Welsh Journals

(1) To procure, by means of an organized society, greater unity among Clergy and Laity. (2) To encourage each other in endeavouring to procure 1. More efficient Sunday Schools. 2. More services, where required. 3. Communicants' Meetings. FOLK TALES FROM BEDDGELERT ALL who visit Snowdon know Gwynant lake, for does not the coach road from Bettws y Coed to Beddgelert wind along its shores for a mile or more? Many persons every year call a halt at this lovely spot, and gaze with rapture at hill tops mirrored in its blue and limpid depths, but few if any know, that where now the tranquil waters flow, was once a town, renowned not as it should have been, alack for its exquisite situation, but for the wickedness of its inhabitants. The fear of God was never before the eyes of the dwellers in this place runs the story, and they were a bye- word throughout Gwynedd. Monks were sent from time to time to reason with these people, but it was of no avail some were illtreated, others stoned and murdered, until the rocks and the hills cried for vengeance. One night in a distant corner of the town, a maid sat weeping over the hardness of heart of her fellow-citizens. The poor room where she lived became all of a sudden illumined with a heavenly light, and an angel in glistening white raiment stood before her. Brysia, tyred ymaith dan gysgod fy aden" (" Hasten, come away under the shadow of my wing "), he said, and folding her in his mighty arms, he wafted her through the air to a little distance from the city. She sat down upon a stone, and in a short space observed curious red and green sparks descending in a dense shower from the clouds, upon the place of her birth. Fear not," said the angel, but the maiden fainted away with terror at the sight. How long she remained unconscious she knew not, but on regaining her senses she was horrified to find that the town below was nought but a pile of smoking ashes. Sinking upon her knees, she prayed and sang in gratitude for her deliverance, and before her eyes, welled up water from the bowels of the earth, which flowed over and across the ruined city, hiding for evermore the scene of so (3) To encourage Church Literature. (4) To bring before the notice of Churchmen such defects in the organization of the Church as might be noticed, and to use all legitimate means, by petition and the pressure of public opinion, to obtain a redress of such grievances (To be continued.) much wickedness and sin. And Gwastad Annas" (the plain of Agnes) is the name of the place whereon she prayed, and it is the site of one of the largest sheep farms in Snowdonia to-day. Above Gwastad Annas, away to the right on the hillside, nestles the snug homestead of Hafod Llwy- fog, once a mansion of some importance, now a prosperous farm. And it is only right and fitting that the sun of prosperity should ever shine upon the grey roof shaded with green elm trees, for was it not blessed many, many centuries ago with a fairy blessing ? The Bendith y Fam (or the mother's blessing) was placed upon the head of Mcurig Llwyd the first owner, one break of day in Cwm Dyli in a most unexpected fashion. It was Mcurig's custom to spend many weeks in the summer beneath the shelter of a ruined cabin near Llyn Glas (the blue lake), in the aforesaid Cwm, so that the sheep might have all his attention. One bitter cold morning the dawn had just broken, and the pale light filtered in mysterious grey waves through the lonely vale. The slumbering shepherd awoke with a sudden start on hearing an unaccustomed noise in the hut, and sitting up, beheld a diminutive woman endeavour- ing to wash and dress a wretched, puny-looking infant of eldritch features. Both creatures were shivering with cold, there seemed no garments for the baban" forthcoming, for the tiny rags the little mother fingered were useless for such a purpose. The imploring glances thrown around melted the soft heart of Meurig, and moved to pity he arose, handed her an old indigo blue flannel shirt of his own, saying, Here, poor one, take this and give me the elf." The sprite's clawlike fingers closed upon the "crys," and she and her babe vanished from before his kind blue eyes. He never set them upon her form again, but that night, a large silver piece lay in one of his clogs and glistened in the