentions creditedto the boy's father, by his loving son, they all came with horses, ropes, crowbars, and tackle, to help in the enterprise. Yet after manya long days' toil, between the sun's rising and setting, their end wasfailure. Every day, when darkness came on, the stone lay there still, as hard and fast as ever. So they gave up the task. 

On the final night, the lad saw that father and mother, who were greatlovers, were holding each other's hands, while their tears flowedtogether, and they were praying for patience. 

Seeing this, before he fell asleep, the boy resolved that on themorrow, he would go up to the mountains, and talk to his fairy friendsabout the matter. 

So early in the morning, he hurried to the hill tops, and going intoone of the caves, met the fairies and told them his troubles. Then heasked them to give him again some of their money. 

"Not this time, but something better. Under the great rock there aretreasures waiting for you. "

"Oh, don't send me there! For all the men and horses of our parish, after working a week, have been unable to budge the stone. "

"We know that, " answered the principal fairy, "but do you yourself tryto move it. Then you will see what is certain to happen. "

Going home, to tell what he had heard, his parents had a hearty laughat the idea of a boy succeeding where men, with the united strength ofmany horses and oxen, had failed. 

Yet, after brooding awhile, they were so dejected, that anythingseemed reasonable. So they said, "Go ahead and try it. "

Returning to the mountain, the fairies, in a band, went with him tothe great rock. 

One touch of his hand, and the mighty boulder trembled, like an aspenleaf in the breeze. 

A shove, and the rock rolled down from the hill and crashed in thevalley below. 

There, underneath, were little heaps of gold and silver, which the boycarried home to his parents, who became the richest people in thecountry round about. 

XII

GIANT TOM AND GIANT BLUBB

Everyone who has read anything of Welsh history--though not of thesort that is written by English folks--knows also that Cornwall is, insoul, a part of Wales. Before the Romans, first, and the Saxons, next, invaded Britain, the Cymric people lived all over the island, south ofScotland. 

They were the British people, and nobody ever heard the German name, "Wales, " which means a foreign land; or the word "Welsh, " which refersto foreigners, until men who were themselves outsiders came intoBritain. 

Since that time, it has been much the same, as when a British JackTar, when rambling in Portugal, or China, calls the natives"foreigners, " and tells them to "get out of the way. "

Ages ago, when the Cymric men, with their wives and little ones rowedover in their coracles, from Gallia, or the Summer Land, to Britain, the Honey Land, they came first to the promontory which we know asCornwall; that is, the Cornu Galliae, or Walliae, which means Horn orCape of the new country now called England. Here was a new region, rich in every kind of minerals. Ages before, the Phoenicians had namedit Britain or the Land of Tin. Within the memory of men now living, Cornishmen, that is, the miners of Cornwall, on going to California, discovered gold. 

In Cornwall, as part of the Cymric realm, King Arthur found andmarried Guinevere, his queen. It was in Cornwall, also, that Merlinwas hidden. Hear the rhyme:

 Marvelous Merlin is wasted away By a wicked woman, who may she be? For she hath pent him in a crag On Cornwall coast. 

So it happens that thousands of "English" people in Cornwall areWelsh, by both name or descent, or have translated their names intoEnglish form, even while keeping the Welsh meaning. They are alsoWelsh in traits of character. Just as tens of thousands of Welshfolks, among the first settlers of New England and the Americancolonies are described in our histories as "English" people. 

Now in early Cornwall there were many giants. Some were good butothers were bad. One of these, a right fine fellow, was named Tom, andthe other, a bad one, Blubb. This giant had had twenty wives, and wasawfully cruel. Nobody ever knew what became of the twenty maidens hehad married. 

Sometimes people called the big fellow, that lived in a castle, GiantBlunderbuss, but Blubb was his name for short. He was much taller thanthe highest hop pole in Kent. He was made up mostly of head andstomach, for his chief idea in living was to eat. His skull was as bigas a hogshead, or a push-ball, or a market wagon loaded with carrots. Indeed, it was strongly suspected by most people that the big bone boxset on his shoulders was as hollow inside as a pumpkin, but that acocoanut would hold all the brains he had. At any rate, during one ofhis fights with another giant, he had been given an awful thwack fromthe other giant's club. Then the sound made, which was heard a longdistance away, was exactly like that when one pounds on an emptybarrel. 

Now this Giant Blubb had built a mighty castle between a big hill anda river. Under it were vaults of vast size, filled with treasures ofall sorts, gold, silver, jewels and gems. There were cells, in whichhe kept his wives, after he had married them. It was the opinion ofhis neighbors, that in every case, soon after the honeymoon was over, he ate them up. 

Yet, if even the devil ought to have his due; one should be fair tothis human monster, and we are bound to say that Giant Blubb deniedthese stories as pure gossip. It is certain that such crimes as murderand cannibalism never could be proved against him. 

To guard his underground treasures, he had two huge and fierce dogs, supposed to be named Catchem and Tearem. What they were really calledby their master was a secret. Yet anyone who had a piece of meat readyto throw to them, and knew their names, which were pass words, couldfirst quiet them. Then he could walk by them and get the treasure. 

Besides these dogs, the only living thing left in the castle when thegiant went out, was the latest Mrs. Blubb. Yet she was in constantfear of her life, lest her big husband should sometime make a meal ofher. For even she had heard the story that Blubb was a cannibal andlooked at all plump women simply as delicacies, exactly as a boy peersinto the window of a candy shop. 

What made all the country round hate this cruel giant was not whollyon account of his awful appetite. It was because he had ruined theKing's High Road. Ever since the time of King Lud, whose name we readin Ludgate Hill, in London, where His Cymric Majesty had lived, thishighway had been free to all. It ran all the way through Cornwall, from Penzance, and thence eastward to London and beyond. 

When Giant Blubb wished to enlarge his castle, he had the walls andtowers built down to the river's edge. This closed up the big road, sothat people had to go far around and up over the hill, or by boatalong the river. Such a roundabout way took much time and toil, andwas too much trouble for all. 

Everybody had to submit to this extortion, until there came alongGiant Tom, of whom we shall now tell. His real name was Rolling Stone, for he never stuck long in one place at a job, and cared not acucumber for money, or fine clothes. 

This jolly fellow was very good-natured and popular, but often verylazy. His mother talked with him many times, urging him to learn atrade, or in some way make an honest living. She found it very hard tokeep anything in her larder, barn, pantry, or cellar, when he was athome. He measured four feet across his shoulders and at every meal heate what would feed three big men. But as he could do six men's work, when he had a mind to--as often he did--he was always welcome. Infact, he was too popular for his own good. 

One day, when ten common fellows were trying their utmost to lift abig long log on a cart, and were unable to do it, Tom came along andtold them to stand back. Then he hoisted the tree on to the wain, roped it into place, and told the cartman to drive on. Then they allcheered him, and one of them lifted his Monmouth cap and cried out, "Hurrah for Giant Tom. He's the fellow to whip Giant Blubb. "

"He is! He is!" they all cried in chorus. 

"Who is this Giant Blubb? Where does he live?" asked Tom, rolling uphis sleeves, for he was just spoiling for a row with a fellow of hissize. 

Then they told the story of how the big bully had ruined the King'sHighway, by building a great wall and tower across the road, to shutit up, to the grief of many honest men. 

"Never mind, boys. I'll attend to his bacon, " said Tom. "Leave thematter with me, and don't bother to tell the King about it. "

Tom went the next day into town and hired himself out to a beer brewerto drive the wagon. Perhaps he hoped, also, while in this occupation, to keep down his thirst. 

He asked the boss to give him the route that led past Giant Blubb'scastle, over the old King's Highway. 

The master of the brewery saw through Tom's purpose. He winked, andonly said:

"Go ahead, my boy. I'll pay you double wages, if you will open thatroad again; but see that Giant Blubb does not get my load of kegs, orthat your carcass doesn't count with those of the twenty wives in hisvaults and make twenty-one. "

Again he winked his eye knowingly to his workmen. Tom drove off. Heoccupied all the room on the seat of the cart, which two men usuallyfilled and left plenty of room on either side. 

Cracking his whip, the new driver kept the four horses on a gallopingpace, until very soon he called out "whoa, " before the frowning highgateway of Giant Blubb. 

Tom shouted from the depth of his lungs:

"Open the gate and let me drive through. This is the King's Highway. "

The only reply, for a minute, was the barking of the curs. Then arattling of bolts was heard, and the great gates swung wide open. 

"Who are you, you impudent fellow? Go round over the hill, or I'llthrash you, " blustered Giant Blubb, in a rage. 

"Better save your breath to cool your porridge, you big boaster, andcome out and fight, " said Tom. 

"Fight? You pigmy. I'll just get a switch and whip you, as I would abad boy. "

Thereupon Giant Blubb stepped aside into the grove nearby, keeping allthe while an eye on his gate, guarded by his two monstrous dogs. Heselected an elm tree twenty feet high, tore it up by the roots, pulledoff the branches, and peeled it for a whip. This he jerked up and downto make ready for his task of thrashing "the pigmy. "

Meanwhile Giant Tom upset the wain, drew out the tongue and took offone of the wheels. Then, as if armed with spear and shield, headvanced to meet Giant Blubb. He whistled like a boy, as he wentforward. 

In a passion of rage, Giant Blubb lifted his elm switch to strike, butTom warded off the blow with his wheel shield. Then he punched him inthe stomach, with the wagon tongue, so hard that the big fellowslipped and rolled over in the mud:

Picking himself up, Giant Blubb, now half blind with rage, rushedagainst Tom, who, this time, made a lunge which planted the carttongue inside Blubb's bowels, and knocked him over. 

But Tom was not a cruel fellow, and had no desire to kill anyone. Sohe threw down his war tools, and tearing up a yard or two of grassysod rolled it together, and made a plug of it, as big around as a milkchurn. With this, he stopped up the big hole in Giant Blubb's hugebody. 

But instead of thanking Tom, Giant Blubb rushed at him again. He wasin too much of a rage to see anything clearly, while Tom, perfectlycool, gave the angry monster such a kick, in the place where he kepthis dinner, that he rolled over, and Tom gave him another kick. Thenthe plug of sod fell out of his wound. 

As he was bleeding to death, Giant Blubb beckoned to Tom to come upclose, for he could only whisper. 

"You've beaten me on the square, and I like you. Don't think I killedmy twenty wives. They all died naturally. But call the dogs by name, and they will let you pass. Then, in my vaults, you'll find gold, silver, and copper. Make these your own and bury me decently. This isall I ask. "

Tom made himself owner of the castle and all its treasures. He openedthe King's Highway again. He took care of his aged mother, married thetwenty-first wife of Giant Blubb, now a widow, and was always kind tothe sick and poor. 

To-day in Cornwall, they still tell stories of the big fellow whoabolished Giant Blubb's toll gate. 

Centuries afterward, when Christ's gospel came into the land, theyrestored Giant Tom's tomb and on it were chiseled these words:

THE RESTORER OF PATHS TO DWELL IN. 

XIII

A BOY THAT VISITED FAIRYLAND

Many are the places in Wales where the ground is lumpy and humpy withtumuli, or little artificial mounds. Among these the sheep graze, thedonkeys bray, and the cows chew the cud. 

Here the ground is strewn with the ruins of cromlechs, or Cymricstrongholds, of old Roman camps, of chapels and monasteries, showingthat many different races of men have come and gone, while the birdsstill fly and the flowers bloom. 

Centuries ago, the good monks of St. David had a school where ladswere taught Latin and good manners. One of their pupils was a boynamed Elidyr. He was such a poor scholar and he so hated books andloved play, that in his case spankings and whippings were almost ofdaily occurrence. Still he made no improvement. He was in the habitalso of playing truant, or what one of the monks called "traveling toBagdad. " One of the consequences was that certain soft parts of hisbody--apparently provided by nature for this express purpose--oftenreceived a warming from his daddy. 

His mother loved her boy dearly, and she often gently chided him, buthe would not listen to her, and when she urged him to be morediligent, he ran out of the room. The monks did not spare the birchrod, and soon it was a case of a whipping for every lesson notlearned. 

One day, though he was only twelve years old, the boy started on along run into the country. The further he got, the happier he felt--atleast for one day. 

At night, tired out, he crept into a cave. When he woke up, in themorning, he thought it was glorious to be as free as the wild asses. So like them, he quenched his thirst at the brook. But when, towardsnoon, he could find nothing to eat, and his inside cavity seemed toenlarge with very emptiness, his hunger grew every minute. Then hethought that a bit of oat cake, a leek, or a bowl of oat meal, whetherporridge or flummery, might suit a king. 

He dared not go out far and pick berries, for, by this time, he sawthat people were out searching for him. He did not feel yet, likegoing back to books, rods and scoldings, but the day seemed as long asa week. Meanwhile, he discovered that he had a stomach, which seemedto grow more and more into an aching void. He was glad when the sunsetand darkness came. His bed was no softer in the cave, as he lay downwith a stone for his pillow. Yet he had no dreams like those of Jacoband the angels. 

When daylight came, the question in his mind was still, whether tostay and starve, or to go home and get two thrashings--one from hisdaddy, and another from the monks. But how about that thing inside ofhim, which seemed to be a live creature gnawing away, and which onlysomething to eat would quiet? Finally, he came to a stern resolve. Hestarted out, ready to face two whippings, rather than one death bystarvation. 

But he did not have to go home yet, for at the cave's mouth, he mettwo elves, who delivered a most welcome message. 

