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Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales

by Jonathan Ceredig Davies

271 sections · Download EPUB

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  1. 1Dedication — Preface
  2. 2Introduction
  3. 3Chapter I — Love Customs and Omen Seeking
  4. 4Chapter II — Wedding Customs
  5. 5The Horse Wedding
  6. 6Neithior
  7. 7Chapter III — Funeral Customs
  8. 8Chapter IV — Various Other Customs
  9. 9New Year’s Day
  10. 10St. Valentine’s Day
  11. 11St. David’s Day
  12. 12Shrove Tuesday
  13. 13Lent
  14. 14Palm Sunday — Good Friday
  15. 15Easter
  16. 16First Day of April — May
  17. 17A Present-Day Welsh Queen of May
  18. 18Allhallow’s Eve (Nos Calan Gaea.)
  19. 19Harvest Customs, Etc.
  20. 20Cynnos
  21. 21Gleaning
  22. 22Cwrw Bach
  23. 23Perambulation
  24. 24Sheep Shearing Customs
  25. 25Tai Unnos (One Night Houses)
  26. 26The Ceffyl Pren
  27. 27The Employment of Dogs to Turn Roasting-Spits
  28. 28Knappan
  29. 29Throwing the Bar
  30. 30School Customs
  31. 31The Welsh “Note,” or “Not”
  32. 32Chapter V — The Fairies (Tylwyth Teg)
  33. 33Origin of Fairies
  34. 34Fairy Names
  35. 35Fairy Dress, Dwelling, etc.
  36. 36Fairies Marrying Mortals
  37. 37Lady of Llyn Y van Vach in Carmarthenshire
  38. 38A Student Who Had Failed to Pass His Examinations Taught by the Fai…
  39. 39The Shepherd Boy and the Fairies of Frenifawr
  40. 40Fairy Music and Dancing
  41. 41Mr. Edward Jones, Pencwm, Llanrhystid, and the Fairies
  42. 42A Farm Servant Near Tregaron, Who Spent a Year and a Day With the F…
  43. 43The Servant Girl Who Was Lost in the Fairy Circle
  44. 44The Little Servant Boy and the Barm
  45. 45A Carmarthenshire Maiden Who Got Into a Fairy Ring
  46. 46Iago Ap Dewi Among the Fairies Seven Years
  47. 47A Man Who Was Found Among the Fairies at Cae Cefn Pantydwr
  48. 48Son of Llech Y Derwydd and the Fairies
  49. 49Taffy Ap Sion of Pencader Among the Fairies
  50. 50Shon Ap Shenkin Seduced by Fairy Music
  51. 51A Llanrhystyd Maid Lost Among the Fairies
  52. 52Shui Rhys and the Fairies
  53. 53Fairies Coming Into the Bedroom of a House Near Aberystwyth
  54. 54A Servant of Perthrhys, Llanddeiniol, and the White Fairies
  55. 55Nancy Tynllain and Her Son Seeing Fairies on Horses
  56. 56Elias, Forch Y Cwm and the Fairies
  57. 57Two Men Who Saw the Fairies in Carmarthenshire Dancing in Broad Day…
  58. 58The Fairies of Cwm Mabws, Seen Driving in Their Carriages
  59. 59Fairies and Footballers
  60. 60Fairies Marketing
  61. 61Fairy Changelings
  62. 62How to Detect Changelings
  63. 63Fairy Money
  64. 64Fairy Mothers and Human Midwives
  65. 65Fairies Playing Tricks With the Oven
  66. 66Fairy Gloves
  67. 67Fairy Knockers
  68. 68A Story of Pont Einion (Einion Bridge) Tregaron
  69. 69Mermaids
  70. 70The Mermaid and the Fishermen
  71. 71The Fishermen of Llandudoch and the Mermaid
  72. 72A Mermaid Seen Near Aberystwyth
  73. 73Chapter VI — Ghost Stories
  74. 74The Spirit of a Living Man Appearing to a Little Girl at Pontshan
  75. 75Spirit of a Living Woman Seen on a Moonlight Night, Near Llanybri i…
  76. 76Spirit of a Rejected Lover Appearing to a Young Woman
  77. 77Tale of a Doctor
  78. 78Spirit of a Living Man in a Field
  79. 79“Ysfryd Dyn Byw
  80. 80Spirit of a Living Man Throwing Stones
  81. 81The Spirit of a Dead Mother Appearing to Her Boy-Son at Llangynog,…
  82. 82The Spirit of a Dead Daughter Appearing to the Mother
  83. 83The Spirit of a Dead Mother Appearing to Her Children
  84. 84Allt Y Crib Ghost, Near Talybont
  85. 85The Ghost of Pont-Y-Gwendraeth, Near Kidwely in Carmarthenshire
  86. 86Haunted Mansions of Llanelly, Carmarthenshire
  87. 87A Ghost Haunting a Young Lover Who Was Out Late at Night, Near Allt…
  88. 88A Pembrokeshire Ghost Haunting a Ship
  89. 89A Spirit on Horseback
  90. 90A Spirit in a Cave
  91. 91A Spirit in a River
  92. 92Apparitions of Good Spirits
  93. 93Spirits Removing Churches
  94. 94Llanddeusant (Carmarthenshire)
  95. 95Llanbister Church (Radnorshire)
  96. 96Penbryn Church
  97. 97Llanwinio (Carmarthenshire)
  98. 98Llangan (Carmarthenshire)
  99. 99Maros
  100. 100Llangeler Church
  101. 101Llanfihangel Geneu’r Glyn
  102. 102Llanwenog
  103. 103Apparitions of the Devil
  104. 104The Legend of the Devil’s Bridge in Cardiganshire
  105. 105Pentre-Cwrt Folk and the Devil
  106. 106The Evil One Appearing at Nag’s Head in the Form of a Dog
  107. 107“The Old Gentleman” Appearing in Pembrokeshire, as a Black Calf
  108. 108A Ghost Seen in the Form of a Calf in Cardiganshire
  109. 109A Demon Assuming the Form of a Horse
  110. 110The Gwyllgi, or Dog of Darkness
  111. 111“A Demon Steward”
  112. 112A Demon Tempting a Young Maiden in Gower
  113. 113Satan and Sabbath Breakers; or the “Old Gentleman” Appearing in Man…
  114. 114The Devil and Llanarth Church
  115. 115How to Get Rid of Ghosts, Spirits, Goblins, and Devils, etc.
