wild wales-第8节

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Wales。〃　　I　repeated　the　question　in　Welsh。

〃Cefn　Bach；〃　she　replied　…　which　signifies　the　little　ridge。

〃Diolch　iti；〃　I　replied；　and　proceeded　on　my　way。

I　was　now　in　a　wild　valley　…　enormous　hills　were　on　my　right。　　The　
road　was　good；　and　above　it；　in　the　side　of　a　steep　bank；　was　a　
causeway　intended　for　foot　passengers。　　It　was　overhung　with　hazel　
bushes。　　I　walked　along　it　to　its　termination　which　was　at　
Llangollen。　　I　found　my　wife　and　daughter　at　the　principal　inn。　　
They　had　already　taken　a　house。　　We　dined　together　at　the　inn；　
during　the　dinner　we　had　music；　for　a　Welsh　harper　stationed　in　the　
passage　played　upon　his　instrument　〃Codiad　yr　ehedydd。〃　　〃Of　a　
surety；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　in　Wales！〃



CHAPTER　VI



Llangollen　…　Wyn　Ab　Nudd　…　The　Dee　…　Dinas　Bran。


THE　northern　side　of　the　vale　of　Llangollen　is　formed　by　certain　
enormous　rocks　called　the　Eglwysig　rocks；　which　extend　from　east　to　
west；　a　distance　of　about　two　miles。　　The　southern　side　is　formed　
by　the　Berwyn　hills。　　The　valley　is　intersected　by　the　River　Dee；　
the　origin　of　which　is　a　deep　lake　near　Bala；　about　twenty　miles　to　
the　west。　　Between　the　Dee　and　the　Eglwysig　rises　a　lofty　hill；　on　
the　top　of　which　are　the　ruins　of　Dinas　Bran；　which　bear　no　slight　
resemblance　to　a　crown。　　The　upper　part　of　the　hill　is　bare　with　
the　exception　of　what　is　covered　by　the　ruins；　on　the　lower　part　
there　are　inclosures　and　trees；　with；　here　and　there；　a　grove　or　
farm…house。　　On　the　other　side　of　the　valley；　to　the　east　of　
Llangollen；　is　a　hill　called　Pen　y　Coed；　beautifully　covered　with　
trees　of　various　kinds；　it　stands　between　the　river　and　the　Berwyn；　
even　as　the　hill　of　Dinas　Bran　stands　between　the　river　and　the　
Eglwysig　rocks　…　it　does　not；　however；　confront　Dinas　Bran；　which　
stands　more　to　the　west。

Llangollen　is　a　small　town　or　large　village　of　white　houses　with　
slate　roofs；　it　contains　about　two　thousand　inhabitants；　and　is　
situated　principally　on　the　southern　side　of　the　Dee。　　At　its　
western　end　it　has　an　ancient　bridge　and　a　modest　unpretending　
church　nearly　in　its　centre；　in　the　chancel　of　which　rest　the　
mortal　remains　of　an　old　bard　called　Gryffydd　Hiraethog。　　From　some　
of　the　houses　on　the　southern　side　there　is　a　noble　view　…　Dinas　
Bran　and　its　mighty　hill　forming　the　principal　objects。　　The　view　
from　the　northern　part　of　the　town；　which　is　indeed　little　more　
than　a　suburb；　is　not　quite　so　grand；　but　is　nevertheless　highly　
interesting。　　The　eastern　entrance　of　the　vale　of　Llangollen　is　
much　wider　than　the　western；　which　is　overhung　by　bulky　hills。　　
There　are　many　pleasant　villas　on　both　sides　of　the　river；　some　of　
which　stand　a　considerable　way　up　the　hill；　of　the　villas　the　most　
noted　is　Plas　Newydd　at　the　foot　of　the　Berwyn；　built　by　two　Irish　
ladies　of　high　rank；　who　resided　in　it　for　nearly　half　a　century；　
and　were　celebrated　throughout　Europe　by　the　name　of　the　Ladies　of　
Llangollen。