"Come with us to a land full of fun, play, and good things to eat. "

All at once, his hunger left him and he forgot that he ever wanted toswallow anything. All fear, or desire to go home, or to risk eitherschooling or a thrashing, passed away also. 

Into a dark passage all three went, but they soon came out into abeautiful country. How the birds sang and the flowers bloomed! Allaround could be heard the joyful shouts of little folks at play. Neverdid things look so lovely. 

[Illustration: THE KING SPOKE KINDLY TO ELIDYR, ASKING HIM WHO HE WAS]

Soon, in front of the broad path along which they were traveling, there rose up before him a glorious palace. It had a splendid gateway, and the silver-topped towers seemed to touch the blue sky. 

"What building is this?" asked the lad of his two guides. 

They made answer that it was the palace of the King of Fairyland. Thenthey led him into the throne room, where, sat in golden splendor, aking, of august figure and of majestic presence, who was clad inresplendent robes. He was surrounded by courtiers in rich apparel, andall about him was magnificence, such as this boy, Elidyr, had nevereven read about or dreamed. 

Yet everything was so small that it looked like Toy Land, and he feltlike a giant among them, even though many of the little men around himwere old enough to have whiskers on their cheeks and beards on theirchins. 

The King spoke kindly to Elidyr, asking him who he was, and whence hehad come. 

While talking thus, the Prince, the King's only son appeared. He wasdressed in white velvet and gold, and had a long feather in his cap. In the pleasantest way, he took Elidyr's hand and said:

"Glad to see you. Come and let us play together. "

That was just what Elidyr liked to hear. The King smiled and said tohis visitor, "You will attend my son?" Then, with a wave of his hand, he signified to the boys to run out and play games. 

A right merry time they did have, for there were many other littlefellows for playmates. 

These wee folks, with whom Elidyr played, were hardly as big as ourbabies, and certainly would not reach up to his mother's knee. Tothem, he looked like a giant, and he richly enjoyed the fun of havingsuch little men, but with beards growing on their faces, look up tohim. 

They played with golden balls, and rode little horses, with silversaddles and bridles, but these pretty animals were no larger thansmall dogs, or grayhounds. 

No meat was ever seen on the table, but always plenty of milk. Theynever told a lie, nor used bad language, or swear-words. They oftentalked about mortal men, but usually to despise them; because whatthey liked to do, seemed so absurd and they always wanted foolish anduseless things. To the elves, human beings were never satisfied, orlong happy, even when they got what they wanted. 

Everything in this part of fairyland was lovely, but it was alwayscloudy. No sun, star or moon was ever seen, yet the little men did notseem to mind it and enjoyed themselves every day. There was no end ofplay, and that suited Elidyr. 

Yet by and by, he got tired even of games and play, and grew veryhomesick. He wanted to see his mother. So he asked the King to let himvisit his old home. He promised solemnly to come back, after a fewhours. His Majesty gave his permission, but charged him not to takewith him anything whatever from fairyland, and to go with only theclothes on his back. 

The same two elves or dwarfs, who had brought him into fairyland, werechosen to conduct him back. When they had led him again through theunderground passage into the sunlight, they made him invisible untilhe arrived at his mother's cottage. She was overjoyed to find that nowolf had torn him to pieces, or wild bull had pushed him over aprecipice. 

She asked him many questions, and he told her all he had seen, felt, or known. 

When he rose up to go, she begged him to stay longer, but he said hemust keep his word. Besides, he feared the rod of the monks, or hisdaddy, if he remained. So he made his mother agree not to tellanything--not even to his father, as to where he was, or what he wasdoing. Then he made off and reported again to his playmates infairyland. 

The King was so pleased at the lad's promptness in returning, andkeeping his word, and telling the truth, that he allowed him to go seehis mother as often as he wanted to do so. He even gave ordersreleasing the two little men from constantly guarding him and toldthem to let the lad go alone, and when he would, for he always kepthis word. 

Many times did Elidyr visit his mother. By one road, or another, hemade his way, keeping himself invisible all the time, until he gotinside her cottage. He ran off, when anyone called in to pay a visit, or when he thought his daddy, or one of the monks was coming. He neversaw any of these men. 

One day, in telling his mother of the fun and good times he had infairyland, he spoke of the heavy yellow balls, with which he and theKing's sons played, and how these rolled around. 

Before leaving home, this boy had never seen any gold, and did notknow what it was, but his mother guessed that it was the preciousmetal, of which the coins called sovereigns, and worth five dollarsapiece, were made. So she begged him to bring one of them back to her. 

This, Elidyr thought, would not be right; but after much argument, hisparents being poor, and she telling him that, out of hundreds in theKing's palace, one single ball would not be missed, he decided toplease her. 

So one day, when he supposed no one was looking, he picked up one ofthe yellow balls and started off through the narrow dark passagewayhomeward. 

But no sooner was he back on the earth, and in the sunlight again, than he heard footsteps behind him. Then he knew that he had beendiscovered. 

He glanced over his shoulder and there were the two little men, whohad led him first and had formerly been his guards. They scowled athim as if they were mad enough to bite off the heads of tenpennynails. Then they rushed after him, and there began a race to thecottage. 

But the boy had legs twice as long as the little men, and got to thecottage door first. He now thought himself safe, but pushing open thedoor, he stumbled over the copper threshold, and the ball rolled outof his hand, across the floor of hardened clay, even to the nearlywhite-washed border, which ran about the edges of the room. It stoppedat the feet of his mother, whose eyes opened wide at the sight of theball of shining gold. 

As he lay sprawling on the floor, and before he could pick himself up, one of the little men leaped over him, rushed into the room, and, fromunder his mother's petticoats, picked up the ball. 

They spat at the boy and shouted, "traitor, " "rascal, " "thief, " "falsemortal, " "fox, " "rat, " "wolf, " and other bad names. Then they turnedand sped away. 

Now Elidyr, though he had been a mischievous boy, often willful, lazy, and never liking his books, had always loved the truth. He was verysad and miserable, beyond the telling, because he had broken his wordof honor. So, almost mad with grief and shame, and from an accusingconscience, he went back to find the cave, in which he had slept. Hewould return to the King of the fairies, and ask his pardon, even ifHis Majesty never allowed him to visit Fairyland again. 

But though he often searched, and spent whole days in trying to findthe opening in the hills, he could never discover it. 

So, fully penitent, and resolving to live right, and become what hisfather wanted him to be, he went back to the monastery. 

There he plied his tasks so diligently that he excelled all inbook-learning. In time, he became one of the most famous scholars inWelsh history. When he died, he asked to be buried, not in the monk'scemetery, but with his father and mother, in the churchyard. He maderequest that no name, record, or epitaph, be chiseled on his tomb, butonly these words:

WE CAN DO NOTHING AGAINST THE TRUTH, BUT ONLY FOR THE TRUTH. 

XIV

THE WELSHERY AND THE NORMANS

Though their land has been many times invaded, the Welsh have neverbeen conquered. Powerful tribes, like the Romans, Saxons and Normans, have tried to overwhelm them. Even when English and German kingsattempted to crush their spirit and blot out their language andliterature, the Welsh resisted and won victory. 

Among the bullies that tried force, instead of justice, and played theslave-driver, rather than the Good Samaritan's way, were the Normans. These brutal fellows, when they thought that they had overrun Waleswith their armies, began to build strong castles all over the country. They kept armed men by the thousands ready, night and day, to rush outand put to death anybody and everybody who had a weapon in his hand. Often they burned whole villages. They killed so many Welsh peoplethat it seemed at times as if they expected to empty the land of itsinhabitants. Thus, they hoped to possess all the acres for themselves. They talked as if there were no people so refined and so cultured asthey were, while the natives, good and bad, were lumped together as"the Welshery. "

Yet all this time, with these hundreds of strong castles, bristlingwith turrets and towers, no Englishman's life was safe. If he dared togo out alone, even twenty rods from the castle, he was instantlykilled by some angry Welshman lying in ambush. So the Normans had tolock themselves up in armor, until they looked like lobsters in theirshells. When on their iron-clad horses they resembled turtles, so thatif a knight fell off, he had to be chopped open to be rid of his metalclothes. 

Yet all this was in vain, for when the Norman marched out in bodies, or rode in squadrons, the Welshery kept away and were hidden. 

Even the birds and beasts noticed this, and saw what fools the Normanswere, to behave so brutally. 

As for the fairies, they met together to see what could be done. Eventhe reptiles shamed men by living together more peaceably. Only thebeasts of prey approved of the Norman way of treating the Welshpeople. 

At last, it came to pass that, after the long War of the Roses, whenthe Reds and the Whites had fought together, a Welsh king sat upon thethrone of England. Henry VIII was of Cymric ancestry. His full namewas Henry Tudor; or, in English, Henry Theodore. 

Among the Welsh, every son, to his own name as a child, such as Henry, William, Thomas, etc. , added that of his father. Thus it happens thatwe can usually tell a man by his name; for example, Richards, Roberts, Evans, Jones, etc. , etc. , that he is a Welshman. 

When a Welshman went into England to live, if he were a sister's son, he usually added a syllable showing this, as in the case of Jefferson, which means sister's son. Our great Thomas Jefferson used to boastthat he could talk Welsh. 

So the living creatures of all sorts in Wales, human beings, fairies, and animals took heart and plucked up courage, when a Tudor king, Henry VIII, sat on the throne. 

Now it was Puck who led the fairies as the great peacemaker. He wentfirst to visit all the most ancient creatures, in order to find outwho should be offered the post of honor, as ambassador, who should besent to the great king in London, Henry Tudor, to see what could bedone for Wales. 

First he called on the male eagle, oldest of all birds. Though notbald-headed, like his American cousin, the Welsh eagle was very old, and at that time a widower. Although he had been father to ninegenerations of eaglets, he sent Puck to the stag. 

This splendid creature, with magnificent antlers, lived at the edge ofthe forest, near the trunk of an oak tree. It was still standing, butwas now a mere shell. Old men said that the children of the aboriginesplayed under it, and here was the home of the god of lightning, whichthey worshiped. 

So to the withered oak, Puck went, and offered him the honor ofleadership to an embassy to the King. 

But the stag answered and said:

"Well do I remember when an acorn fell from the top of the parent oak. Then, for three hundred years it was growing. Children played underit. They gathered acorns in their aprons, and the archers made bowsfrom its boughs. 

"Then the oak tree began to die, and, during nearly thirty tens ofyears it has been fading, and I have seen it all. 

"Yet there is one older than I. It is the salmon that swims in theLlyn stream. Inquire there. "

So of the old mother salmon, Puck went to ask, and this was the answerwhich he received. 

"Count all the spots on my body, and all the eggs in my roe--one foreach year. Yet the blackbird is older even than I. Go listen to herstory. She excels me, in both talk and fact. "

And the blackbird opened its orange-colored bill, and answeredproudly:

"Do you see this flinty rock, on which I am sitting? Once it was sohuge that three hundred yoke of oxen could hardly move it. Yet, today, it hardly more than affords me room to roost on. 

"What made it so small, do you ask?

"Well, all I have clone to wear it away, has been to wipe my beak onit, every night, before I go to sleep, and in the morning to brush itwith the tips of my wing. "

Even Puck, fairy though he was, was astonished at this. But theblackbird added:

"Go to the toad, that blinks its eye under the big rock yonder. Hisage is greater than mine. "

The toad was half asleep when Puck came, but it opened with alertness, its beautiful round bright eyes, set in a rim of gold. Then Puck askedthe question: "Oh, thou that carriest a jewel in thy head, are thereany things alive that are older than thou art?"

"That, I could not be sure of, especially if as many false things aretold about them, as are told about me; but when I was a tadpole in thepond, that old hag of an owl was still hooting away, in the treetops, scaring children, as in ages gone. She is older than I. Go and seeher. If age makes wise, she is the wisest of all. "

Puck went into the forest, but at first saw no bird answering to thedescription given him. 

He said to himself, "She is, I wonder, who?"

He was surprised to hear his question repeated, not as an echo, but byanother. Still, he thought it might possibly be his own voice comeback. 

So, in making a catalogue, in his note book, of what he had seen andheard that day, he put down, "To wit--one echo. "

Again came the sound:

"To whit--to who, to whit--to who?" Sounded the voice. 

Thinking that this was intended to be a polite question, Puck lookedup. Sure enough, there was the wise bird sitting on a bough, abovehim, as sober as a judge. 

"Who! did you ask?" answered Puck and then went on to explain:

"I am Lord of the Fairies in Welshery, and I seek to know which is themost venerable, of all the creatures in the Land of the Red Dragon. 

"I am ready to salute you, as the most ancient and honorable of allliving things in the Cymric realm. You are desired to bear a messageto the Great King, in London. "

Tickled by such delicate flattery, and the honors proffered her, thislady owl, after much blinking and winking, flirting, and fluttering, at last agreed to go to King Henry VIII in London. The business, withwhich she was charged, was to protest against Norman brutality and toplead for justice. 

Now this old lady-owl, gray with centuries, though she had such shortears, kept them open by day and during the night, also, for all thegossip that floated in the air. She knew all about everybody andeverything. From what she had heard, she expected to find the newKing, Henry VIII, a royal fellow in velvet, with a crown on his head, and his body as big and round as a hogshead, sitting in a room full ofchopping blocks and battle axes. Further, she fancied she would find adozen pretty women locked up in his palace, some in the cellar, othersin the pantry, and more in the garret; but all waiting to have theirheads chopped off. 

For the popular story ran that his chief amusement was to marry a wifeone day and slice off her head the next. 

