Welsh Folk Tales
Page 22
The Ox of Eynonsford Farm
Radford, Tales of South Wales, 78–80.
Ceffyl Dŵr
Owen, Welsh Folk-Lore, 138–41.
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 65–66.
The Horse that Dropped Gold
Sampson, John, ‘Welsh Gypsy Folk Tales, No. 26’, in Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society, Vol. IV (1925), No. 3, 99–103.
The King’s Secret
Rhys, Celtic Folklore, 231–34.
Stevenson, Peter, ‘Retracing Wales’, in Planet 208, 68–79 (Aberystwyth: Planet, 2012).
The Undertaker’s Horse
Oral tale from John Beynon, Kimley Moor Farm, Rhosilli, Gower, heard from Ernest Richards and recorded in Jacob Whittaker’s film From Bard to Verse.
The Boar Hunt
Thomas, Gwyn, and Kevin Crossley-Holland, The Quest for Olwen (Cambridge: Lutterworth Press, 1988) 54–9.
From the telling of Michael Harvey.
Chapter 14 – Eagles, Owls and Seagulls
The King of the Birds
Shepard-Jones, Elisabeth, Welsh Legendary Tales (London: Nelson, 1959) 59.
The Ancient Animals
Emerson, Welsh Fairy-Tales, 47 (as ‘The Long Lived Ancestors’).
Williams, Taliesin, Iolo Manuscripts (Llandovery: William Rees, 1848) 601.
From the telling of Cath Little.
Shemi Wâd and the Seagulls
Medlicott, Shemi’s Tall Tales, ‘The Stale Currant Bun’, 17–27.
Iolo’s Fables
Thomas, The Welsh Fairy Book, 304.
Williams, Iolo Manuscripts, 560, 565, 567 & 568.
Why the Robin’s Breast is Red
Oral tale.
Chapter 15 – Dragons, Hairy Things and an Elephant
The Red and White Dragons
‘Lludd and Llefelys’, in The Mabinogion (see Chapter 1).
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 165–66.
Serpents, Carrogs, Vipers and Gwibers
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 166–69.
The Welsh Yeti
Radford, Tales of North Wales, 50–51.
The Wiston Basilisk
Ross, Folklore of Wales, 51.
Shaggy Elephant Tales
Oral tale.
Stevenson, Ceredigion Folk Tales, 170–75.
Chapter 16 – Saints, Wishes and Cursing Wells
The Shee Well that Ran Away
Oral tale.
St Dwynwen
Stevens, Catrin, Santes Dwynwen (Llandysul: Gomer, 2005).
Dwynwen’s Well
Radford, Tales of North Wales, 72–73.
St Melangell
Ross, Folklore of Wales, 146–47.
St Eilian’s Cursing Well
Suggett, The History of Magic and Witchcraft in Wales, 116–33.
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 15–16.
Chapter 17 – Giants, Beards and Cannibals
Cynog and the Cewri
Grooms, Chris, The Giants of Wales/Cewri Cymru (Lampeter: Edwin Mellen Press, 1993) 85–87.
Jones, T. Gwyn, Welsh Folklore & Folk Customs (London: Methuen, 1930) 77–80.
The Man with Green Weeds in His Hair
Grooms, Cewri Cymru, 187–89.
Thomas, The Welsh Fairy Book, 210–11.
The King of the Beards
Grooms, Cewri Cymru, 214–18.
Jones, Welsh Legends and Folk-Tales, 138–45.
The One-Eyed Giant of Rhymney
Gwyndaf, Welsh Folk Tales/Chwedlau Gwerin Cymru, 92.
Chapter 18 – Miners, Coal and a Rat
The Coal Giant
Grooms, Cewri Cymru, 93–95.
Dic Penderyn
Radford, Tales of South Wales, 37–38.
The Treorchy Leadbelly
Lomax, Alan, Cultural Equity Online Archive: http://www.culturalequity.org/
The Rat with False Teeth
‘Welsh Coal Mines’, from Paul, Neath, 4 April 2013, http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/index.html.
Siôn y Gof
Gwyndaf, Chwedlau Gwerin Cymraeg, 62.
Stevenson, Peter, and Alison Lochhead, ‘The World Turned Inside Out’, in Planet 213, 22–31 (Aberystwyth: Planet, 2014).
The Hole
Oral tale.
The Penrhyn Strike
Oral version of history, and family tale.
The Wolf
Oral tale.
Chapter 19 – Homes, Farms and Mice
The Lady of Ogmore
Morgan, Alun, Legends of Porthcawl and the Glamorgan Coast (Glamorgan: D. Brown, 1974) 28–32.
The House with the Front Door at the Back
Rhys, Celtic Folklore. Told by Evan Williams, a smith from Rhoshirwaun.
The Cow on the Roof
Jones, Welsh Folklore & Folk Custom, 229–31 (‘as told by a Denbighshire teamsman’).