  116. 116Yspryd Penpompren Plas or a Spirit “Laid” in a Bottle
  117. 117The “Laying” of the Havod Uchtryd Goblin
  118. 118The Monachdy Ghost Doomed to Cut the Rock Near Llanrhystyd
  119. 119The “Laying” of the Stackpole Ghost
  120. 120Shan and the Ghost
  121. 121Two Young Women and the Goblin
  122. 122Chapter VII — Death Portents
  123. 123A Corpse Candle Seen at Silian
  124. 124A Corpse Candle Seen Two Hundred and Fifty Years Ago
  125. 125A Corpse Candle Seen Near Conwil
  126. 126A Pembrokeshire Tale of a Corpse Candle
  127. 127A Llangathen Tale
  128. 128The Corpse Bird
  129. 129A Bird Coming Into a House Before a Death
  130. 130Bird Singing Heard Before Death
  131. 131Music of Angels Heard Before Death
  132. 132Cyhyraeth: Or Death Sound
  133. 133The Tolaeth
  134. 134The Tolling of Blaenporth Church Bell Before a Death
  135. 135A Remarkable Account of Knocking and Wailing Before Death
  136. 136Lledrith — Wraith
  137. 137Tanwedd
  138. 138Gwrach Y Rhibyn
  139. 139Cwn Annwn — Hell Hounds
  140. 140Other Death Omens
  141. 141Missing a Butt
  142. 142Chapter VIII — Miscellaneous Beliefs, Weather Signs, Birds, Lore, Etc.
  143. 143Chapter IX — Witches, Wizards, Prophecies, Divination, Dreams
  144. 144A Servant Maid Witched in a Chapel
  145. 145A Girl Who Was Bewitched by the Gypsies, Near Carmarthen
  146. 146A Cardiganshire Girl Who Had Been Witched
  147. 147Another Cardiganshire Woman Witched
  148. 148A Farmer’s Daughter at Walton East, in Pembrokeshire Bewitched for…
  149. 149Men Witched by an Old Lledrod Hag
  150. 150A Horse Witched
  151. 151Cattle Witched
  152. 152Horses Killed by Witchcraft in Radnorshire
  153. 153Sheep Killed by an Old Witch
  154. 154A Ship Witched
  155. 155Milk That Would Not Churn and the Witch
  156. 156Another Cardiganshire Story of Milk That Would Not Turn to Butter
  157. 157Burying the Charm
  158. 158Protectives Against Witchcraft
  159. 159A Fishguard Witch Discomfited
  160. 160A Cilcwm Story
  161. 161Witches and the Mountain Ash
  162. 162Drawing Blood From a Witch
  163. 163The Transformation of Witches
  164. 164A Witch Who Appeared in the Form of an Hare Every Morning to a Serv…
  165. 165A Witch in the Form of an Hare Shot by a Farm Servant
  166. 166A Witch in the Form of a Hare Hunted by a Pembrokeshire Squire’s Ho…
  167. 167A Witch in the Form of a Hare Hunted in Cardiganshire
  168. 168The Familiar Spirit of a Witch Shot in the Form of a Hare
  169. 169Men Changed Into Animals
  170. 170Wizards
  171. 171The Priests and the Hornets
  172. 172Sir Dafydd Llwyd, Yspytty Ystwyth
  173. 173Sir Dafydd Defeating a Rival Wizard
  174. 174Wizards Riding Demons Through the Air
  175. 175The Harrieses of Cwrtycadno, the Popular Modern Wizards
  176. 176Cwrtycadno Conjurer and Spirit Raising
  177. 177How to Obtain the Familiar of the Genius or Good Spirit and Cause H…
  178. 178The Farmer Who Consulted the Conjuror; or the Familiar Spirits and…
  179. 179A Familiar Spirit in the Shape of a Dog and the Lonely Night Traveller
  180. 180Conjurers and Lunatics
  181. 181Wizards Revealing the Future
  182. 182“Nativity Calculated”
  183. 183A Conjurer Showing a Young Man His Future Wife
  184. 184Another Similar Tale
  185. 185The Wizard of Cwrtycadno Foretelling the Future Destiny of a New Bo…