It was said also that the King kept a private graveyard, and took awalk in it every afternoon to study the epitaphs, which he kept ascholar busy in writing; and also a man, from the marble yard near by, to chisel them on the tombs, after his various wives had been properlybeheaded. 

But the owl never could find out whether these fables were wickedfibs, or fairy tales, or only street talk. 

Puck and the owl together arrived in London, at the palace, when theKing was at his dinner. The butlers and lackeys wanted to keep themout, but the merry monarch gave orders to let them in at once. He madethe owl perch over the mantel piece, but told Puck to stand upon thedinner table and walk over the tablecloth. The pepper box was putaway, so that he should not sneeze and the King carefully removed themustard pot, for fear the little fairy fellow might fall in it and bedrowned in the hot stuff. 

His Majesty said that, for the time being, Puck should be the Princeof Wales. Puck strutted about to the amusement of the King and all theCourt ladies, but he kept away from the pepper, which made his nosetingle, and from the hot soup, for fear he might tumble into it and bescalded. When the dessert came on, Puck hid himself under a walnutshell, just for fun. 

It would take too long to tell about all that was said, or thequestions, which the King asked about his Welsh subjects, and whicheither the owl or the fairy man answered. According to Puck's story, Wales was then a most distressful country, though the Welshery, to aman, wanted to be good and loyal subjects of the Tudors. 

Several times did Puck appeal to the owl, to have his story confirmed, because this wise bird had lived among the Cymry, centuries before theNormans came. The owl every time blinked, bowed, and answeredsolemnly:

"To whit, to who. To whit, to who, " which in this case showed that shehad learned to speak the Court language. 

"Why, bless my soul, the owl speaks good Cockney Hinglish, " whisperedone of the butlers, who had been born in Wales. 

"Yes, but that is the proper way to address His Majesty, King Ennerythe Heighth, " answered the other butler, who was a native-bornLondoner. 

Puck and the owl returned to Wales. What happened after that, is the AB C of history, that everybody knows, and for which all the Welshpeople to this day bless the Tudors, who made the Welsh equal beforethe law with any and all Englishmen. Even Puck himself had never seenanything like the change that quickly took place for the better, nordid Queen Mab, with her wand, ever work such wonders. 

It was better than a fairy tale, and the effects, very soon seen, wereeven more wonderful. Down went the castles into ruins, for rats to runaround in, and wild dogs to yelp and foxes to hide in, or look out ofthe casements. To-day, what were once banqueting halls are coveredwith moss, and on the ground grass grows, over which sheep graze andchildren play; while rooks and crows nest or roost in the tall towers. 

Any Englishman's life was safe anywhere, and Wales became one of themost easily governed countries in all the wonderful British Empire. 

And in the great world-war, that even children, who read thesestories, can remember, Wales, the Land of the Free, the Home ofDeathless Democracy, led all the British Isles, colonies, islands, orcoaling stations around the wide world, in loyalty, valor andsacrifice. And the handsome son of the King, George, the Prince ofWales, led the descendants of Welsh archers, now called the Fusileers. They went into battle, singing, "Old Land our Fathers before us heldso dear"; or they marched, following the band that played "The Men ofHarlech. "

It is because Welsh cherish their traditions, harps, music, languageand noble inheritances, with which they feed their souls, that theylead the four nations of the British Isles in the nobler virtues, thatkeep a nation alive, as well as in the sweet humanities of the RedCross and in generous hospitality to the refugee Belgian. True to hismotto, "I serve, " the Prince of Wales who came to see us in 1919--asdid his grandfather, whom the story-teller saw when he visited ourIndependence Hall in 1860--loved to be the servant of his people. 

What was it that wrought this peaceful wonder of the sixteenthcentury? Was it a fairy spell magic ointment, star-tipped wand, treasures of caves, or ocean depths? Was it anything that dragons, giants, ogres, or even swords, spears, catapults, or whips and clubs, or elves or gnomes could do?

Not a bit of it! Only justice and kindness, instead of brutality andforce. 

XV

THE WELSH FAIRIES HOLD A MEETING

In the ancient Cymric gatherings, the Druids, poets, prophets, seers, and singers all had part. The one most honored as the president of themeeting was crowned and garlanded. Then he was led in honor and sat inthe chair of state. They called this great occasion an Eistedfodd, orsitting, after the Cymric word, meaning a chair. 

All over the world, the Welsh folks, who do so passionately lovemusic, poetry and their own grand language, hold the Eistedfodd atregular intervals. Thus they renew their love for the Fatherland andwhat they received long ago from their ancestors. 

Now it happens that the fairies in every land usually follow thecustoms of the mortals among whom they live. The Swiss, the Dutch, theBelgian, the Japanese and Korean fairies, as we all know, althoughthey are much alike in many things are as different from each other asthe countries in which they live and play. So, when the Welsh fairiesall met together, they resolved to have songs and harp music and makethe piper play his tunes just as in the Eistedfodd. 

The Cymric fairies of our days have had many troubles to complain of. They were disgusted with so much coal smoke, the poisoning of the airby chemical fumes, and the blackening of the landscape from so manyfactory chimneys. They had other grievances also. 

So the Queen Mab, who had a Welsh name, and another fairy, calledPwca, or in English King Puck, sent out invitations into every part ofWales, for a gathering on the hills, near the great rock called Dina'sseat. This is a rocky chair formed by nature. They also included intheir call those parts of western and south England, such as are stillWelsh and spiritually almost a part of Wales. In fact, Cornwall wasthe old land, in which the Cymry had first landed when coming fromover the sea. 

The meeting was to be held on a moonlight night, and far away from anyhouses, lest the merry making, dancing and singing of the fairiesshould keep the farmers awake. This was something of which the yokels, or men of the plow, often complained. They could not sleep while thefairies were having their parties. 

Now among the Welsh fairies of every sort, size, dress, and behavior, some were good, others were bad, but most of them were only full offun and mischief. Chief of these was the lively little fellow, Puck, who lived in Cwm Pwcca, that is, Puck Valley, in Breconshire. 

Now it had been an old custom, which had come down, from the days ofthe cave men, that when anyone died, the people, friends and relativessat up all night with the corpse. The custom arose, at first, with theidea of protection against wild beasts and later from insult byenemies. This was called a wake. The watchers wept and wailed atfirst, and then fell to eating and drinking. Sometimes, they got to bevery lively. The young folks even looked on a wake, after the firsthour or two, as fine fun. Strong liquor was too plentiful and it oftenhappened that quarrels broke out. When heads were thus fuddled, mensaw or thought they saw, many uncanny things, like leather birds, caveeagles, and the like. 

But all these fantastic things and creatures, such as foolish peopletalk about, and with which they frighten children, such as corpsecandles, demons and imps, were ruled out and not invited to the fairymeeting. Some other objects, which ignorant folks believed in, werenot to be allowed in the company. The door-keeper was notified not toadmit the eagles of darkness, that live in a cave which is neverlighted up; or the weird, featherless bird of leather, from the Landof Illusion and Phantasy, that brushes its wing against windows, whena funeral is soon to take place; or the greedy dog with silver eyes. None of these would be permitted to show themselves, even if they cameand tried to get in. Some other creatures, not recognized in the goodsociety of Fairyland, were also barred out. 

To this gathering, only the bright and lively fairies were welcome. Some of the best natured among the big creatures, and especiallygiants and dragons, might pay a visit, if they wanted to do so; butall the bad ones, such as lake hags, wraiths, sellers of liquids forwakes, who made men drunk, and all who, under the guise of fairies, were only agents for undertakers, were ruled out. The Night Dogs ofthe Wicked Hunter Annum, the monster Afang, Cadwallader's Goats, andvarious, cruel goblins and ogres, living in the ponds, and that pulledcattle down to eat them up, and the immodest mermaids, whose badbehavior was so well known, were crossed off the list of invitations. 

No ugly brats, such as wicked fairies were in the habit of putting inthe cradles of mortal mothers, when they stole away their babies, wereallowed to be present, even if they should come with their mothers. This was to be a perfectly respectable company, and no bawling, squealing, crying, or blubbering was to be permitted. 

When they had all gathered together, at the evening hour, there wasseen, in the moonlight, the funniest lot of creatures, that one couldimagine, but all were neatly dressed and well behaved. 

Quite a large number of the famous Fair Family, that moved only in thebest society of fairyland, fathers, mothers, cousins, uncles andaunts, were on hand. In fact, some of them had thought it was to be awake, and were ready for whatever might turn up, whether solemn orfrivolous. These were dressed in varied costume. 

Queen Mab, who above all else, was a Welsh fairy, and whose name, aseverybody knows who talks Cymric, suggested her extreme youth andlively disposition, was present in all her glory. 

When they saw her, several learned fairies, who had come from adistance, fell at once into conversation on this subject. Oneremarked: "How would the Queen like to add another syllable to hername? Then we should call her Mab-gath (which means Kitten, or LittlePuss). "

"Well not so bad, however; because many mortal daddies, who have adaughter, call her Puss. It is a term of affection with them and thelittle girls never seem to be offended. "

"Oh! Suppose that in talking to each other we call our Queen Mab-gar, what then?" asked another, with a roguish twinkle in the eye. 

"It depends on how you use it, " said a wise one dryly. This fairy wasa stickler for the correct use of every word. "If you meant 'babyish, 'or 'childish, ' she, or her friends might demur; but, if you use theterm 'love of children, ' what better name for a fairy queen?"

"None. There could not be any, " they shouted, all at once, "but let usask our old friend the harper. "

Now such a thing as inquiring into each other's ages was not common inFairy Land. Very few ever asked such a question, for it was notthought to be polite. For, though we hear of ugly fairy brats beingput into the cradles, in place of pretty children, no one ever heard, either of fairies being born or of dying, or having clocks, orwatches, or looking to see what time it was. Nor did doctors, or thecensus clerks, or directory people ever trouble the fairy ladies, toask their age. 

Occasionally, however, there was one fairy, so wise, so learned, andso able to tell what was going to happen to-morrow, or next year, thatthe other fairies looked up to such an one with respect and awe. 

Yet these honorables would hardly know what you were talking about, ifyou asked any of them how old they might be, or spoke of "old" or"young. " If, by any chance, a fairy did use the world "old" in talkingof their number, it would be for honor or dignity, and they would meanit for a compliment. 

The fact was, that many of the most lively fairies showed theirfrivolous disposition at once. These were of the kind, that, likekittens, cubs, or babies, wanted to play all the time, yes, everymoment. Already, hundreds of them were tripping from flower to flower, riding on the backs of fireflies, or harnessing night moths, or anywinged creatures they could saddle, for flight through the air. Or, they were waltzing with glow worms, or playing "ring around a rosy, "or dancing in circles. They could not keep still, one moment. 

In fact, when a great crowd of the frolicsome creatures got singingtogether, they made such a noise, that a squad of fairy policemen, dressed in club moss and armed with pistils, was sent to warn them notto raise their voices too high; lest the farmers, especially thosethat were kind to the fairies, should be awakened, and feel in badhumor. 

So the knot of learned fairies had a quiet time to talk, and, whenable to hear their own words, the harper, who was very learned, answered their questions about Queen Mab as follows:

"Well, you know the famous children's story book, in which mortalsread about us, and which they say they enjoy so much, is namedMabinogion, that is, The Young Folks' Treasury of Cymric Stories. "

"It is well named, " said another fairy savant, "since Queen Mab is theonly fairy that waits on men. She inspires their dreams, when theseare born in their brains. "

The talk now turned on Puck, who was to be the president of themeeting. They were expected to show much dignity in his presence, butsome feared he would, as usual, play his pranks. Before he arrived inhis chariot, which was drawn by dragon flies, some of his neighborsthat lived in the valley near by chatted about him, until the gossipbecame quite personal. Just for the fun of it, and the amusement ofthe crowd, they wanted Puck to give an exhibition, off-hand, of allhis very varied accomplishments for he could beat all rivals in hisspecial variety, or as musicians say, his repertoire. 

"No. 'Twould be too much like a Merry Andrew's or a Buffoon'ssideshow, where the freaks of all sorts are gathered, such as theyhave at those county fairs, which the mortals get up, to which aregathered great crowds. The charge of admission is a sixpence. I vote'no. '"

"Well, for the very reason that Puck can beat the rest of us at spellsand transformations, I should like to see him do for us as many stuntsas he can. I've heard from a mortal, named Shakespeare, that, in oneperformance, Puck could be a horse, a hound, a hog, a bear without anyhead, and even kindle himself into a fire; while his vocal powers, aswe know, are endless. He can neigh, bark, grunt, roar, and even burnup things. Now, I should like to see the fairy that could beat him attricks. It was Puck himself, who told the world that he was in thehabit of doing all these things, and I want to see whether he wasboasting. "

"Tut, tut, don't talk that way, about our king, " said a fourth fairy. 

All this was only chaff and fun, for all the fairies were in goodhumor. They were only talking, to fill up the interval until the musicbegan. 

Now the canny Welsh fairies had learned the trick of catchingfarthings, pennies and sixpences from the folks who have morecuriosity in them than even fairies do. These human beings, cunningfellows that they are, let the curtain fall on a show, just at themost interesting part. Then they tell you to come next day and findout what is to happen. Or, as they say in a story paper, "to becontinued in our next. "

Or, worse than all, the story teller stops, at some very excitingepisode, and then passes the hat or collection-box around, to get thecopper or silver of his listeners, before he will go on. 

