Comments on: A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Fairy Folk in Wales

By: Mike Williams

Mike Williams — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:06:47 +0000

Sut mae Hyddgen and thanks for the fascinating information. Can’t wait to follow up on the leads you have given me – diolch yn fawr iawn.

By: Hyddgen

Hyddgen — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:24:23 +0000

Shwmae, in fact the Pwca, Gwarwyn a Throt, is very much part of Gwentian history in Cwmbran, where we have accounts told from Church clergy and their are many appearances of Gwarwyn, the Pwca and we have 3 raods named after him and a house that he visited in on of the accounts of his visit!, In fact a inspiration for Shakespeare mid Summer nights Dream, Puck being the Dark elf that lived in an Oak tree at the Bendaith eu mamu spring in Abergavenny, but you can read about it in the old Gwent .(.Monmouthshire English name for Gwent) book by Roy Palmer; ISBN 1-873827-40-7.

By: Mike Williams

Mike Williams — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:31:39 +0000

It’s funny you should ask Maria since for the past few weeks, someone (or something) has been plaiting the horse’s mane. We have seen nobody in the field with the horses, so we are beginning to wonder…

By: Maria Jacketti

Maria Jacketti — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:46:30 +0000

Have you seen these folk?

By: Mike Williams

Mike Williams — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:26:54 +0000

That’s fascinating Zena. Many people seem to think it’s best to stay on the right side of the Fair Folk, however little they might profess to believe in such things. And it sounds as if you might have a goblin in your computer!

By: zena romano

zena romano — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:21:02 +0000

and finally, Mike, please note that all spelling mistooks and grammatical errors are computer generated.

Blessings Zena.

By: zena romano

zena romano — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:16:10 +0000

Still to this day in the Isle of Man one dares not cross “Fairy Bridge” without a Greeting to the Fair Folk. I witnessed this whilst on a bus ride. Made my day to here so many people offering there greeting, knowing that for all our modern ways we still have this belief with in us.

By: Mike Williams

Mike Williams — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 08:42:13 +0000

Thank you all for yet more Fairy lore – especially the long stories from Peter and Zena – we should jointly author a book!
And Malcolm, yes, there is still a lot of encounters today, although people tend to look for ‘rational’ explanations to explain them. In Ireland (and Iceland), roads still have to sometimes divert from their course if they might affect a known fairy site, such as a rock or a tree. So even those in authority take no chances.

By: zena romano

zena romano — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 22:12:47 +0000

Hi Mike, hope it’s O.k to relate this Fine tale here.
Edward Davies of “Druidic” fame relates a singular story concerning the Tylwyth Teg. In the mountains near Brecknock, he says is a small lake in rock which stood a door which was found open on a certain day each year, perhaps May Day. If anyone could muster up sufficient courage to enter he was conducted by way of a secret passage to an island in the centre of the lake, where he found himself in an enchanting garden, inhabited by the Tywyth teg and replete with fruit and flowers. here the visitor was regaled with luscious fruits, while surrounded by blossoms of unearthly beauty and listened to exquisite music. In the course of his sojourn secrets of futurity were divulged to him. It was said however, that he must not carry away anything from this paradise, which was well- nigh invisable from the shores of the lake. On one such occasion , however, “a sacrilegious wretch” bore away a particular gorgeous bloom with which he had been presented. As soon has he regained the mainland, the blossom vanished and his senses forsook him. After this example of human behaviour , the Tykwyth Teg refrained from throwing open the door in future. although their music was still imperfectly heard on the adjacent shores. It is further recorded that a later attempt to make contact with this mysterious enclave was followed by the appearance of a terrible spectre, who announced that were it repeated the entire valley would be submerged.
He goes on to say that… The resemblance of the story to the legend of the fall of man is obvious enough, though it is scarcely necessary to credit it with a biblical origin when similar tales from aboriginal sources which certainly owe nothing to Scriptural associations are recalled.

By: zena romano

zena romano — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 21:27:34 +0000

Hi Mike, Timely enjoy the read. Seems Wales has it all. For according to Lewis Spence Fairy Tradition in Britain.
No Where in Europe are so many apparently different Fairy castes or varieties gathered into a comparativley restricted area. All Rather enchanting really.

Zena.