By permission of Mrs. Stephens, the valuable and interesting work on the Gododin of Aneurin, left in MS, by the late Thomas Stephens, of Merthyr, author of the Literature of the Kymry, will be published by the Society of Cymmrodorion. It will be issued to the members in two parts, the first of which, “ Historical Introduction," comprising some 150 pages of CYMMRODOR size and type, will be ready in June. “ TWM SION CATTI.". We have been favoured with a transcript of two poems (Cywyddau) by this writer, which we should be glad to publish in an early number, but they are unfortunately not quite complete, the MS. from which they were taken having been eaten away by some rodents, presumably of a poetic bent. The first is headed and opens as follows: “LLYMA VARWNAD LEWYS DU. Gyda r haini gwaed ronwen," etc. It extends to eighty-four lines. The second is a short love poem (" Cywydd Serch"), beginning “Y vun lle r el yn vynych Nid a yn waith ond yn wych." It contains only twenty-eight lines, and ends" Duw or ne mor dryan wyf.” If any of our readers possesses or has access to a copy of one or both of these poems, and will be good enough to send us a transcript, we shall be very thankful. THE EDITOR. The publication of the works of Iolo Goch is suspended for the present to admit of the more speedy issue of Mr. Stephens' Gododin. The compositions, in verse and in prose, left by the bard, have been found to be considerably more numerous than was at first thought, and of these the Editor has received a transcript of about two-thirds, taken from the British Museum MSS. All Literary Communications, Books for Review, and Announcements of Forthcoming Works, should be addressed :"To the Editor of Y CYMMRODOR, 37, Great Queen Street, London, W.C." Cgmmrodorion, LONSDALE CHAMBERS, CHANCERY LANE, W.C. President. Vice-Presidents. G. OSBORNE MORGAN, Q.C., M.P. J. H. PULESTON, Esq., M.P. CAPTAIN E. H. VERNEY, R.N., Rhianva. The Very Rev. the DEAN OF LLANDAFF. H. HUSSEY VIVIAN, Esq., M.P. CHARLES BATH, Esq., Ffynone, Swansea. B. T. WILLIAMS, Esq., Q.C., M.P. RICHARD DAVIES, Esq., M.P. GWILYM WILLIAMS, Esq., Miskin Manor. MORGAN LLOYD, Esq., Q.C., M.P. CHAS, W. WILLIAMS WYNN, Esy. Council. LLOYD, HOWEL W., Esq., M.A., KenBOWEN, J. W., Esq., Q.C., Temple. sington. DAVIES, JOHN, Esq., The Treasury. MORGAN, The Rev. J., M.A., Woburn DAVIES, The Rev. JOHN, M.A., South s Place. Hampstead. MORRIS, LEWIS, Esq., 89, Chancery Lane. DAVIES, WM., Esq., (Mynorydd), Euston OWEN, HUGH, Esq., Lonsdale Chambers. Road. OWEN, Dr. ISAMBÁRD, Gloucester GarDAVIES, W. E., Esq., Old Palace Yard. dens. EDWARDS, JOSEPH, Esq., Robert Street. OWENS, JOHY, Esq., India Office, EVANS, WILLIAM, Esq., Temple. RICHARDS, BRINLEY, Esq., Kensington. HANCOCK, THOS. W., Esq., Wood Green. ROBERTS, H. LLOYD, Esq., Temple. HANCOCK, W.ST. J.H.Esq., Furnival's Inn. RUDLER, F. W., Esq., F.G.S., Museum, JENKINS, R. HENRY, Esq., Abchurch Jermyn Street, Lane. THOMAS, HOWEL, Esq., Local GovernJEREMY, W. D., Esq., Lincoln's Inn. ment Board. JONES, The Rev. EVAN, Welsh Church THOMAS, JOHN, Esq., (Pencerdd Gwalia). JONES, WILLIAM, Esq. (Gwrgant), King's WILLIAMS, J. IGNATIUS, Esq., Temple. Arms Yard. WILLIAMS, Dr. JOHN, Harley Street. LEWIS, DAVID, Esq., Temple. WILLIAMS, T. M., Esq., B.A., Temple. Editor of Transactions. Auditors. E. W. DAVIES, Esq. Bankers. Corresponding Members for North Wales. Mont. The Rev. DAVID HOWELL, B.D., The OWAIN ALAW, Lorne Street, Chester. Vicarage, Wrexham. Corresponding Members for South Wales. Corresponding Members for Liverpool. 1 Street. Professor RHYS. OWEN PARRY, Esq. Who are the Welsh ? By James Bonwick, F.R.G.S. St. Paul in Britain, or the Origin of British as opposed to Papal Christianity. By the Rev. R. W. Morgan Glossae Hibernicae e codicibus Wirziburgensi Carolisruhensibus Y Cymmrodor. OCTOBER 1881. WELSH FAIRY TALES. BY PROFESSOR RHYS. The main object the writer of this paper has in view, is to place on record all the matter he can find on the subject of the lake legends of Wales: what he may have to say of them is merely by the way and sporadic, and he would feel well paid for his trouble if the present collection should stimulate others to communicate to the public bits of similar legends, which, it may be, still linger unrecorded among the mountains of the Principality. For it should be clearly understood that all such things bear on the history of the Celts of Wales, as the history of no people can be said to have been written so long as its superstitions and beliefs in past times have not been studied; and those who may think that the legends here recorded are childish and frivolous, may rest assured that they bear on questions which themselves could be called neither childish nor frivolous. So, however silly they may think a legend, let them communicate it to somebody who will place it on record; they will then, probably, find out that it has more meaning and interest than they had anticipated. 1. THE MYDDVAI LEGEND_LITTLE VAN LAKE. I find it best to begin by reproducing a story which has already been recorded; this I think desirable on account of VOL. IV. N |
