wild wales-第87章
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greater throng； for the country people for miles round had poured
into the little town。 By a stall on which were some poor legs and
shoulders of mutton I perceived the English butcher； whom the Welsh
one had attempted to slaughter。 I recognised him by a patch which
he wore on his cheek。 My wife and I went up and inquired how he
was。 He said that he still felt poorly； but that he hoped he
should get round。 I asked him if he remembered me； and received
for answer that he remembered having seen me when the examination
took place into 〃his matter。〃 I then inquired what had become of
his antagonist and was told that he was in prison awaiting his
trial。 I gathered from him that he was a native of the Southdown
country and a shepherd by profession； that he had been engaged by
the squire of Porkington in Shropshire to look after his sheep； and
that he had lived there a year or two； but becoming tired of his
situation he had come to Llangollen； where he had married a
Welshwoman and set up as a butcher。 We told him that as he was our
countryman we should be happy to deal with him sometimes； he；
however； received the information with perfect apathy； never so
much as saying 〃thank you。〃 He was a tall lanikin figure with a
pair of large； lack…lustre staring eyes； and upon the whole
appeared to be good for very little。 Leaving him we went some way
up the principal street； presently my wife turned into a shop； and
I observing a little bookstall went up to it and began to inspect
the books。 They were chiefly in Welsh。 Seeing a kind of chap
book； which bore on its title…page the name of Twm O'r Nant； I took
it up。 It was called Y Llwyn Celyn or the Holy Grove； and
contained the life and one of the interludes of Tom O' the Dingle
or Thomas Edwards。 It purported to be the first of four numbers；
each of which amongst other things was to contain one of his
interludes。 The price； of the number was one shilling。 I
questioned the man of the stall about the other numbers； but found
that this was the only one which he possessed。 Eager； however； to
read an interlude of the celebrated Tom； I purchased it and turned
away from the stall。 Scarcely had I done so when I saw a wild…
looking woman with two wild children looking at me。 The woman
curtseyed to me； and I thought I recognised the elder of the two
Irish females whom I had seen in the tent on the green meadow near
Chester。 I was going to address her； but just then my wife called
to me from the shop and I went to her； and when I returned to look
for the woman she and her children had disappeared； and though I
searched about for her I could not see her； for which I was sorry；
as I wished very much to have some conversation with her about the
ways of the Irish wanderers。 I was thinking of going to look for
her up 〃Paddy's dingle；〃 but my wife meeting me； begged me to go
home with her； as it was getting late。 So I went home with my
better half； bearing my late literary acquisition in my hand。
That night I sat up very late reading the life of Twm O'r Nant；
written by himself in choice Welsh； and his interlude which was
styled 〃Cyfoeth a Thylody； or； Riches and Poverty。〃 The life I had
read in my boyhood in an old Welsh magazine； and I now read it
again with great zest； and no wonder； as it is probably the most
remarkable autobiography ever penned。 The interlude I had never
seen before； nor indeed any of the dramatic pieces of Twm O'r Nant；
though I had frequently wished to procure some of them … so I read
the present one with great eagerness。 Of the life I shall give
some account and also some extracts from it； which will enable the
reader to judge of Tom's personal character； and also an extract of
the interlude； from which the reader may form a tolerably correct
idea of the poetical powers of him whom his countrymen delight to
call 〃the Welsh Shakespear。〃
CHAPTER LIX
History of Twm O'r Nant … Eagerness for Learning … The First
Interlude … The Cruel Fighter … Raising Wood … The Luckless Hour …
Turnpike…Keeping … Death in the Snow … Tom's Great Feat … The Muse
a Friend … Strength in Old Age … Resurrection of the Dead。
〃I AM the first…born of my parents；〃 says Thomas Edwards。 〃They
were poor people and very ignorant。 I was brought into the world
in a place called Lower Pen Parchell； on land which once belonged
to the celebrated Iolo Goch。 My parents afterwards removed to the
Nant （or dingle） near Nantglyn； situated in a place called Coom
Pernant。 The Nant was the middlemost of three homesteads； which
are in the Coom； and are called the Upper； Middle； and Lower Nant；
and it so happened that in the Upper Nant there were people who had
a boy of about the same age as myself； and forasmuch as they were
better to do in the world than my parents； they having only two
children whilst mine had ten； I was called Tom of the Dingle；
whilst he was denominated Thomas Williams。〃
After giving some anecdotes of his childhood he goes on thus：…
〃Time passed on till I was about eight years old； and then in the
summer I was lucky enough to be sent to school for three weeks； and
as soon as I had learnt to spell and read a few words I conceived a
mighty desire to learn to write； so I went in quest of elderberries
to make me ink； and my first essay in writing was trying to copy on
the sides of the leaves of books the letters of the words I read。
It happened； however； that a shop in the village caught fire； and
the greater part of it was burnt； only a few trifles being saved；
and amongst the scorched articles my mother got for a penny a
number of sheets of paper burnt at the edges； and sewed them
together to serve as copy…books for me。 Without loss of time I
went to the smith of Waendwysog； who wrote for me the letters on
the upper part of the leaves； and careful enough was I to fill the
whole paper with scrawlings which looked for all the world like
crow's feet。 I went on getting paper and ink； and something to
copy now from this person； and now from that； until I learned to
read Welsh and to write it at the same time。〃
He copied out a great many carols and songs； and the neighbours
observing his fondness for learning persuaded his father to allow
him to go to the village school to learn English。 At the end of
three weeks； however； his father； considering that he was losing
his time； would allow him to go no longer； but took him into the
fields in order that the boy might assist him in his labour。
Nevertheless Tom would not give up his literary pursuits； but
continued scribbling； and copying out songs and carols。 When he
was about ten he formed an acquaintance with an old man； chapel…
reader in Pentre y Foelas； who had a great many old books in his
possession； which he allowed Tom to read； he then had the honour of
becoming an amanuensis to a poet。
〃I became very intimate；〃 says he； 〃with a man who was a poet； he
could neither read nor write； but he was a poet by nature； having a
muse wonderfully glib at making triplets and quartets。 He was
nicknamed Tum Tai of the Moor。 He made an englyn for me to put in
a book in which I was inserting all the verses I could collect：
〃'Tom Evans' the lad for hunting up songs；
Tom Evans to whom the best learning belongs；
Betwixt his two pasteboards he verses has got；
Sufficient to fill the whole country； I wot。'
〃I was in the habit of writing my name Tom or Thomas Evans before I
went to school for a fortnight in order to learn English； but then
I altered it； into Thomas Edwards； for Evan Edwards was the name of
my father； and I should have been making myself a bastard had I
continued calling myself by my first name。 However； I had the
honour of being secretary to the old poet。 When he had made a song
he would keep it in his memory till I came to him。 Sometimes after
the old man had repeated his composition to me I would begin to
dispute with him； asking whether the thing would not be better
another way； and he could hardly keep from flying into a passion
with me for putting his work to the torture。〃
