wild wales-第20章

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picked　up　the　tongue。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　became　of　her？〃

〃I　do；　sir；　her　own　people　found　her　out；　and　wished　to　take　her　
away　with　them；　but　she　refused　to　let　them；　for　by　that　time　she　
was　perfectly　reclaimed；　had　been　to　chapel；　renounced　her　heathen　
crefydd；　and　formed　an　acquaintance　with　a　young　Methodist　who　had　
a　great　gift　of　prayer；　whom　she　afterwards　married　…　she　and　her　
husband　live　at　present　not　far　from　Mineira。〃

〃I　almost　wonder　that　her　own　people　did　not　kill　her。〃

〃They　threatened　to　do　so；　sir；　and　would　doubtless　have　put　their　
threat　into　execution；　had　they　not　been　prevented　by　the　Man　on　
High。〃

And　here　my　guide　pointed　with　his　finger　reverently　upward。

〃Is　it　a　long　time　since　you　have　seen　any　of　these　Gwyddeliaid？〃

〃About　two　months；　sir；　and　then　a　terrible　fright　they　caused　me。〃

〃How　was　that？〃

〃I　will　tell　you；　sir；　I　had　been　across　the　Berwyn　to　carry　home　a　
piece　of　weaving　work　to　a　person　who　employs　me。　　It　was　night　as　
I　returned；　and　when　I　was　about　halfway　down　the　hill；　at　a　place　
which　is　called　Allt　Paddy；　because　the　Gwyddelod　are　in　the　habit　
of　taking　up　their　quarters　there；　I　came　upon　a　gang　of　them；　who　
had　come　there　and　camped　and　lighted　their　fire；　whilst　I　was　on　
the　other　side　of　the　hill。　　There　were　nearly　twenty　of　them；　men　
and　women；　and　amongst　the　rest　was　a　man　standing　naked　in　a　tub　
of　water　with　two　women　stroking　him　down　with　clouts。　　He　was　a　
large　fierce…looking　fellow　and　his　body；　on　which　the　flame　of　the　
fire　glittered；　was　nearly　covered　with　red　hair。　　I　never　saw　such　
a　sight。　　As　I　passed　they　glared　at　me　and　talked　violently　in　
their　Paddy　Gwyddel；　but　did　not　offer　to　molest　me。　　I　hastened　
down　the　hill；　and　right　glad　I　was　when　I　found　myself　safe　and　
sound　at　my　house　in　Llangollen；　with　my　money　in　my　pocket；　for　I　
had　several　shillings　there；　which　the　man　across　the　hill　had　paid　
me　for　the　work　which　I　had　done。〃



CHAPTER　XV



The　Turf　Tavern　…　Don't　Understand　…　The　Best　Welsh　…　The　Maids　of　
Merion　…　Old　and　New　…　Ruthyn　…　The　Ash　Yggdrasill。


WE　now　emerged　from　the　rough　and　narrow　way　which　we　had　followed　
for　some　miles；　upon　one　much　wider；　and　more　commodious；　which　my　
guide　told　me　was　the　coach　road　from　Wrexham　to　Ruthyn；　and　going　
on　a　little　farther　we　came　to　an　avenue　of　trees　which　shaded　the　
road。　　It　was　chiefly　composed　of　ash；　sycamore　and　birch；　and　
looked　delightfully　cool　and　shady。　　I　asked　my　guide　if　it　
belonged　to　any　gentleman's　house。　　He　told　me　that　it　did　not；　but　
to　a　public…house；　called　Tafarn　Tywarch；　which　stood　near　the　end；　
a　little　way　off　the　road。　　　〃Why　is　it　called　Tafarn　Tywarch？〃　
said　I；　struck　by　the　name　which　signifies　〃the　tavern　of　turf。〃

〃It　was　called　so；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃because　it　was　originally　
merely　a　turf　hovel；　though　at　present　it　consists　of　good　brick　
and　mortar。〃

〃Can　we　breakfast　there；〃　said　I；　〃for　I　feel　both　hungry　and　
thirsty？〃

〃Oh　yes；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃I　have　heard　there　is　good　cheese　and　
cwrw　there。〃

We　turned　off　to　the　〃tafarn；〃　which　was　a　decent　public…house　of　
rather　an　antiquated　appearance。　　We　entered　a　sanded　kitchen；　and　
sat　down　by　a　large　oaken　table。　　〃Please　to　bring　us　some　bread；　
cheese　and　ale；〃　said　I　in　Welsh　to　an　elderly　woman；　who　was　
moving　about。

〃Sar？〃　said　she。

〃Bring　us　some　bread；　cheese　and　ale；〃　I　repeated　in　Welsh。

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　sar；〃　said　she　in　English。

〃Are　you　Welsh？〃　said　I　in　English。

〃Yes；　I　am　Welsh！〃

〃And　can　you　speak　Welsh？〃

〃Oh　yes；　and　the　best。〃

〃Then　why　did　you　not　bring　what　I　asked　for？〃

〃Because　I　did　not　understand　you。〃

〃Tell　her；〃　said　I　to　John　Jones；　〃to　bring　us　some　bread；　cheese　
and　ale。〃

〃Come；　aunt；〃　said　John；　〃bring　us　bread　and　cheese　and　a　quart　of　
the　best　ale。〃

The　woman　looked　as　if　she　was　going　to　reply　in　the　tongue　in　
which　he　addressed　her；　then　faltered；　and　at　last　said　in　English　
that　she　did　not　understand。

〃Now；〃　said　I；　〃you　are　fairly　caught：　　this　man　is　a　Welshman；　and　
moreover　understands　no　language　but　Welsh。〃