  186. 186Prediction Concerning the Death of His Late Majesty King Edward
  187. 187Sir Rhys Ap Thomas Consulting a Wizard Concerning King Henry VII
  188. 188The Conjurer and the Lost Ox
  189. 189The Conjurer and the Lost Horse
  190. 190A Llanfair Clydogau Wizard
  191. 191The Wizard of Llanpumpsaint and the Ducks of Alltyferin
  192. 192Wizard Marking the Culprits
  193. 193A Wizard and the Young Man Who Had Been Cursed
  194. 194Merlin
  195. 195Merlin’s Fate
  196. 196Pembrokeshire Woman’s Prophecy Fulfilled
  197. 197The Crimean War Seen in the Skies
  198. 198A Remarkable Fulfilment of a Condemned Man’s Prediction
  199. 199Shoulder-Blade Divination
  200. 200Dreams
  201. 201Conversing With the Departed in a Dream
  202. 202Chapter X — The Healing Art; or How to Charm Away Diseases, Etc.
  203. 203Rosemary Charm for Toothache
  204. 204“Slime” of Trout as Medicine
  205. 205Charms for Fits and for Quinsy
  206. 206Abracadabra
  207. 207The Pentacle
  208. 208Charms for Cattle and Pigs
  209. 209The Cure of Rickets
  210. 210How to Cure a Dog That Has Been Bitten by a Mad Dog
  211. 211Healing Stones
  212. 212Llaethfaen
  213. 213The Physicians of Myddfai
  214. 214To Extract a Tooth Without Pain
  215. 215For the Bite of a Mad Dog
  216. 216For Pain in the Eye
  217. 217Holy Bread as a Remedy
  218. 218How to Cure a “Foul Foot”
  219. 219Pills of Dead Men’s Bones
  220. 220Gwella Clefyd Y Galon, or Heart Disease, a Love Sickness
  221. 221The Medicine
  222. 222Touching; or the Cure of the Disease Known as “The King’s Evil”
  223. 223Holy Relics
  224. 224Chapter XI — Folk-Lore of Fountains, Lakes, and Caves
  225. 225Lakes
  226. 226River Legends
  227. 227Caves
  228. 228Chapter XII — Local Traditions, Etc.
  229. 229Caio (Carmarthenshire)
  230. 230St. Govan’s
  231. 231Tregaron
  232. 232Crug Mawr
  233. 233Cantref Y Gwaelod; or the Lost Lowland
  234. 234Llanfihangel Ystrad
  235. 235A Strange Carmarthenshire Tree Legend
  236. 236Maesyfelin
  237. 237Tenby (Pembrokeshire)
  238. 238Cwm Kerwyn (Pembrokeshire)
  239. 239Llanstephan Castle (Carmarthenshire)
  240. 240Cwmyreglwys (Pembrokeshire)
  241. 241Mesur Y Dorth (Measure of the Loaf)
  242. 242Abergwili
  243. 243Cae Poeth (Hot Field)
  244. 244Craig Gwrtheyrn (Vortigern’s Rock)
  245. 245Brynberian (Pembrokeshire)
  246. 246Llanon (Cardiganshire)
  247. 247Tynycastell (Devil’s Bridge)
  248. 248Bedd Taliesin (Taliesin’s Grave)
  249. 249Crugiau’r Ladis (Carmarthenshire)
  250. 250Eurglawdd
  251. 251Traeth Saith (Cardiganshire)
  252. 252Llanilar
  253. 253Llangadock
  254. 254Abermarlais
  255. 255Oystermouth Castle (Gower)
  256. 256Oxwitch (Gower)
  257. 257Cae Halog (North Cardiganshire)
  258. 258Mount and Verwick (Cardigan)
  259. 259Maenclochog (Pembrokeshire)
  260. 260Highmead (Cardiganshire)
  261. 261Gogerddan (Near Aberystwyth)
  262. 262Llangynllo (Cardiganshire)
  263. 263Llangwyryfon (Church of the Virgins)
  264. 264Penbryn (Cardiganshire)
  265. 265Cilgerran (Pembrokeshire)
  266. 266Gorsygedol (Merionethshire)
  267. 267Nick-Names, Old and Popular Sayings
  268. 268“Cynghor Gwraig Heb Ei Ofyn”
  269. 269Chalking the Door-Step
  270. 270Wakes in Radnorshire
  271. 271List of Subscribers

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