This time, however, it was Puck himself who came forward and declaredthat, unless everyone of the fairies would promise to attend the nextmeeting, there should be no music. Now a meeting of the Welshery, whether fairies or human, without music was a thing not to be thoughtof. So, although at first some fairies grumbled and held back, andwere quite sulky about it, even muttering other grumpy words, they atlast all agreed, and Puck sent for the fiddler to make music for thedance. 

XVI

KING ARTHUR'S CAVE

In our time, every boy and girl knows about the nuts and blossoms, thetwigs and the hedges, the roots and the leaf of the common hazel bush, and everybody has heard of the witch hazel. In old days they made useof the forked branches of the hazel as a divining rod. With this, theybelieved that they could divine, or find out the presence of treasuresof gold and silver, deep down in the earth, and hidden from humaneyes. 

And, what boy or girl has never played the game, and sung the ditty, "London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, " eventhough nobody now living ever saw it fall?

Now, our story is about a hazel rod, a Welshman on London Bridge, treasures in a cave, and what happened because of these. 

It was in the days when London Bridge was not, as we see it to-day, amassive structure of stone and iron, able to bear up hundreds of cars, wagons, horses and people, and lighted at night with electric bulbs. No, when this Welshman visited London, the bridge had a line of shopson both sides of the passage way, and reaching from end to end. 

Taffy was the name of this fellow from Denbigh, in Wales, and he was adrover. He had brought, all the way from one of the richest of theWelsh provinces, a great drove of Black Welsh cattle, such as were insteady demand by Englishmen, who have always been lovers of roastbeef. Escaping all the risks of cattle thieves, rustlers, andhighwaymen, he had sold his beeves at a good price; so that hispockets were now fairly bulging out with gold coins, and yet thisfellow wanted more. But first, before going home, he would see thesights of the great city, which then contained about a hundredthousand people. 

While he was handling some things in a shop, to decide what he shouldtake home to his wife, his three daughters and his two little boys, henoticed a man looking intently, not at him, but at his stick. After awhile, the stranger came up to him and asked him where he came from. 

Now Taffy was not very refined in his manners, and he thought it noneof the fellow's business. He was very surly and made reply in a gruffvoice. 

"I come from my own country. "

The stranger did not get angry, but in a polite tone made answer:

"Don't be offended at my question. Tell me where you cut that hazelstick, and I'll make it to your advantage, if you will take myadvice. "

Even yet Taffy was gruff and suspicious. 

"What business is it of yours, where I cut my hazel stick?" heanswered. 

"Well it may matter a good deal to you, if you will tell me. For, ifyou remember the place, and can lead me to it, I'll make you a richman, for near that spot lies a great treasure. "

Taffy was not much of a thinker, apart from matters concerning cattle, and his brain worked slowly! He was sorely puzzled. Here was a wizard, who could make him rich, and he did so love to jingle gold in hispockets. But then he was superstitious. He feared that this sorcererderived all his uncanny knowledge from demons, and Taffy, being rathermuch of a sinner, feared these very much. Meanwhile, his newacquaintance kept on persuading him. 

Finally Taffy yielded and the two went on together to Wales. 

Now in this country, there are many stones placed in position, showingthey were not there by accident, but were reared by men, to mark someold battle, or famous event. And for this, rough stone work, nocountry, unless it be Korea or China, is more famous than Wales. 

On reaching one called the Fortress Rock, Taffy pointed to an oldhazel root, and said to his companion:

"There! From that stock, I cut my hazel stick. I am sure of it. "

The sorcerer looked at Taffy to read his face, and to be certain thathe was telling the truth. Then he said:

"Bring shovels and we'll both dig. "

These having been brought, the two began to work until theperspiration stood out in drops on their foreheads. First the sod androoty stuff, and then down around the gravelly mass below, they pliedtheir digging tools. Taffy was not used to such toil, and his muscleswere soon weary. But, urged on by visions of gold, he kept bravely athis task. 

At last, when ready to drop from fatigue, he heard his companion say:

"We've struck it!"

A few shovelfuls more laid bare a broad flat stone. This they priedup, but it required all their strength to lift and stand it on edge. Just below, they saw a flight of steps. They were slippery with wetand they looked very old, as if worn, ages ago, by many feet passingup and down them. 

Taffy shrunk back, as a draught of the close, dead air struck hisnostrils. 

"Come on, and don't be afraid. I'm going to make you rich, " said thesorcerer. 

At this, Taffy's eyes glistened, and he followed on down the steps, without saying a word. At the bottom of the descent, they entered anarrow passage, and finally came to a door. 

"Now, I'll ask you. Are you brave, and will you come in with me, if Iopen this door?"

By this time, Taffy was so eager for treasure, that he spoke up atonce. 

"I'm not afraid. Open the door. "

The sorcerer gave a jerk and the door flew open. What a sight!

There, in the faint, red light, Taffy discerned a great cave. Lying onthe floor were hundreds of armed men, but motionless and apparentlysound asleep. Little spangles of light were reflected from swords, spears, round shields, and burnished helmets. All these seemed of veryancient pattern. But immediately in front of them was a bell. Taffyfelt some curiosity to tap it. Would the sleeping host of men thenrise up?

Just then, the sorcerer, speaking with a menacing gesture, and in aharsh tone, said:

"Do not touch that bell, or it's all up with us both. "

Moving carefully, so as not to trip, or to stumble over the sleepingsoldiers, they went on, and Taffy, stopping and looking up beheldbefore him a great round table. Many warriors were sitting at it. Their splendid gold inlaid armor, glittering helmets and noble facesshowed that they were no common men. Yet Taffy could see only a few ofthe faces, for all had their heads more or less bent down, as if soundasleep, though sword and spear were near at hand, ready to be graspedin a moment. 

Outshining all, was a golden throne at the farther end of the tableand on it sat a king. He was of imposing stature, and august presence. Upon his head was a crown, on which were inlaid or set preciousstones. These shone by their own light, sending out rays so brilliantthat they dazzled Taffy, who had never seen anything like them. Theking held in his right hand a mighty sword. It had a history and thename of it was Excalibur. In Arthur's hand, it was almost part of hisown soul. Its hilt and handle were of finely chased gold, richlystudded with gems. Yet his head, too, was bent in deep sleep, as ifonly thunder could wake him. 

"Are they all, everyone, asleep?" asked Taffy. 

"Each and all, " was the answer. 

"When did they fall asleep?" asked the drover. 

"Over a thousand years ago, " answered the sorcerer. 

"Tell me who they are, and why here, " asked Taffy. 

"They are King Arthur's trusty warriors. They are waiting for the hourto come, when they shall rise up and destroy the enemies of the Cymry, and once again possess the whole island of Britain, as in the earlyages, before the Saxons came. "

"And who are those sitting around the table?" asked Taffy. 

The sorcerer seemed tired of answering questions, but he replied, giving the name of each knight, and also that of his father, as if hewere a Welshman himself; but at this, Taffy grew impatient, feeling asif a book of genealogy had been hurled at him. 

Most impolitely, he interrupted his companion and cried out:

"And who is that on the throne?"

The sorcerer looked as if he was vexed, and felt insulted, but heanswered:

"It's King Arthur himself, with Excalibur, his famous sword, in hishand. "

This was snapped out, as if the sorcerer was disgusted at theinterruption of his genealogy, and he shut his mouth tight as if hewould answer no more questions, for such an impolite fellow. 

Seizing Taffy by the hand, he led him into what was the storehouse ofthe cave. There lay heaps upon heaps of yellow gold. Both men stuffedtheir pockets, belt bags, and the inside of their clothes, with allthey could load in. 

"Now we had better get out, for it is time to go, " said the sorcererand he led the way towards the cave door. 

But as Taffy passed back, and along the hall, where the host ofwarriors were sleeping, his curiosity got the better of him. 

He said to himself, "I must see this host awake. I'll touch that bell, and find out whether the sorcerer spoke the truth. "

So, when he came to it, he struck the bell. In the twinkling of aneye, thousands of warriors sprang up, seized their armor, girded theirswords, or seized their spears. All seemed eagerly awaiting thecommand to rush against the foe. 

The ground quaked with their tramping, and shook with their tread, until Taffy thought the cave roof would fall in and bury them all. Theair resounded with the rattle of arms, as the men, when in ranks, marked time, ready for motion forward and out of the cave. 

But from the midst of the host, a deep sounding voice, as earnest asif in hot temper, but as deliberate as if in caution against a falsealarm, spoke. He inquired:

"Who rang that bell? Has the day come?"

The sorcerer, thoroughly frightened and trembling, answered:

"No, the day has not come. Sleep on. "

Taffy, though dazzled by the increasing brilliancy of the light, hadheard another deep voice, more commanding in its tones than even aking's, call out, "Arthur, awake, the bell has rung. The day isbreaking. Awake, great King Arthur!"

But even against such a voice, that of the sorcerer, now scared beyondmeasure, lest the king and his host should discover the cheat, andwith his sword, Excalibur, chop the heads off both Taffy and himself, answered:

"No, it is still night. Sleep on, Arthur the Great. "

Erect over all, his head aloft and crowned with jewels, as with stars, the King himself now spoke:

"No, my warriors, the day has not yet come, when the Black Eagle andthe Golden Eagle will meet in war. Sleep on, loyal souls. The morningof Wales has not yet dawned. "

Then, like the gentle soughing of the evening breeze among foresttrees, all sound died away, and in the snap of a finger, all wereasleep again. Seizing the hand of Taffy, the sorcerer hurried him outof the cave, moved the stone back in its place and motioning to Taffyto do the same, he quickly shoveled and kicked the loose dirt in thehole and stamped it down: When Taffy turned to look for him, he wasgone, without even taking the trouble to call his dupe a fool. 

Wearied with his unwonted labors and excitements, Taffy walked home, got his supper, pondered on what he had seen, slept, and awoke in themorning refreshed. After breakfast, he sallied out again with pick andshovel. 

For months, Taffy dug over every square foot of the hill. Neglectinghis business as cattle man, he spent all the money he had made inLondon, but he never found that entrance to the cave. He died a poorman and all his children had to work hard to get their bread. 

XVII

THE LADY OF THE LAKE

One easily gets acquainted with the Welsh fairies, for nearly all thegood ones are very fond of music. 

Or, they live down in the lakes, or up in the mountains. They arealways ready to help kind or polite people, who treat them well orwill give them a glass of milk, or a saucer of flummery. 

But, oh, what tricks and mischief they do play on mean or stingy orgrumpy folks with bad tempers! They tangle up the harness of thehorses; milk the cows, letting the milk go to waste, on the stablefloor; tie knots in their tails, or keep the dog's mouth shut, whenthe robbers come sneaking around. Better not offend a fairy, eventhough no higher than a thimble!

A favorite place for the elfin ladies of the lake is high up in one ofthe fresh water mountain ponds. They are cousins to the mermaids, thatswim in the salt water. 

They say that these lake maidens love to come up close to the shore, to smell the sweet grass and flowers, which the cows like so much. 

Near one of these lakes dwelt a widow, with only one son, named Gwyn. One day he took his lunch of barley bread and cheese, and went out, asusual, to tend the cows. Soon he saw rising out of the water, to dressher long and luxuriant hair, the most beautiful lady he had ever seen. In her hand she held a golden comb, and was using the brightlake-surface as a mirror. 

At once Gwyn fell in love with her, and, like an unselfish lad, heldout his refreshments--barley bread and cheese--all he had--bidding herto come and take. 

But though the lady glided toward him, while he still held out hishand, she shook her head, saying:

 O thou of the hard baked bread, It is not easy to catch me

Sorry enough to miss such a prize, he hurried home to tell his mother. She, wondering also, whether fairies have teeth to chew, told him totake soft dough next time. Then, perhaps, the strange lady would comeagain. 

Not much sleep did the boy get that night, and, before the sun was up, he was down by the lake side holding out his dough. 

There, hour after hour, neglecting the cows, he looked eagerly overthe water, but nothing appeared, except ripples started by the breeze. Again and again, he gazed in hope, only to be disappointed. 

[Illustration: IN A MOMENT HE FORGOT EVERY WORD HE MEANT TO SAY]

Meanwhile he thought out a pretty speech to make to her, but he kepthis dough and went hungry. 

It was late in the afternoon, when the trees on the hills were castinglong shadows westward, that he gave up watching, for he supposed shewould come no more. 

But just as he started to go back to his mother's cabin, he turned hishead and there was the same lady, looking more beautiful than ever. Ina moment, he forgot every word he meant to say to her. His tongueseemed to leave him, and he only held out his hand, with the dough init. 

But the lake lady, shaking her head, only laughed and said:

 Thou of the soft bread I will not have thee

Though she dived under the water and left him sad and lonely, shesmiled so sweetly, as she vanished, that, though again disappointed, he thought she would come again and she might yet accept his gift. 

His mother told him to try her with bread half baked, that is, midwaybetween hard crust and soft dough. 

So, having packed his lunch, and much excited, though this time withbright hopes, Gwyn went to bed, though not to sleep. At dawn, he wasup again and out by the lake side, with his half baked bread in hishand. 

It was a day of rain and shine, of sun burst and cloud, but no ladyappeared. 

The long hours, of watching and waiting, sped on, until it was nearlydark. 

When just about to turn homewards, to ease his mother's anxiety, whatshould he see, but some cows walking on the surface of the water! In afew minutes, the lady herself, lovelier than ever, rose up and movedtowards the shore. 

Gwyn rushed out to meet her, with beseeching looks and holding thehalf baked bread in his hand. This time, she graciously took the gift, placed her other hand in his, and he led her to the shore. 