〃Then　how　can　he　understand　you？〃　said　she。

〃Because　I　speak　Welsh；〃　said　I。

〃Then　you　are　a　Welshman？〃　said　she。

〃No　I　am　not；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　English。〃

〃So　I　thought；〃　said　she；　〃and　on　that　account　I　could　not　
understand　you。〃

〃You　mean　that　you　would　not；〃　said　I。　　〃Now　do　you　choose　to　bring　
what　you　are　bidden？〃

〃Come；　aunt；〃　said　John；　〃don't　be　silly　and　cenfigenus；　but　bring　
the　breakfast。〃

The　woman　stood　still　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then　biting　her　lips　
went　away。

〃What　made　the　woman　behave　in　this　manner？〃　said　I　to　my　
companion。

〃Oh；　she　was　cenfigenus；　sir；〃　he　replied；　〃she　did　not　like　that　
an　English　gentleman　should　understand　Welsh；　she　was　envious；　you　
will　find　a　dozen　or　two　like　her　in　Wales；　but　let　us　hope　not　
more。〃

Presently　the　woman　returned　with　the　bread；　cheese　and　ale；　which　
she　placed　on　the　table。

〃Oh；〃　said　I；　〃you　have　brought　what　was　bidden；　though　it　was　
never　mentioned　to　you　in　English；　which　shows　that　your　pretending　
not　to　understand　was　all　a　sham。　　What　made　you　behave　so？〃

〃Why　I　thought；〃　said　the　woman；　〃that　no　Englishman　could　speak　
Welsh；　that　his　tongue　was　too　short。〃

〃Your　having　thought　so；〃　said　I；　〃should　not　have　made　you　tell　a　
falsehood；　saying　that　you　did　not　understand；　when　you　knew　that　
you　understood　very　well。　　See　what　a　disgraceful　figure　you　cut。〃

〃I　cut　no　disgraced　figure；〃　said　the　woman：　　〃after　all；　what　
right　have　the　English　to　come　here　speaking　Welsh；　which　belongs　
to　the　Welsh　alone；　who　in　fact　are　the　only　people　that　understand　
it。〃

〃Are　you　sure　that　you　understand　Welsh？〃　said　I。

〃I　should　think　so；〃　said　the　woman；　〃for　I　come　from　the　Vale　of　
Clwyd；　where　they　speak　the　best　Welsh　in　the　world；　the　Welsh　of　
the　Bible。〃

〃What　do　they　call　a　salmon　in　the　Vale　of　Clwyd？〃　said　I。

〃What　do　they　call　a　salmon？〃　said　the　woman。　　〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃when　
they　speak　Welsh。〃

〃They　call　it　…　they　call　it　…　why　a　salmon。〃

〃Pretty　Welsh！〃　said　I。　　〃I　thought　you　did　not　understand　Welsh。〃

〃Well；　what　do　you　call　it？〃　said　the　woman。

〃Eawg；〃　said　I；　〃that　is　the　word　for　a　salmon　in　general　…　but　
there　are　words　also　to　show　the　sex　…　when　you　speak　of　a　male　
salmon　you　should　say　cemyw；　when　of　a　female　hwyfell。〃

〃I　never　heard　the　words　before；〃　said　the　woman；　〃nor　do　I　believe　
them　to　be　Welsh。〃

〃You　say　so；〃　said　I；　〃because　you　do　not　understand　Welsh。〃

〃I　not　understand　Welsh！〃　said　she。　　〃I'll　soon　show　you　that　I　do。　　
Come；　you　have　asked　me　the　word　for　salmon　in　Welsh；　I　will　now　
ask　you　the　word　for　salmon…trout。　　Now　tell　me　that；　and　I　will　
say　you　know　something　of　the　matter。〃

〃A　tinker　of　my　country　can　tell　you　that；〃　said　I。　　〃The　word　for　
salmon…trout　is　gleisiad。〃

The　countenance　of　the　woman　fell。

〃I　see　you　know　something　about　the　matter；〃　said　she；　〃there　are　
very　few　hereabouts；　though　so　near　to　the　Vale　of　Clwyd；　who　know　
the　word　for　salmon…trout　in　Welsh；　I　shouldn't　have　known　the　word　
myself；　but　for　the　song　which　says：


Glan　yw'r　gleisiad　yn　y　llyn。〃


〃And　who　wrote　that　song？〃　said　I。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　woman。

〃But　I　do；〃　said　I；　〃one　Lewis　Morris　wrote　it。'

〃Oh；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　heard　all　about　Huw　Morris。〃

〃I　was　not　talking　of　Huw　Morris；〃　said　I；　〃but　Lewis　Morris；　who　
lived　long　after　Huw　Morris。　　He　was　a　native　of　Anglesea；　but　
resided　for　some　time　in　Merionethshire；　and　whilst　there　composed　
a　song　about　the　Morwynion　bro　Meirionydd　or　the　lasses　of　County　
Merion　of　a　great　many　stanzas；　in　one　of　which　the　gleisiad　is　
mentioned。　　Here　it　is　in　English：


〃'Full　fair　the　gleisiad　in　the　flood；
Which　sparkles　'neath　the　summer's　sun；
And　fair　the　thrush　in　green　abode
Spreading　his　wings　in　sportive　fun；
But　fairer　look　if　truth　be　spoke；
The　maids　of　County　Merion。'〃


The　woman　was　about　to　reply；　but　I　interrupted　her。

〃There；〃　said　I；　〃pray　leave　us　to　our　breakfast；　and　t