Manawydan Hangs a Mouse
Extract from Third Branch of Y Mabinogi (see Chapter 1).
The Muck Heap
Told by Kate Davies of Pren-gwyn to Robin Gwyndaf in 1973. National Museum of Wales, tape MWL 3892.
Chapter 20 – Courtship, Love and Marriage
The Maid of Cefn Ydfa
Morgan, Legends of Porthcawl, 15.
Morgan, Thomas, The Cupid (David Griffiths, 1869).
Rhys and Meinir
Oral tale.
Nant Gwrtheyrn: http://www.nantgwrtheyrn.org/cy
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 397.
The Odd Couple
Oral tale.
The Wish
Oral tale.
Chapter 21 – Fiddlers, Harpers and Pipers
The Gypsy Fiddler
Jarman, Eldra, and A.O.H. Jarman, Y Sipsiwn Cymraeg (Cardiff: University of Wales, 1979).
Roberts, Ernest, With Harp Fiddle and Folk Tale (Denbigh: Gee & Son, 1981).
Ffarwel Ned Puw
Sikes, British Goblins, 99–100.
Dic the Fiddler
Roberts, Hilda A.E., Legends and Folk Lore of North Wales (London: Collins, 1931) 65–67.
Morgan the Harper
Sheppard-Jones, Welsh Legendary Tales, 25–28.
The Harpers of Bala
Jones, Welsh Legends and Folk-Tales, 231–34.
Rhys, Celtic Folklore, 149–50.
Chapter 22 – Romani, Dancers and Cinder-Girl
Black Ellen
Jarman & Jarman, Y Sipsiwn Cymraeg.
Roberts, With Harp Fiddle and Folktale.
Sampson, John, XXI Welsh Gypsy Folk-Tales (Newtown: Gregynog Press, 1933).
Cinder-Girl
Sampson, John, ‘Welsh Gypsy Folk-Tales, No. 18 – The Little Slut’, in Journal of Gypsy Lore Society, Vol. 2, No. 3 (1923) 99–110.
The Dancing Girl from Prestatyn
Romany Valley Stream Project: http://www.valleystream.co.uk/
Fallen Snow
Sampson, John, Welsh Gypsy Folk-Tales, No. 34 – Fallen Snow’ in Journal of Gypsy Lore Society, Vol. 6, No. 3 (1927), 97–101.
Chapter 23 – Settlers, Travellers and Tourists
Madoc and the Moon-Eyed People
Oral tale in North Carolina, 2015.
Wil Cefn Goch
Phillips, The Lovers’ Graves, 56–70.
Malacara
Oral tale in Ohio, 2015.
The Texan Cattle Farmer
Oral tale.
Chapter 24 – Trains, Tramps and Roads
The Old Man of Pencader
Gerald, The Description of Wales, 274.
The Tales of Thomas Phillips, Stationmaster
Phillips, Thomas, Railroad Humours, or Stories of Railway Travel (Carmarthen: W.M. Evans & Son, 1925).
The Wily Old Welshman
Radford, Tales of South Wales, 53–55.
Dic Aberdaron
Gwyndaf, Chwedlau Gwerin Cymru, 40.
Oral tale.
Sarn Elen
From the telling of F
iona Collins.
‘The Dream of Macsen Wledig’, in The Mabinogion (see Chapter 1).
Jenkins, D.E., Bedd Gelert, its Facts, Fairies and Folk-lore (Porthmadog: Llewelyn Jenkins, 1899) 144–46.
Chapter 25 – Stones, Caves and Ferns
The Giantess’s Apron-Full
Emerson, Welsh Fairy-Tales, 50.
The Stonewaller
Austin, Haunted Anglesey, 161–63.
The Scarecrow
Oral tale.
Owain Lawgoch
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 135–38.
Williams, in T. Crofton Croker, Irish Legends, 266–72.
Aladdin’s Cave, Aberystwyth
Oral tales.
Sandys, Oliver, Caradoc Evans (London: Hurst & Blackett, n.d.).
The Ferny Man
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 89–90.
Chapter 26 – Dentists, Cockle Women and Onion Men
Don’t Buy a Woodcock by its Beak
Owen, Daniel, Fireside Tales (Talybont: Brown Cow/Lolfa, 2011).
Translation of Straeon y Pentan, 1895.
Wil the Mill
Gwynn, Cyril, Gower Yarns (Parkmill: the Author, 1928) 45–46.
Oral tale told by Arwel John, blacksmith at Parkmill Heritage Centre.
The Penclawdd Cockle Women
Jenkins, J. Geraint, Cockles and Mussels, Aspects of Shellfish-gathering in Wales (Cardiff: Welsh Folk Museum, 1984).
Radford, Tales of South Wales, 124–27.
Sioni Onions
Griffiths, Gwyn, The Last of the Onion Men (Llanrwst: Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 2002).
Oral tale.