Standing with her on land, he could not speak for many seconds. Henoticed that she had sandals on her feet, and the one on the rightfoot was tied in a way rather unusual. Under her winsome smile, atlast, he regained the use of his tongue. Then he burst out:

"Lady I love you, more than all the world besides. Will you be mywife?"

She did not seem at all willing at first, but love begets love. Finally yielding to his pleadings, she said, rather solemnly:

"I will be your bride but only on this condition, that if you strikeme three times, without cause, I will leave your house and you onlywill be to blame, and it will be forever. "

These words stuck in his mind, and he inwardly made a vow never togive his lovely wife cause to leave him. 

But not yet did happiness come, for, even while he took oath that hewould rather cut off his right hand, than offend her, she darted awaylike an arrow, and, diving in the lake, disappeared. 

At this sudden blow to his hopes and joy, Gwyn was so sorelydepressed, as to wish to take his own life. Rushing up to the top of arock, overhanging the deepest part of the lake, he was just about toleap into the water and drown himself, when he heard a voice behindhim, saying:

"Hold rash lad, come here!"

He looked and there down on the shore of the lake, stood a grandlooking old man, with a long white beard. On either side of him was alovely maiden. These were his daughters. 

Trembling with fear, the lad slipped down from the rock and drew near. Then the old man spoke comfortably to him, though in a very crackedvoice. 

"Mortal, do you wish to marry one of my daughters? Show me the one youlove more than the other, and I will consent. "

Now the two maidens were so beautiful, yet so exactly alike, that Gwyncould not note any difference. As he looked, he began to wonderwhether it had been a different lady, in each case, that rose out ofthe water. He looked beyond the old man, to see if there were a thirdlady. When he saw none more, he became more distracted. He feared lesthe might choose the wrong one, who had not promised to love him. 

Almost in despair, he was about to run home, when he noticed that oneof the maidens put forward her right foot. Then he saw that her sandalwas tied in the way he had already wondered at. So he boldly wentforward and took her by the hand. 

"This one is mine, " said he to the father. 

"You are right, " answered the old man. "This is my daughter Nelferch. Take her and you shall have as many cattle, sheep, horses, hogs, andgoats, as she can count, of each, without drawing in her breath. But Iwarn you that three blows, without cause, will send her back to me. "

While the old man smiled, and Gwyn renewed his vow, the new wife beganto count by fives--one, two, three, four, five. 

At the end of each count drawing in a fresh breath, there rose up, outof the lake, as many sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, and horses, as shehad counted. 

So it happened that the lad, who went out of his mother's cottage, inthe morning, a poor boy, came back to her, a rich man, and leading bythe hand the loveliest creature on whom man or woman had ever lookedupon. 

As for the old man and the other daughter, no one ever saw them again. 

Gwyn and his wife went out to a farm which he bought, and oh, howhappy they were! She was very kind to the poor. She had the gift ofhealing, knew all the herbs, which were good for medicine, and curedsick folk of their diseases. 

Three times the cradle was filled, and each time with a baby boy. Eight long and happy years followed. They loved each other so dearlyand were so happy together, that Gwyn's vow passed entirely out of hismind, and he thought no more of it. 

On the seventh birthday of the oldest boy, there was a wedding at somedistance away, and the father and mother walked through a field wheretheir horses were grazing. As it was too far for Lady Nelferch to walkall the way, her husband went back to the house, for saddle andbridle, while she should catch the horse. 

"Please do, and bring me my gloves from off the table, " she called, ashe turned towards the house. 

But when he returned to the field, he saw that she had not stirred. So, before handing his wife her gloves and pointing playfully to thehorses, he gave her a little flick with the gloves. 

Instead of moving, instantly, she heaved a deep sigh. Then looking upat him with sorrowful and reproachful eyes, she said:

"Remember our vow, Gwyn. This is the first causeless blow. May therenever be another. "

Days and years passed away so happily, that the husband and fathernever again had to recall the promise given to his wife and herfather. 

But when they were invited to the christening of a baby, every one wasfull of smiles and gayety, except Nelferch. Women, especially theolder ones, often cry at a wedding, but why his wife should burst intotears puzzled Gwyn. 

Tapping her on the shoulder, he asked the reason:

"Because, " said she, "this weak babe will be in pain and misery allits days and die in agony. And, husband dear, you have once againstruck me a causeless blow. Oh, do be on your guard, and not againbreak your promise. "

From this time forth, Gwyn was on watch over himself, day and night, like a sentinel over whom hangs the sentence of death, should he fallasleep on duty. He was ever vigilant lest, he, in a moment offorgetfulness, might, by some slip of conduct, or in a moment offorgetfulness, strike his dear wife. 

The baby, whose life of pain and death of agony Nelferch had foretold, soon passed away; for, happily, its life was short. Then she and herhusband attended the last rites of sorrow, for Celtic folk always havea funeral and hold a wake, even when a baby, only a span long, lies inthe coffin. 

Yet in the most solemn moment of the services of burial, Nelferch thewife, laughed out, so long and with such merriment, that everyone wasstartled. 

Her husband, mortified at such improper behavior, touched her gently, saying:

"Hush, wife! Why do you laugh?"

"Because the babe is free from all pain. And, you have thrice struckme! Farewell!"

Fleeing like a deer home to their farm, she called together, by itsname, each and every one of their animals, from stable and field; yes, even those harnessed to the plow. Then, over the mountain all moved inprocession to the lake. 

There, they plunged in and vanished. No trace of them was left, exceptthat made by the oxen drawing the plow, and which mark on the groundmen still point out. 

Broken hearted and mad with grief, Gwyn rushed into the lake and wasseen no more. The three sons, grieving over their drowned father, spent their many days wandering along the lakeside, hoping once moreto see one, or both, of their dear parents. 

Their love was rewarded. They never saw their father again, but oneday their mother, Nelferch, suddenly appeared out of the water. Telling her children that her mission on earth was to relieve pain andmisery, she took them to a point in the lake, where many plants grewthat were useful in medicine. There, she often came and taught themthe virtues of the roots, leaves, juices and the various virtues ofthe herbs, and how to nurse the sick and heal those who had diseases. 

All three of Nelferch's sons became physicians of fame and power. Their descendants, during many centuries, were renowned for theirskill in easing pain and saving life. To this day, Physicians' Pointis shown to visitors as a famous spot, and in tradition is almostholy. 

XVIII

THE KING'S FOOT HOLDER

There was a curious custom in the far olden times of Wales. At thebanqueting hall, the king of the country would sit with his feet inthe lap of a high officer. 

Whenever His Majesty sat down to dinner, this official person would beunder the table holding the royal feet. This was also the case whileall sat around the evening fire in the middle of the hall. Thisfootholding person was one of the king's staff and every castle musthave a human footstool as part of its furniture. 

By and by, it became the fashion for pretty maidens to seek this task, or to be chosen for the office. Their names in English sounded likeFoot-Ease, Orthopede, or Foot Lights. When she was a plump and petitemaid, they nicknamed her Twelve Inches, or when unusually soothing inher caresses of the soft royal toes. It was considered a high honor tobe the King's Foot Holder. In after centuries, it was often boasted ofthat such and such an ancestor had held this honorable service. 

One picture of castle life, as given in one of the old books tells howKaim, the king's officer, went to the mead cellar with a golden cup, to get a drink that would keep them all wide awake. He also brought ahandful of skewers on which they were to broil the collops, or bits ofmeat at the fire. 

While they were doing this, the King sat on a seat of green rushes, over which was spread a flame-colored satin cover, with a cushion likeit, for his elbow to rest upon. 

In the evening, the harpers and singers made music, the bards recitedpoetry, or the good story tellers told tales of heroes and wonders. During all this time, one or more maidens held the king's feet, ortook turns at it, when tired; for often the revels or songs and taleslasted far into the night. At intervals, if the story was dull, or hehad either too much dinner, or had been out hunting and got tired, HisMajesty took a nap, with his feet resting upon the lap of a prettymaiden. This happened often in the late hours, while they were gettingthe liquid refreshments ready. 

Then the king's chamberlain gently nudged him, to be wideawake, and heagain enjoyed the music, and the stories, while his feet were held. 

For, altogether, it was great fun. 

Now there was once a Prince of Gwynedd, in Wales, named Math, who wasso fond of having his feet held, that he neglected to govern hispeople properly. He spent all his time lounging in an easy chair, while a pretty maiden held his heels and toes. He committed all publiccares to two of his nephews. These were named for short, Gily andGwyd. 

The one whom the king loved best to have her hold his feet was thefairest maiden in all the land, and she was named Goewen. 

By and by, the prince grew so fond of having his feet held, andstroked and patted and played with, by Goewen, that he declared thathe could not live, unless Goewen held his feet. And, she said, that ifshe did not hold the king's feet, she would die. 

Now this Gily, one of the king's nephews, son of Don, whom he hadappointed to look day by day after public affairs, would often be inthe hall at night. He listened to the music and stories, and seeingGoewen, the king's foot holder, he fell in love with her. His eyeusually wandered from the story teller to the lovely girl holding theking's feet, and he thought her as beautiful as an angel. 

Soon he became so lovesick, that he felt he would risk or give hislife to get and have her for his own. But what would the king say?

Besides, he soon found out that the maiden Goewen cared nothing forhim. 

Nevertheless the passion of the love-lorn youth burned hotly and keptincreasing. He confided his secret to his brother Gwyd, and asked hisaid, which was promised. So, one day, the brother went to King Math, and begged for leave to go to Pryderi. In the king's name, he wouldask from him the gift of a herd of swine of famous breed; which, inthe quality of the pork they furnished, excelled all other pigs known. They were finer than any seen in the land, or ever heard of before. Their flesh was said to be sweeter, juicier, and more tender than thebest beef. Even their manners were better than those of some men. 

In fact, these famous pigs were a present from the King of Fairyland. So highly were they prized, that King Math doubted much whether hisnephew could get them at any price. 

In ancient Wales the bards and poet singers were welcomed, and trustedabove all men; and this, whether in the palace or the cottage. 

So Gwyd, the brother of the love-sick one, in order to get the herd ofsurpassing swine, took ten companions, all young men and strong, dressed as bards, and pretending by their actions to be such. Thenthey all started out together to seek the palace of Pryderi. 

Having arrived, they were entertained at a great feast, in the castlehall. There Pryderi sat on his throne-chair, with his feet in amaiden's lap. 

The dinner over, Gwyd was asked to tell a story. 

This he did, delighting everyone so much, that he was voted a jollygood fellow by all. In fact, Pryderi felt ready to give him anythinghe might demand, excepting always his foot holder. 

At once, Gwyd made request to give him the herd of swine. 

At this, the countenance of Pryderi fell, for he had made a promise tohis people, that he would not sell or give away the swine, until theyhad produced double their number in the land; for there were no pigsand no pork like theirs, to be bought anywhere. 

Now this Gwyd was not very cunning, but he had the power of usingmagic arts. By these, he could draw the veil of illusion over both themind and the eyes of the people. 

So he made answer to Pryderi's objections thus:

"Keep your promise to your people, oh, most honored Pryderi, and onlyexchange them for the gift I make thee, " said Gwyd. 

Thereupon, exerting his powers of magic, he created the illusion oftwelve superb horses. These were all saddled, bridled, andmagnificently caparisoned. But, after twenty-four hours, they wouldvanish from sight. The illusion would be over. 

With these steeds, so well fitted for hunting, were twelve sleek, fleet hounds. Taken altogether, here was a sight to make a hunter'seyes dance with delight. 

So Pryderi gave Gwyd the swine, and he quickly drove them off. 

"For, " he whispered to his companion fellows in knavery, "the illusionwill only last until the same hour to-morrow. "

And so it happened. For when Pryderi's men went to the stables, togroom the horses and feed the hounds, there was nothing in either thestables or the kennels. 

When they told this to Pryderi, he at once blew his horn and assembledhis knights, to invade the country of Gwynedd, to recover his swine. Hearing of his coming, King Math went out to meet Pryderi in battle. 

But while he was away with his army, Gily, the lover, seized thebeautiful maiden Goewen, who held the king's feet in her lap. 

She was not willing to marry Gily, but he eloped with her, and carriedher off to his cottage. 

The war which now raged was finally decided by single combat, as wasthe custom in old days. By this, the burning of the peasants' houses, and the ruin which threatened the whole country, ended, and peacecame. 

It was not alone by the strength and fierceness of King Math, but alsoby the magic spells of Gwyd, that Pryderi was slain. 

After burying the hero, King Math came back to his palace and foundout what Gily had done. Then he took Goewen away from Gily, and tomake amends for her trouble, in being thus torn from his palace, KingMath made her his queen. Then the lovely Goewen shared his thronecovered with the flame colored satin. One of the most beautifulmaidens of the court was chosen to hold his feet, until such time as apermanent choice was made. 

As for the two nephews, who had fled from the wrath of their princelyuncle, they were put under bans, as outlaws, and had to live on theborders of the kingdoms. No one of the king's people was allowed togive them food or drink. Yet they would not obey the summons of theking, to come and receive their punishment. 

But at last, tired of being deserted by all good men and women, theyrepented in sorrow. Hungry, ragged and forlorn, they came to theiruncle, the king to submit themselves to be punished. 

When they appeared, Math spoke roughly to them, and said:

"You cannot make amends for the shame you have brought upon me. Yet, since you obey and are sorry, I shall punish you for a time and thenpardon you. You are to do penance for three years at least. "

Then they were changed into wild deer, and he told them to come backafter twelve months. 

At the end of the year they returned, bringing with them a young fawn. 

As this creature was entirely innocent, it was given a human form andbaptized in the church. 

