Welsh Journals

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moonbeam's ray which shone through the open door. It was by no means the last, for as years went on Meurig's circumstances increased. In due time he married a good fair wife, and went to live at Hafod, for everything he touched was attended with mar- vellous luck. He was the founder of a good old family and died full of years, leaving peace and plenty to his children, and yea, to his children's children. Looking eastward from Eryri (Snowdon) lies Moel Meirch, (named so probably after March Meirchion the Welsh name for Sir Mark one of Arthur's knights). Uyn Edno is the name of the silent lake beyond, and few persons now visit its lonely and remote shore. It would be hard to tell how many centuries have passed into eternity since Edno ap Sieffrey was wont to linger by its margin. He was a petty chieftain of some note, who ruled more by fear than love, and was consequently dreaded and hated with an exceeding great hatred, for he was hard, grasping, dissolute, quarrelsome, revengeful and cruel. The cruelty came by nature of course, for had he not the ferocious Norman blood of the wicked Jeffrey Fitzwarren in his veins? and Peth anhawdd dwyn dyn oddiar ei dylwyth (Man's nature is that of his tribe) as the Welsh say. Hardly less feared and disliked were the two huge deer hounds, Modryb and Maxen, who followed their master everywhere. Late one evening as Edno was returning from hunting by way of the lake, he descried some fairies playing and dancing among the rushes. Some demon within, prompted him to urge his hounds upon the group of innocent elves. This he did with some success, and, indeed, aided the savage brutes by hurling pieces of stone upon the dancers. A complete rout was the result, and faint fairy cries of distress were borne upon the Pan rodiwn ddoe trwy'r berllan, Yr haul yng nglas y nen, A'r coed afalau'n wynion 0 flodau uwch fy mhen, Fy nghalon oedd yn curo Ei serch i wrido 'ngrndd A'r adar bach yn sibrwd Dy enw yn y gwydd. breeze to the ears of the wanton chieftain, who calling his dogs to heel strode on laughing heartily. But Nemesis was in store I The darkness fell with rapidity, and a great weati- ness sank upon the hunter; he stumbled and fell time and again, and the gwynt traed y meirw" (east wind, or wind from the feet of the dead men, so called from the eastward position of a grave), blew upon his face with an icy blast. Hailstones des- cended like a shower of scorpions, and mocking voices sounded in his ears, while unseen hands smote him with thorny branches until no shirt was left upon his shoulders. After weary hours he found himself bruised and bleeding again at the lake, having travelled in a circle instead of onward. Driven to despair Edno cried aloud, Give me grace to reach my home, my young wife, and my eldest born," but a hollow voice from the black water made reply, Your home is the long home, your young wife's love is another's, and no eldest born of your line shall ever see man's estate." Many hours later the wanderer staggered to his abode, guided by the light which burned within. He strode into the hall, and found his kinsman and friend in possession there, and Ronwen, his wife (like her fair frail namesake Rowena, the daughter of Hengist the Saxon) was upon his knee. Exhausted as he was, ap Sieffrey seized a rapier from the wall, bade the invader of his home defend himself, and fell upon him with a reckless courage-his only virtue By the dawn of day the Welsh chieftain was a stiffening corpse, and the ravens alone croaked his Galarnad o'erhead. There is a remnant of his line to-day in Wales, but the curse of Edno was laid upon them for all time, and it is only the curse causeless that shall not come." BLODAU. Merch yr Ynys. Ond heno mud yw'r adar A ganai yn y gwydd, A loes anelwig baentia Ei llwydni ar fy ngrndd Awelon bro'r cysgodion A'u Deithder oera 'ngwaed A'r coed afalaun bwrw Eu blodau dan fy nhraed.