The Hangman who Hanged Himself
Rowe, David, The A to Z of Curious Flintshire (Stroud: The History Press, 2015), as told by Buckley ‘mon’ Jim Bentley.
Chapter 27 – Sea, Smugglers and Seventh Waves
The Ring in the Fish
Jones, Welsh Folklore and Folk Custom, 233–34.
Jemima Fawr and the Black Legion
Gwyndaf, Chwedlau Gwerin Cymru, 80.
Radford, Tales of South Wales, 65–66.
Walter and the Wreckers
Morgan, Legends of Porthcawl, 31–34.
Radford, Tales of South Wales, 33–36.
Potato Jones
Swansea Pictorial History: http://acs-swansea.no-ip.org/sph/sphloginpage.php
The Kings of Bardsey
Oral tales.
Stevenson, ‘Retracing Wales’, Planet 208, 68–79.
Chapter 28 – Rogues, Tricksters and Folk Heroes
Myra, Rebecca and the Mari Lwyd
Evans, Myra, Atgofion Ceinewydd (Aberystwyth: Cwmdeithas Llyfrau Ceredigion Gyf, 1961) 23–26.
Evans, Myra, papers in private collection.
Oral tales.
Stevenson, ‘The World Turned Upside Down’, in Planet 215, 43–55 (Aberystwyth: Planet, 2014).
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 31–33.
Twm Siôn Cati
From the telling of Dafydd Wyn Morgan.
Isaac, Margaret Rose, The Tale of Twm Siôn Cati (Caerleon, Apecs Press, 2005)
Radford, Tales of South Wales, 22–26.
The Red Bandits of Dinas Mawddwy
Gwyndaf, Chwedlau Gwerin Cymru, 57.
Murray the Hump
From the telling of Phil Okwedy.
The Man Who Never Was
Macintyre, Ben, Operation Mincemeat (London: Bloomsbury, 2010).
Chapter 29 – Swans, Wolves and Transformations
Cadwaladr and the Goat
Jones, Welsh Legends and Folk-Tales, 242–45.
Sikes, British Goblins, 53–55.
Swan Ladies
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 297–99.
Snake-Women
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 302–303.
Frog Woman and Toad Man
Gerald, The Journey Through Wales, 169–70.
Kilvert, Francis, Kilvert’s Diary (London: Jonathan Cape, 1938–40) 137.
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 303–304.
Werewolves and Wolf-Girl
Collins, Fiona, Wrexham County Folk Tales (Stroud: History Press, 2014) 90–93.
Trevelyan, Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales, 295–96.
Williams, Nigel, ‘Marie Trevelyan, an authoress with three names’, in Llantwit Major: Aspects of its History, Vol. 8 (Llantwit Major: Local History Society, 2008).
Chapter 30 – Blodeuwedd, Flower and Owl
‘Fourth Branch of Y Mabinogi’ (see Chapter 1).
The History Press Folk Tales
Collins, Fiona, Denbighshire Folk Tales (Stroud: The History Press, 2011).
Collins, Fiona, Wrexham County Folk Tales (Stroud: The History Press, 2014).
Maddern, Eric, Snowdonia Folk Tales (Stroud: The History Press, 2015).
Stevenson, Peter, Ceredigion Folk Tales (Stroud: The History Press, 2014).
Willison, Christine, Pembrokeshire Folk Tales (Stroud: The History Press, 2013).
DIOLCH O GALON
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales.
Amgueddfa Cymru / The National Museum of Wales.
Beyond the Border International Storytelling Festival.
The editors and publishers at The History Press.
Librarians, archivists, and local historians.
Folklorists, antiquarian vicars, and diarists.
Stonewallers, artists, and blacksmiths.
Dreamers, visionaries, and rebels.
Travellers of the Old Welsh Tramping Road.
Fiddlers who find fairy money in their pockets.
Harpers who fall asleep in swamps.
Songbirds who whisper in the ears of lovers.
Elephants who vanish leaving only stories behind.
Those who heard a story yesterday.
And those who will tell a tale tomorrow.
Society for Storytelling
Since 1993, the Society for Storytelling has championed the art of oral storytelling and the benefits it can provide – such as improving memory more than rote learning, promoting healing by stimulating the release of neuropeptides, or simply great entertainment! Storytellers, enthusiasts and academics support and are supported by this registered charity to ensure the art is nurtured and developed throughout the UK.
Many activities of the Society are available to all, such as locating storytellers on the Society website, taking part in our annual National Storytelling Week at the start of every February, purchasing our quarterly magazine Storylines, or attending our Annual Gathering – a chance to revel in engaging performances, inspiring workshops, and the company of like-minded people.
You can also become a member of the Society to support the work we do. In return, you receive free access to Storylines, discounted tickets to the Annual Gathering and other storytelling events, the opportunity to join our mentorship scheme for new storytellers, and more. Among our great deals for members is a 30% discount off titles in the Folk Tales series from The History Press website.
For more information, including how to join, please visit
www.sfs.org.uk