But the two brothers were changed into wild swine, and driven off tofind their food in the forest. 

At the end of the year, they came back with a young pig. 

The king had the little animal changed into a human being, which, likeevery mother's child in that time, received baptism. 

Again the brothers were transformed into animal shape. This time, aswolves, and were driven out to the hills. 

At the end of a twelve months' period, they came back, three innumber, for one was a cub. 

By this time, the penance of the naughty nephews was over, and theywere now to be delivered from all magic spells. 

So their human nature was restored to them, but they must be washedthoroughly. In the first place, it took much hot water and lye, madefrom the wood ashes, and then a great deal of scrubbing, to make thempresentable. 

Then they were anointed with sweet smelling oil, and the king orderedthem to be arrayed in elegant apparel. They were appointed to holdhonorable office at court, and from time to time to go out through thecountry, to call the officers to attend to public business. 

When the time came that the king sought for one of the most beautifulmaidens, who should hold his feet, Gwyd nominated to the prince'snotice his sister Arianrod. The king was gracious, and thereafter sheheld his feet at all the banquets. She was looked up to with reverenceby all, and held the office for many years. Thus King Math'sreputation for grace and mercy was confirmed. 

XIX

POWELL, PRINCE OF DYFED

One of the oldest of the Welsh fairy tales tells us about Pwyle, Kingof Fairyland and father of the numerous clan of the Powells. He was amighty hunter. He could ride a horse, draw a bow, and speak the truth. He was always honored by men, and he kept his faith and his promisesto women. The children loved him, for he loved them. In the castlehall, he could tell the best stories. No man, bard, or warrior, footholder or commoner, could excel him in gaining and keeping theattention of his hearers, even when they were sleepy and wanted to goto bed. 

One day, when out a hunting in the woods, he noticed a pack of houndsrunning down a stag. He saw at once that they were not his own, forthey were snow white in color and had red ears. 

Being a young man, Powell did not know at this time of his life, thatred is the fairy color, and that these were all dogs from Fairyland. So he drove off the red-eared hounds, and was about to let loose hisown pack on the stag, when a horseman appeared on the scene. 

The stranger at once began to upbraid Powell for being impolite. Heasked why his hounds should not be allowed to hunt the deer. 

Powell spoke pleasantly in reply, making his proper excuses to thehorseman. The two began to like each other, and soon got acquaintedand mutually enjoyed being companions. 

It turned out that the stranger was Arawn, a king in Fairyland. He hada rival named Hargan, who was beating him and his army in war. 

So Arawn asked Powell to help him against his enemy. He even maderequest that one year from that time, Powell should meet Hargan inbattle. He told him that one stroke of his sword would finish theenemy. He must then sheathe his weapon, and not, on any account, strike a second time. 

To make victory sure, the Fairy King would exchange shapes with themortal ruler and each take not only the place, but each the shape andform of the other. Powell must go into Fairy Land and govern thekingdom there, while Arawn should take charge of affairs at Dyfed. 

But Powell was warned, again, to smite down his enemy with a singlestroke of his sword. If, in the heat of the conflict, and the joy ofvictory, Powell should forget, and give a second blow to Hargan, hewould immediately come to life and be as strong as ever. 

Powell heeded well these words. Then, putting on the shape of Arawn, he went into Fairy Land, and no one noticed, or thought of anythingdifferent from the days and years gone by. 

But now, at night, a new and unexpected difficulty arose. Arawn'sbeautiful wife was evidently not in the secret, for she greeted Powellas her own husband. 

After dinner, when the telling of stories in the banqueting hall wasover, the time had come for them to retire. 

But the new bed fellow did not even kiss her, or say "good night, " butturned his back to her and his face to the wall, and never moved untildaylight. Then the new King in Fairy Land rose up, ate his breakfast, and went out to hunt. 

Every day, he ruled the castle and kingdom, as if he had always beenthe monarch. To everybody, he seemed as if he had been long used topublic business, and no questions were asked, nor was there any talkmade on the subject. Everyone took things as matter of course. 

Yet, however polite or gracious he might be to the queen during theday, in the evening, he spoke not a word, and passed every night as atthe first. 

The twelve months soon sped along, and now the time for the battle insingle combat between Powell and Hargan had fully come. The twowarriors met in the middle of a river ford, and backed their horsesfor a charge. Then they rushed furiously at the other. Powell's spearstruck Hargan so hard, that he was knocked out of the saddle andhurled, the length of a lance, over and beyond the crupper, or tailstrap of his horse. He fell mortally wounded upon the ground. 

Now came the moment of danger and temptation to Powell, for Hargancried out:

"For the love of Heaven, finish your work on me. Slay me with yoursword. "

But Powell was wise and his head was cool. He had kept in mind thewarning to strike only one blow. He called out loudly, so that allcould hear him:

"I will not repeat that. Slay thee who may, I shall not. "

So Hargan, knowing his end had come, bade his nobles bear him awayfrom the river shore. 

Then Powell, with his armies, overran the two kingdoms of Fairy Landand made himself master of all. He took oath of all the princes andnobles, who swore to be loyal to their new master. 

This done, Powell rode away to the trysting place in a glen, and therehe met Arawn, as had been appointed. They changed shapes, and eachbecame himself, as he had been before. 

Arawn thanked Powell heartily, and bade him see what he had done forhim. 

Then each one rode back, in his former likeness, to his kingdom. 

Now at Anwyn, no one but Arawn himself knew that anything unusual hadtaken place. After dinner, and the evening story telling were over, and it was time to go to bed, Arawn's wife was surprised in doublemeasure. 

Two things puzzled her. Her husband was now very tender to her andalso very talkative; whereas, for a whole year, every night, he hadbeen as silent and immovable as a log. How could it be, in eithercase?

But this time, the wife was silent as a statue. Even though Arawnspoke to her three times, he received no reply. 

Then he asked directly of her, why she was so silent. She made ananswer that, for a whole year, no word had been spoken in theirbedroom. 

"What?" said he, "did we not talk together, as always before?"

"No, " said she, "not for a year has there been talk or caress betweenus. "

At this answer, Arawn was overcome with surprise, and as struck withadmiration at having so good a friend. He burst out first in praise ofPowell, and then told his wife all that had happened during the pasttwelve months. She, too, was full of admiration, and told her husbandthat in Powell he had certainly found a true friend. 

In Dyfed, when Powell had returned to his own land and castle, hecalled his lords together. Then he asked them to be perfectly frankand free to speak. They must tell him whether they thought him a goodking during the year past. 

All shouted in chorus of approval. Then their spokesman addressedPowell thus:

"My lord, never was thy wisdom so great, thy generosity more free, northy justice more manifest, than during the past year. "

When he ceased, all the vassals showed their approval of this speech. 

Then Powell, smiling, told the story of his adventures in exchanginghis form and tasks; at the end of which, the spokesman taking his cuefrom the happy faces of all his fellow vassals, made reply:

"Of a truth, lord, we pray thee, do thou give thanks to Heaven thatthou hast formed such a fellowship. Please continue to us the form ofthe kingdom and rule, that we have enjoyed for a year past. "

Thereupon King Powell took oath, kissing the hilt of his sword, andcalled on Heaven to witness his promise that he would do as they haddesired. 

So the two kings confirmed the friendship they had made. Each sent theother rich gifts of jewels, horses and hounds. 

In memory of so wonderful and happy union, of a mortal and a fairy, Powell was thereafter, in addition to all his titles, saluted as Lordof Anwyn, which is only another name for the Land of the Fairies. 

XX

POWELL AND HIS BRIDE

Not far from the castle where King Powell had his court, there was ahillock called the Mount of Macbeth. It was the common belief thatsome strange adventure would befall anyone who should sit upon thatmound. 

He would receive blows, or wounds, or else he would see somethingwonderful. 

Thus it came to pass, that none but peaceful bards had ever sat uponthe mound. Never a warrior or a common man had risked sitting there. The general fear felt, and the awe inspired by the place, was toogreat. 

But after his adventure of being King of Fairy Land for a whole year, everything else to Powell seemed dull and commonplace. So, to test hisown courage, and worthiness of kingship, Powell assembled all hislords at Narberth. 

After the night's feasting, revelry and story telling, Powell declaredthat, next day, he would sit upon the enchanted mound. 

So when the sun was fully risen, Powell took his seat upon the mound, expecting that, all of a sudden, something unusual would happen. 

For some minutes nothing, whether event or vision, took place. Then helifted up his eyes and saw approaching him a white horse on which rodea lady. She was dressed in shining garments, as if made of gold. Evidently she was a princess. Yet she came not very near. 

"Does anyone among you know who this lady is?" asked Powell of hischieftains. 

"Not one of us, " was the answer. 

Thereupon Powell ordered his vassals to ride forward. They were togreet her courteously, and inquire who she was. 

But now the predicted wonder took place. She moved away from them, yetat a quiet pace that suited her. Though the knights spurred theirhorses, and rode fast and furiously, they could not come any nearer toher. 

They galloped back, and reported their failure to reach the lady. 

Then Powell picked out others and sent them riding after the lady, buteach time, one and all returned, chagrined with failure. A woman hadbeaten them. 

So the day closed with silence in the castle hall. There was no merrymaking or story telling that night. 

The next day, Powell sat again on the mound and once more the goldenlady came near. 

This time, Powell himself left his seat on the mound, leaped on hisfleetest horse, and pursued the maiden, robed in gold, on the whitehorse. 

But she flitted away, as she had done before from the knights. Againand again, though he could get nearer and nearer to her, he failed. 

Then the baffled king cried out, in despair, "O maiden fair, for thesake of him whom thou lovest, stay for me. "

Evidently the lady, who lived in the time of castles and courts, didnot care to be wooed in the style of the cave men. Such manners didnot suit her, but with a change of method of making love, her heartmelted. Besides, she was a kind woman. She took pity on horses, aswell as on men. 

Sweet was her voice, as she answered most graciously:

"I will stay gladly, and it were better for thy horses, hadst thouasked me properly, long ago. "

To his questions, as to how and why she came to him, she told herstory, as follows:

"I am Rhiannon, descended from the August and Venerable One of old. Myaunts and uncles tried to make me marry against my will a chieftainnamed Gwawl, an auburn-haired youth, son of Clud, but, because of mylove to thee, would I have no husband, and if you reject me, I willnever marry any man. "

"As Heaven is my witness, were I to choose among all the damsels andladies of the world, thee would I choose, " cried Powell. 

After that, it was agreed that, when a year had sped, Powell should goto the Palace of the August and Venerable One of old, and claim herfor his bride. 

So, when twelve months had passed, Powell with his retinue of ahundred knights, all splendidly horsed and finely appareled, presentedhimself before the castle. There he found his fair lady and a feastalready prepared at which he sat with her. On the other side of thetable, were her father and mother. 

In the midst of this joyous occasion, when all was gayety, and theytalked together, in strode a youth clad in sheeny satin. He was ofnoble bearing and had auburn hair. He saluted Powell and his knightscourteously. 

At once Powell, the lord of Narberth, invited the stranger to come andsit down as guest beside him. 

"Not so, " replied the youth. "I am a suitor, and have come to crave aboon of thee. "

Without guile or suspicion, Powell replied innocently. 

"Ask what you will. If in my power, it shall be yours. "

But Rhiannon chided Powell. She asked, "Oh, why did you give him suchan answer?"

"But he did give it, " cried the auburn haired youth. Then turning tothe whole company of nobles, he appealed to them:

"Did he not pledge his word, before you all, to give me what I asked?"

Then, turning to Powell, he said:

"The boon I ask is this, to have thy bride, Rhiannon. Further, I wantthis feast and banquet to celebrate, in this place, our wedding. "

At this demand, Powell seemed to have been struck dumb. He did notspeak, but Rhiannon did. 

"Be silent, as long as thou wilt, " she cried, "but surely no man evermade worse use of his wits than thou hast done; for this man, to whomthou gavest thy oath of promise, is none other than Gwawl, the son ofClud. He is the suitor, from whom I fled to come to you, while you saton the Narberth mound. "

Now, out of such trouble, how should the maiden, promised to two men, be delivered?

Her wit saved her for the nonce. Powell was bound to keep his word;but Rhiannon explained to Gwawl, that it was not his castle or hall. So, he could not give the banquet; but, in a year from that date, ifGwawl would come for her, she would be his bride. Then, a new bridalfeast would be set for the wedding. 

In the meantime, Rhiannon planned with Powell to get out of thetrouble. For this purpose, she gave him a magical bag, which he was touse when the right time should come. 

Quickly the twelve months passed and then Gwawl appeared again, toclaim his bride, and a great feast was spread in his honor. 

All were having a good time, when in the midst of their merriment, abeggar appeared in the hall. He was in rags, and carried the usualbeggar's wallet for food or alms. He asked only that, out of theabundance on the table, his bag might be filled. 

Gwawl agreed, and ordered his servants to attend to the matter. 

But the bag never got full. What they put into it, or how much made nodifference. Dish after dish was emptied. By degrees, most of the foodon the table was in the beggar's bag. 

"My soul alive! Will that bag never get full?" asked Gwawl. 

"No, by Heaven! Not unless some rich man shall get into it, stamp itdown with his feet, and call out 'enough. '"

Then Rhiannon, who sat beside Gwawl, urged him to attempt the task, byputting his two feet in the bag to stamp it down. 

No sooner had Gwawl done this, than the supposed beggar pushed himdown inside the bag. Then drawing the mouth shut, he tied it tightover Gwawl's head. 

