Welsh Journals

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belief that denizens of the other-world and fairies would have nothing to do with this metal. The vortex to which he sailed is so mysterious as to be almost mythical. Finally, his journey ended in disaster at Bardsey Island, where, as we have seen, there is a tradition that Merlin also ended his course. Whatever, therefore, be the full historical truth concerning Madoc ab Owen Gwynedd, his disappearance in a tragic adventure at sea might, in the mind of the folk, well result in his being associated, if not identi- fied, with some Welsh counterpart of an Irish Bran or Connla or similar hero. In that case we would have an addition to the comparatively scanty remains in Welsh folklore of the well authenticated belief of the ancient Celts in an overseas Elysium. J. J. JONES. ADDENDUM. The above note had already been set up when the Editor called the writer's attention to an article by Roger Sherman Loomis in the December (1941) issue of P.M.L.A. (Publications of the Modern Language Association of America). This most interesting and learned article, entitled The Spoils of Annwn an early Arthurian poem is a study of Taliesin's Preiddeu Annwn of which the author also gives a new and original translation. The thesis which Loomis convincingly maintains, with a wealth of comparative material drawn from Irish literature and Arthurian romance, is that the Annwn of the poem is an island counterpart of the subterranean Annwn of the Mabinogi of Pwyll and other tales, each being a differently localised, but other- wise similarly conceived other-world-a variation of situation which is touched on in the above note. Loomis proceeds to utter a much- needed caveat against assuming too readily that this other-world was the abode of the blessed dead rather than the abode of the immortal gods-the faery of folk-lore. He might, however on this point have with advantage discussed the evidence of Plutarch and Lucan in addition to that of Caesar and Procopius. Even these last two are dismissed in rather a summary fashion. J.J.J.