The　view　of　the　hill　of　Dinas　Bran；　from　the　southern　side　of　
Llangollen；　would　be　much　more　complete　were　it　not　for　a　bulky　
excrescence；　towards　its　base；　which　prevents　the　gazer　from　
obtaining　a　complete　view。　　The　name　of　Llangollen　signifies　the　
church　of　Collen；　and　the　vale　and　village　take　their　name　from　the　
church；　which　was　originally　dedicated　to　Saint　Collen；　though　
some；　especially　the　neighbouring　peasantry；　suppose　that　
Llangollen　is　a　compound　of　Llan；　a　church；　and　Collen；　a　hazel…
wood；　and　that　the　church　was　called　the　church　of　the　hazel…wood　
from　the　number　of　hazels　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Collen；　according　
to　a　legendary　life；　which　exists　of　him　in　Welsh；　was　a　Briton　by　
birth；　and　of　illustrious　ancestry。　　He　served　for　some　time　abroad　
as　a　soldier　against　Julian　the　Apostate；　and　slew　a　Pagan　champion　
who　challenged　the　best　man　amongst　the　Christians。　　Returning　to　
his　own　country　he　devoted　himself　to　religion；　and　became　Abbot　of　
Glastonbury；　but　subsequently　retired　to　a　cave　on　the　side　of　a　
mountain；　where　he　lived　a　life　of　great　austerity。　　Once　as　he　was　
lying　in　his　cell　he　heard　two　men　out　abroad　discoursing　about　Wyn　
Ab　Nudd；　and　saying　that　he　was　king　of　the　Tylwyth　or　Teg　Fairies；　
and　lord　of　Unknown；　whereupon　Collen　thrusting　his　head　out　of　his　
cave　told　them　to　hold　their　tongues；　for　that　Wyn　Ab　Nudd　and　his　
host　were　merely　devils。　　At　dead　of　night　he　heard　a　knocking　at　
the　door；　and　on　his　asking　who　was　there；　a　voice　said：　　〃I　am　a　
messenger　from　Wyn　Ab　Nudd；　king　of　Unknown；　and　I　am　come　to　
summon　thee　to　appear　before　my　master　to…morrow；　at　mid…day；　on　
the　top　of　the　hill。〃

Collen　did　not　go　…　the　next　night　there　was　the　same　knocking　and　
the　same　message。　　Still　Collen　did　not　go。　　The　third　night　the　
messenger　came　again　and　repeated　his　summons；　adding　that　if　he　
did　not　go　it　would　be　the　worse　for　him。　　The　next　day　Collen　made　
some　holy　water；　put　it　into　a　pitcher　and　repaired　to　the　top　of　
the　hill；　where　he　saw　a　wonderfully　fine　castle；　attendants　in　
magnificent　liveries；　youths　and　damsels　dancing　with　nimble　feet；　
and　a　man　of　honourable　presence　before　the　gate；　who　told　him　that　
the　king　was　expecting　him　to　dinner。　　Collen　followed　the　man　into　
the　castle；　and　beheld　the　king　on　a　throne　of　gold；　and　a　table　
magnificently　spread　before　him。　　The　king　welcomed　Collen；　and　
begged　him　to　taste　of　the　dainties　on　the　table；　adding　that　he　
hoped　that　in　future　he　would　reside　with　him。　　〃I　will　not　eat　of　
the　leaves　of　the　forest；〃　said　Collen。

〃Did　you　ever　see　men　better　dressed？〃　said　the　king；　〃than　my　
attendants　here　in　red　and　blue？〃

〃Their　dress　is　good　enough；〃　said　Collen；　〃considering　what　kind　
of　dress　it　is。〃

〃What　kind　of　dress　is　it？〃　said　the　king。

Collen　replied：　　〃The　red　on　the　one　side　denotes　burning；　and　the　
blue　on　the　other　side　denotes　freezing。〃　　Then　drawing　forth　his　
sprinkler；　he　flung　the　holy　water　in　the　faces　of　the　king　and　his　
people；　whereupon　the　whole　vision　disappeared；　so　that　there　was　
neither　castle　nor　attendants；　nor　youth　nor　damsel；　nor　musician　
with　his　music；　nor　banquet；　nor　anything　to　be　seen　save　the　green　
bushes。