Then the beggar's rags dropped, and there stood forth the handsomeleader, Powell. He blew his horn, and in rushed his knights whoovercame and bound the followers of Gwawl. 

Then they proceeded to play a merry game of football, using the bag, in which Gwawl was tied, as men in our day kick pigskin. One called tohis mate, or rival, "What's in the bag?" and others answered, "abadger. " So they played the game of "Badger in the Bag, " kicking itaround the hall. 

They did not let the prisoner out of the bag, until he had promised topay the pipers, the harpers, and the singers, who should come to thewedding of Powell and Rhiannon. He must give up all his claims, andregister a vow never to take revenge. This oath given, and promisesmade, the bag was opened and the agreements solemnly confirmed inpresence of all. 

Then Gwawl, and every one of his men, knights and servants, were letgo, and they went back to their own country. 

A few evenings later, in the large banqueting hall, Powell andRhiannon were married. Besides the great feast, presents were given toall present, high and low. Then the happy pair made their weddingjourney to Gwawl's palace at Narberth. There the lovely bride gave aring, or a gem, to every lord and lady in her new realm, and everybodywas happy. 

XXI

WHY THE BACK DOOR WAS FRONT

In the days when were no books, or writing, and folk tales were theonly ones told, there was an old woman, who had a bad reputation. Shepretended to be very poor, so as not to attract or tempt robbers. Yetthose who knew her best, knew also, as a subject of common talk, thatshe was always counting out her coins. 

Besides this, she lived in a nice house, and it was believed that shemade a living by stealing babies out of their cradles to sell to thebad fairies. 

It was matter of rumor that she would, for an extra large sum, take awicked fairy's ugly brat, and put it in place of a mother's darling. 

In addition to these horrid charges against her, it was rumored thatshe laid a spell, or charm, on the cattle of people whom she did notlike, in order to take revenge on them. 

The old woman denied all this, and declared it was only silly gossipof envious people who wanted her money. She lived so comfortably, sheaverred, because her son, who was a stone mason, who made much moneyby building chimneys, which had then first come into fashion. When hebrought to her the profits of his jobs, she counted the coins, andbecause of this, some people were jealous, and told bad stories abouther. She declared she was thrifty, but neither a miser, nor akidnaper, nor a witch. 

One day, this old woman wanted more feathers to stuff into her bed, tomake it softer and feel pleasanter for her old bones to rest upon, forwhat she slept on was nearly worn through. So she went to a farm, where they were plucking geese, and asked for a few handfuls offeathers. 

But the rich farmer's people refused and ordered her out of the farmyard. 

Shortly after this event, the cows of this farmer, who was opposed tochimneys, and did not like her or her son, suffered dreadfully fromthe disease called the black quarter. As they had no horse doctors orprofessors of animal economy, or veterinaries in those days, many ofthe cows died. The rich farmer lost much money, for he had now no milkor beef to sell. At once, he suspected that his cattle were bewitched, and that the old woman had cast a spell on them. In those days, it wasvery easy to think so. 

So the angry man went one day to the old crone, when she was alone, and her stout son was away on a distant job. He told her to remove thecharm, which she had laid on his beasts, or he would tie her arms andlegs together, and pitch her into the river. 

The old woman denied vehemently that she possessed any such powers, orhad ever practiced such black arts. 

To make sure of it, the farmer made her say out loud, "The Blessing ofGod be upon your cattle!" To clinch the matter, he compelled her torepeat the Lord's Prayer, which she was able to do, without missingone syllable. She used the form of words which are not found in theprayer book, but are in the Bible, and was very earnest, when sheprayed "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. "

But after all that trouble, and the rough way which the rich farmertook to save his cattle, his efforts were in vain. In spite of thatkind of religion which he professed--which was shown by bullying apoor old woman--his cattle were still sick, with no sign ofimprovement. He was at his wits' end to know what to do next. 

Now, as we have said, this was about the time that chimneys came intofashion. In very old days, the Cymric house was a round hut, with athatched roof, without glass windows, and the smoke got out throughthe door and holes in the walls, in the best way it could. The onlytapestry in the hut was in the shape of long festoons of soot, thathung from the roof or rafters. These, when the wind blew, or the firewas lively, would swing or dance or whirl, and often fall on theheads, or into the food, while the folks were eating. When thechildren cried, or made wry faces at the black stuff, their daddy onlylaughed, and said it was healthy, or was for good luck. 

But by and by, the carpenters and masons made much improvement, especially when, instead of flint hatchets, they had iron axes andtools. Then they hewed down trees, that had thick cross branches andset up columns in the center, and made timber walls and rafters. Thenthe house was square or oblong. In other words, the Cymric folkssquared the circle. 

Now they began to have lattices, and, much later, even glass windows. They removed the fireplace from the middle of the floor and set it atthe end of the house, opposite the door, and built chimneys. 

Then they set the beds at the side, and made sleeping rooms. This wasdone by stretching curtains between partitions. They had also a loft, in which to keep odds and ends. They hung up the bacon and hams, andstrings of onions, and made a mantle piece over the fireplace. Theyeven began to decorate the walls with pictures and to set pewterdishes, china cats, and Dresden shepherds in rows on the shelves forornaments. 

Now people wore shoes and the floor, instead of being muddy, or dusty, with pools and puddles of water in the time of rainy weather and withthe pigs and chickens running in and out, was of clay, beaten downflat and hard, and neatly whitewashed at the edges. Outside, in front, were laid nice flat flagstones, that made a pleasant path to the frontdoor. Flowers, inside and out, added to the beauty of the home andmade perfume for those who loved them. 

The rich farmer had just left his old round hut and now lived in oneof the new and better kind of houses. He was very proud of hischimney, which he had built higher than any of his neighbors, but hecould not be happy, while so many of his cows were sick or dying. Besides, he was envious of other people's prosperity and carednothing, when they, too, suffered. 

One night, while he was standing in front of his fine house andwondering why he must be vexed with so many troubles, he talked tohimself and, speaking out loud, said:

"Why don't my cows get well?"

"I'll tell you, " said a voice behind him. It seemed half way between asqueak and a growl. 

He turned round and there he saw a little, angry man. He was dressedin red, and stood hardly as high as the farmer's knee. The little oldman glared at the big fellow and cried out in a high tone of voice:

"You must change your habits of disposing of your garbage, for otherpeople have chimneys besides you. "

"What has that to do with sickness among my cows?"

"Much indeed. Your family is the cause of your troubles, for theythrow all their slops down my chimney and put out my fire. "

The farmer was puzzled beyond the telling, for he owned all the landwithin a mile, and knew of no house in sight. 

"Put your foot on mine, and then you will have the power of vision, tosee clearly. "

The farmer's big boot was at once placed on the little man's slipper, and when he looked down he almost laughed at the contrast in size. What was his real surprise, when he saw that the slops thrown out ofhis house, did actually fall down; and, besides, the contents of thefull bucket, when emptied, kept on dripping into the chimney of ahouse which stood far below, but which he had never seen before. 

But as soon as he took his foot off that of the tiny little man, hesaw nothing. Everything like a building vanished as in a dream. 

"I see that my family have done wrong and injured yours. Pray forgiveme. I'll do what I can to make amends for it. "

"It's no matter now, if you only do as I ask you. Shut up your frontdoor, build a wall in its place, and then my family will not sufferfrom yours. "

The rich farmer thought all this was very funny, and he had a heartylaugh over it all. 

Yet he did exactly as the little man in the red cloak had so politelyasked him. He walled up the old door at the front, and built anotherat the back of the house, which opened out into the garden. Then hemade the path, on which to go in from the roadway to the threshold, around the corners and over a longer line of flagstones. Then heremoved the fireplace and chimney to what had been the front side ofthe house, but was now the back. For the next thing, he had a copperdoorsill nailed down, which his housemaid polished, until it shone asbright as gold. 

Yet long before this, his cows had got well, and they now gave moreand richer milk than ever. He became the wealthiest man in thedistrict. His children all grew up to be fine looking men and women. His grandsons were famous engineers and introduced paving and drainagein the towns so that to-day, for both man and beast, Wales is one ofthe healthiest of countries. 

XXII

THE RED BANDITS OF MONTGOMERY

When chimneys were first added to houses in Wales, and the style ofhouse-building changed, from round to square, many old people foundfault with the new fashion of letting the smoke out. 

They declared they caught colds and sneezed oftener, than in the timesgone by. The chimneys, they said, cost too much money, and wereuseless extravagances. They got along well enough, in the good olddays, when the smoke had its own way of getting out. Then, it tookplenty of time to pass through the doors and windholes, for no oneperson or thing was in a hurry, when they were young. Moreover, whenthe fireplace was in the middle of the floor, the whole family sataround it and had a sociable time. 

It was true, as they confessed, when argued with, that the smell ofthe cooking used to linger too long. The soot also, hung in longstreamers from the rafters, and stuck to the house, like old friends. 

But the greatest and most practical objection of the old folks to thechimneys was that robbers used them to climb down at night and stealpeople's money, when they were asleep. So, many householders used toset old scythe blades across the new smoke holes, to keep out thethieves, or to slice them up, if they persisted. 

In Montgomery, which is one of the Welsh shires, there was an epidemicof robbery, and the doings of the Red Bandits are famous in history. 

Now there was a young widow, whose husband had been killed by thefootpads, or road robbers. She was left alone in the world, with alittle boy baby in the cradle and only one cow in the byre. She hadhard work to pay her rent, but as there were three or four scythes setin the chimney, and the cow stable had a good lock on it, she thoughtshe was safe from burglars or common thieves. 

But the Reds picked out the most expert chimney-climber in their gang, and he one night slipped down into the widow's cottage, without makingany noise or cutting off his nose, toes, or fingers. Then, robbing thewidow of her rent money, he picked the lock of the byre and drove offthe cow. In the morning, the poor woman found both doors open, butthere was no money and no cow. 

While she was crying over her loss, and wringing her hands, because ofher poverty, she heard a knock at the door. 

"Come in, " said the widow. 

There entered an old lady with a kindly face. She was very tall andwell dressed. Her cloak, her gloves, and shoes, and the ruffles underher high peaked Welsh head dress, were all green. The widow thoughtshe looked like an animated leek. In her right hand was a long staff, and in her left, under her cloak, she held a little bag, that wasgreen, also. 

"Why do you weep?" asked the visitor. 

Then the widow told her tale of woe--the story of the loss of herhusband, and how a red robber, in spite of the scythe blades set inthe chimney, had come down and taken away both her money and her cow. 

Now, although she had sold all her butter and cream, she could neitherpay her rent, nor have any buttermilk with her rye bread and flummery. 

"Dry your tears and take comfort, " said the tall lady in the greenpeaked hat. "Here is money enough to pay your rent and buy anothercow. " With that, she sat down at the round table near the peat fire. Opening her bag, the shining gold coins slid out and formed a littleheap on the table. 

"There, you can have all this, if you will give me all I want. "

At first, the widow's eyes opened wide, and then she glanced at thecradle, where her baby was sleeping. Then she wondered, though shesaid nothing. 

But the next moment, she was laughing at herself, and looking aroundat her poor cottage. She tried to guess what there was in it, that theold lady could possibly want. 

"You can have anything I have. Name it, " she said cheerfully to hervisitor. 

But only a moment more, and all her fears returned at the thought thatthe visitor might ask for her boy. 

The old lady spoke again and said:

"I want to help you all I can, but what I came here for is to get thelittle boy in the cradle. "

The widow now saw that the old woman was a fairy, and that if hervisitor got hold of her son, she would never see her child again. 

So she begged piteously of the old lady, to take anything andeverything, except her one child. 

"No, I want that boy, and, if you want the gold, you must let me takehim. "

"Is there anything else that I can do for you, so that I may get themoney?" asked the widow. 

"Well, I'll make it easier for you. There are two things I must tellyou to cheer you. "

"What are they?" asked the widow, eagerly. 

"One is, that by our fairy law, I cannot take your boy, until threedays have passed. Then, I shall come again, and you shall have thegold; but only on the one condition I have stated. "

"And the next?" almost gasped the widow. 

"If you can guess my name, you will doubly win; for then, I shall giveyou the gold and you can keep your boy. "

Without waiting for another word, the lady in green scooped up hermoney, put it back in the bag, and moved off and out the door. 

The poor woman, at once a widow and mother, and now stripped of herproperty, fearing to lose her boy, brooded all night over her troublesand never slept a wink. 

In the morning, she rose up, left her baby with a neighbor, and wentto visit some relatives in the next village, which was several milesdistant. She told her story, but her kinsfolk were too poor to helpher. So, all disconsolate, she turned her face homewards. 

On her way back she had to pass through the woods, where, on one side, was a clearing. In the middle of this open space, was a ring of grass. In the ring a little fairy lady was tripping around and singing toherself. 

Creeping up silently, the anxious mother heard to her joy, a rhymedcouplet and caught the sound of a name, several times repeated. Itsounded like "Silly Doot. "

Hurrying home and perfectly sure that she knew the secret that wouldsave her boy, she set cheerily about her regular work and daily tasks. In fact, she slept soundly that night. 

Next day, in came the lady in green as before, with her bag of money. Taking her seat at the round table, near the fire, she poured out thegold. Then jingling the coins in the pile, she said:

"Now give up your boy, or guess my name, if you want me to help you. "

The young widow, feeling sure that she had the old fairy in a trap, thought she would have some fun first. 

"How many guesses am I allowed?" she asked. 

"All you want, and as many as you please, " answered the green lady, smiling. 