The　valley　of　the　Dee；　of　which　the　Llangollen　district　forms　part；　
is　called　in　the　British　tongue　Glyndyfrdwy　…　that　is；　the　valley　
of　the　Dwy　or　Dee。　　The　celebrated　Welsh　chieftain；　generally　known　
as　Owen　Glendower；　was　surnamed　after　this　valley；　the　whole　of　
which　belonged　to　him；　and　in　which　he　had　two　or　three　places　of　
strength；　though　his　general　abode　was　a　castle　in　Sycharth；　a　
valley　to　the　south…east　of　the　Berwyn；　and　distant　about　twelve　
miles　from　Llangollen。

Connected　with　the　Dee　there　is　a　wonderful　Druidical　legend　to　the　
following　effect。　　The　Dee　springs　from　two　fountains；　high　up　in　
Merionethshire；　called　Dwy　Fawr　and　Dwy　Fach；　or　the　great　and　
little　Dwy；　whose　waters　pass　through　those　of　the　lake　of　Bala　
without　mingling　with　them；　and　come　out　at　its　northern　extremity。　　
These　fountains　had　their　names　from　two　individuals；　Dwy　Fawr　and　
Dwy　Fach；　who　escaped　from　the　Deluge；　when　all　the　rest　of　the　
human　race　were　drowned；　and　the　passing　of　the　waters　of　the　two　
fountains　through　the　lake；　without　being　confounded　with　its　
flood；　is　emblematic　of　the　salvation　of　the　two　individuals　from　
the　Deluge；　of　which　the　lake　is　a　type。

Dinas　Bran；　which　crowns　the　top　of　the　mighty　hill　on　the　northern　
side　of　the　valley；　is　a　ruined　stronghold　of　unknown　antiquity。　　
The　name　is　generally　supposed　to　signify　Crow　Castle；　bran　being　
the　British　word　for　crow；　and　flocks　of　crows　being　frequently　
seen　hovering　over　it。　　It　may；　however；　mean　the　castle　of　Bran　or　
Brennus；　or　the　castle　above　the　Bran；　a　brook　which　flows　at　its　
foot。

Dinas　Bran　was　a　place　quite　impregnable　in　the　old　time；　and　
served　as　a　retreat　to　Gruffydd；　son　of　Madawg　from　the　rage　of　his　
countrymen；　who　were　incensed　against　him　because；　having　married　
Emma；　the　daughter　of　James　Lord　Audley；　he　had；　at　the　instigation　
of　his　wife　and　father…in…law；　sided　with　Edward　the　First　against　
his　own　native　sovereign。　　But　though　it　could　shield　him　from　his　
foes；　it　could　not　preserve　him　from　remorse　and　the　stings　of　
conscience；　of　which　he　speedily　died。

At　present　the　place　consists　only　of　a　few　ruined　walls；　and　
probably　consisted　of　little　more　two　or　three　hundred　years　ago：　　
Roger　Cyffyn　a　Welsh　bard；　who　flourished　at　the　beginning　of　the　
seventeenth　century；　wrote　an　englyn　upon　it；　of　which　the　
following　is　a　translation：…


〃Gone；　gone　are　thy　gates；　Dinas　Bran　on　the　height！
Thy　warders　are　blood…crows　and　ravens；　I　trow；
Now　no　one　will　wend　from　the　field　of　the　fight
To　the　fortress　on　high；　save　the　raven　and　crow。〃



CHAPTER　VII



Poor　Black　Cat　…　Dissenters　…　Persecution　…　What　Impudence！


THE　house　or　cottage；　for　it　was　called　a　cottage　though　it　
consisted　of　two　stories；　in　which　my　wife　had　procured　lodgings　
for　us；　was　situated　in　the　Northern　suburb。　　Its　front　was　towards　
a　large　perllan　or　orchard；　which　sloped　down　gently　to　the　ba