The widow rattled off a string of names, English, Welsh and Biblical;but every time the fairy shook her head. Her eyes began to gleam, as ifshe felt certain of getting the boy. She even moved her chair aroundto the side nearest the cradle. 

"One more guess, " cried the widow. "Can it be Silly Doot?"

At this sound, the fairy turned red with rage. At the same moment, thedoor opened wide and a blast of wind made the hearth fire flare up. Leaving her gold behind her, the old woman flew up the chimney, anddisappeared over the housetops. 

The widow scooped up the gold, bought two cows, furnished her cottagewith new chairs and fresh flowers, and put the rest of the coins awayunder one of the flag stones at the hearth. When her boy grew up, shegave him a good education, and he became one of the fearless judges, who, with the aid of Baron Owen, rooted out of their lair the RedBandits, that had robbed his mother. Since that day, there has beenlittle crime in Wales--the best governed part of the kingdom. 

XXIII

THE FAIRY CONGRESS

One can hardly think of Wales without a harp. The music of this mostancient and honorable instrument, which emits sweet sounds, when heardin a foreign land makes Welsh folks homesick for the old country andthe music of the harp. Its strings can wail with woe, ripple withmerriment, sound out the notes of war and peace, and lift the soul inheavenly melody. 

Usually a player on the harp opened the Eistedfodd, as the Welshliterary congress is called, but this time they had engaged for thefairies a funny little fellow to start the programme with a solo onhis violin. 

The figure of this musician, at the congress of Welsh fairies, was themost comical of any in the company. The saying that he was popularwith all the mountain spirits was shown to be true, the moment hebegan to scrape his fiddle, for then they all crowded around him. 

"Did you ever see such a tiny specimen?" asked Queen Mab of Puck. 

The little fiddler came forward and drawing his instrument from underhis arm, proceeded to scrape the strings. He had on a pair of mosstrousers, and his coat was a yellow gorse flower. His feet were cladin shoes made of beetles' wings, which always kept bright, as ifpolished with a brush. 

When one looked at the fiddle, he could see that it was only a woodenspoon, with strings across the bowl. But the moment he drew the bowfrom one side to the other, all the elves, from every part of thehills, came tripping along to hear the music, and at once begandancing. 

Some of these elves were dressed in pink, some in blue, others inyellow, and many had glow worms in their hands. Their tread was solight that the flower stems never bent, nor was a petal crushed, whenthey walked over the turf. All, as they came near, bowed or dropped acurtsey. Then the little musician took off his cap to each, and bowedin return. 

There was too much business before the meeting for dancing to be keptup very long, but when the violin solo was over, at a sign given bythe fiddler, the dancers took seats wherever they could find them, onthe grass, or gorse, or heather, or on the stones. After order hadbeen secured, the chairman of the meeting read regrets from those whohad been invited but could not be present. 

The first note was from the mermaids, who lived near the Green Islesof the Ocean. They asked to be excused from traveling inland andclimbing rocks. In the present delicate state of their health thiswould be too fatiguing. Poor things!

It was unanimously voted that they be excused. 

Queen Mab was dressed, as befitted the occasion, like a Welsh lady, not wearing a crown, but a high peaked hat, pointed at the top andabout half a yard high. It was black and was held on by fastenings ofscalloped lace, that came down around her neck. 

The lake fairies, or Elfin Maids, were out in full force. These livedat the bottom of the many ponds and pools in Wales. Many stories aretold of the wonderful things they did with boats and cattle. 

Nowadays, when they milk cows by electric machinery and use steamlaunches on the water, most of the water sprites of all kinds havebeen driven away, for they do not like the smell of kerosene orgasoline. It is for these reasons that, in our day, they are not oftenseen. In fact, cows from the creameries can wade out into the waterand even stand in it, while lashing their tails to keep off the flies, without any danger, as in old times, of being pulled down by the ElfinMaids. 

The little Red Men, that could hide under a thimble, and have plentyof room to spare, were all out. The elves, and nixies and sprites, ofall colors and many forms were on hand. 

The pigmies, who guard the palace of the king of the worldunderground, came in their gay dresses. There were three of them, andthey brought in their hands balls of gold, with which to play tenpins, but they were not allowed to have any games while the meeting wasgoing on. 

In fact, just when these little fellows from down under the earth wereshowing off their gay clothes and their treasures from the caves, onemischievous fairy maid sidled up to their chief and whispered in hisear:

"Better put away your gold, for this is in modern Wales, where theyhave pawn shops. Three golden balls, two above the one below, whichyou often see nowadays, mean that two to one you will never get itagain. These hang out as the sign of a pawnbroker's shop, and what youput in does not, as a rule, come out. I am afraid that some of theCymric fairies from Cornwall, or Montgomery, or Cheshire, might thinkyou were after business, and you understand that no advertising isallowed here. "

In a moment, each of the three leaders thrust his ball into his bosom. It made his coat bulge out, and at this, some of the fairies wondered, but all they thought of was that this spoiled a handsome fellow'sfigure. Or was it some new idea? To tell the truth, they were vexed atnot keeping up with the new fashions, for they knew nothing of thislatest fad among such fine young gallants. 

Much of the chat and gossip, before and after the meeting, was betweenthe fairies who live in the air, or on mountains, and those down inthe earth, or deep in the sea. They swapped news, gossip and scandalat a great rate. 

There were a dozen or two fine-looking creatures who had high brows, who said they were Co-eds. This did not mean that these fairies hadever been through college. "Certainly the college never went throughthem, " said one very homely fairy, who was spiteful and jealous. Thesimple fact was that the one they called Betty, the Co-ed, and othersfrom that Welsh village, called Bryn Mawr, and another from Flint, andanother from Yale, and still others from Brimbo and from Co-ed Poeth, had come from places so named and down on the map of Wales, thoughthey were no real Co-ed girls there, that could talk French, orEnglish, or read Latin. In fact, Co-ed simply meant that they werefrom the woods and lived among the trees; for Co-ed in Welsh means aforest. 

The fairy police were further instructed not to admit, and, if suchwere found, to put out the following bad characters, for this was aperfectly respectable meeting. These naughty folks were:

The Old Hag of the Mist. 

The Invisible Hag that moans dolefully in the night. 

The Tolaeth, a creature never seen, but that groans, sings, saws, orstamps noisily. 

The Dogs of the Sky. 

All witches, of every sort and kind. 

All peddlers of horseshoes, crosses, charms, or amulets. 

All mortals with brains fuddled by liquor. 

All who had on shoes which water would not run under. 

All fairies that were accustomed to turn mortals into cheese. 

Every one of these, who might want to get in, were to be refusedadmittance. 

Another circle of rather exclusive fairies, who always kept away fromthe blacksmiths, hardware stores, smelting furnaces and mines, hadformed an anti-iron society. These were a kind of a Welsh "FourHundred, " or élite, who would have nothing to do with anyone who hadan iron tool, or weapon, or ornament in his hand, or on his dress, orwho used iron in any form, or for any use. They frowned upon the ideaof Cymric Land becoming rich by mining, and smelting, and sellingiron. They did not even approve of the idea that any imps and dwarfsof the iron mines should be admitted to the meeting. 

One clique of fairies, that looked like elves were in bad humor, almost to moping. When one of these got up to speak, it seemed as ifhe would never sit down. He tired all the lively fairies bylong-winded reminiscences, of druids, and mistletoes, and by tellingevery one how much better the old times were than the present. 

President Puck, who always liked things short, and was himself aslively as quicksilver, many times called these long-winded fellows toorder; but they kept meandering on, until daybreak, when it was timeto adjourn, lest the sunshine should spoil them all, and change theminto slate or stone. 

It was hard to tell just how much business was disposed of, at thissession, or whether one ever came to the point, although there was agreat deal of oratory and music. Much of what was said was in poetry, or in verses, or rhymes, of three lines each. What they talked aboutwas mainly in protest against the smoke of factories and collieries, and because there was so much soot, and so little soap, in the land. 

But what did they do at the fairy congress?

The truth is, that nobody to-day knows what was done in this sessionof the fairies, for the proceedings were kept secret. The only one whoknows was an old Welshman whom the story-teller used to meet once in awhile. He is the one mortal who knows anything about this meeting, andhe won't tell; or at least he won't talk in anything but Welsh. So wehave to find out the gist of the matter, by noticing, in the storieswhich we have just read what the fairies did. 

XXIV

THE SWORD OF AVALON

Many of the Welsh tales are about fighting and wars and no country assmall as Wales has so many castles. Yet these are nearly all in ruinsand children play in them. This is because men got tired of battlesand sieges. 

Everybody knows that after King Arthur's knights had punched andspeared, whacked and chopped at each other with axe and sword longenough, had slain dragons and tamed monsters, and rescued princessesfrom cruel uncles, and good men from dark dungeons, even the plainpeople, such as farmers and mechanics, had enough and wanted no more. Besides this, they wished to be treated more like human beings, andnot have to work so hard and also to keep their money when they earnedit. 

Even King Arthur himself, towards the end of this era, saw thatfashions were changing and that he must change with them. Hardware wastoo high in price, and was no longer needed for clothing. He was wiseenough to see that battle axes, maces, swords, lances and armor hadbetter be put to some better use, when iron was getting scarce andwool and linen were cheaper. Even the stupid Normans learned thatdecency and kindness cost less, and accomplished more in making theWelshery loyal subjects of the king. 

So when, after many battles, King Arthur went out to have a little warof his own, and to enjoy the fight, in which he was mortally wounded, he showed his greatness, even in the hour of death. In truth, it isgiven to some men, like Samson, to be even mightier when they die, than when following the strenuous life. So it was with this great andgood man of Cymry. His love for his people never ceased for onemoment, and in his dying hour he left a bequest that all his peoplehave understood and acted upon. 

Thus it has come to pass that the Welsh have been reallyunconquerable, by Saxon or Norman, or even in these twentieth centurydays by Teutons. Though living in a small country, they are among thegreatest in the world, not in force, or in material things, but insoul. When Belgium was invaded, they not only stood up in battleagainst the invader, but they welcomed to their homes tens ofthousands of fugitives and fed and sheltered them. 

Brave as lions, their path of progress has been in faithfulness toduty, industry, and patience, and along the paths of poetry, music andbrotherhood. Their motto for ages has been, "Truth against the World. "

Now the manner of King Arthur's taking off and his immortal legacy wason this fashion:

After doing a great many wonderful things, in many countries, KingArthur came back to punish the wicked man, Modred. In the battle thatensued, he received wounds that made him feel that he was very soon todie. So he ordered his loyal vassal to take his sword to the island ofAvalon. There he must cast the weapon into the deep water. 

But the sword was part of the soul of Arthur. It would not sink out ofsight, until it had given a message, from their king to the Welsh, forall time. 

After it had been thrown in the water, it disappeared, but rose again. First the shining blade, and then the hilt, and then a hand was seento rise out of the flood. 

Thrice that hand waved the sword round and round. 

This was the prophecy of "the deathless from the dead. " King Arthur'sbody might be hid in a cave, or molder in the ground, but his soul wasto live and cheer his people. His beloved Cymric nation, with theirundying language, were to rise in power again. 

And the resurrection has been glorious. Not by the might of thesoldier, or by arms or war--though the Welsh never flinch from duty, or before the foe--but by the power of poet, singer and the narratorof stories, that touch the imagination, and fire the soul to nobledeeds, have these results come. 

Arthur's good blade, thus waved above the waters, became a veritablesword of the Spirit. 

Men of genius arose to flush with color the old legends. Prophets, preachers, monks, missionaries carried these all over Europe, and madethem the vehicles of Christian doctrine. In their new forms, theyfired the imagination and illuminated, as with ten thousand lamps, many lands and nations, until they held every people in spell. Inmiracle and morality play, they reappeared in beauty. They attuned theharp and instrument of the musician and the troubadour, and these sangthe gospel in all lands, north and south, while telling the stories ofAdam, and of Abraham, of Bethlehem, and of the cross, of the HolyGrail, and of Arthur and his Knights. All the precious lore of theCeltic race became transfigured, to illustrate and enforce Christiantruth. The symbolical bowl, the Celtic caldron of abundance, becamethe cup of the Eucharist and the Grail the symbol of blessingseternal. 

By the artists, in the stained glass, and in windows of the greatchurches, which were built no longer of wood but of stone, thatblossomed under the chisel, the old legends were, by the new currentsof truth, given a mystic glow. As wonderful as the rise of Gothicarchitecture and the upbuilding of cathedrals, as glorious as thelight and art, that beautify the great temples of worship, was thisre-birth of the Arthurian legends. 

For now, again, the old virtues of the knightly days--loyalty, obedience, redress of wrongs, reverence of womanhood, and theapplication of Christian ethics to the old rude rules of decency, lifted the life of the common people to a nobler plane and ushered inthe modern days. 

Then, after seven hundred years, a host of singers, Tennyson leadingthem all, attuned the old Celtic harp. They reset for us the Cymricmelody and colorful incidents in "the light that never was on sea orland. " The old days live again in a greater glory. 

Lady Guest put the Mabinogion into English, and Renan, and Arnold, andRolleston, and Rhys, in prose, competed in praise of the heritagesfrom the old time. Popular education was diffused. The Welsh languagerose again from the dead. Cardiff holds in pure white marble the mostthrilling interpretation of Welsh history, in the twelve white marblestatues of the great men of Wales. The Welsh people, by bloodlessvictory, have won the respect of all mankind. 

They set a beacon for the oppressed nations. In the World War of1914-1918, they helped to save freedom and civilization. They were inthe van. 

Long may the sword of Arthur wave!