The bardic arts of song, poetry and storytelling are a mighty ration of Welsh culture and tradition. And every year in Wales, these arts are commended on a grand scale at the National Eisteddfod, a big week-long festival where musicians, dancers, artists, poets and singers compete through the medium of the Welsh language to win prestigious prizes. In this article we see at the Welsh storytelling tradition, and share some of our favourite Snowdonia myths and legends.
In simpler times, natural phenomena were explained away by the superstitious as magic or miracles, warring dragons or battling giants, or the be active of the 'Tylwyth Teg', or 'Fair Folk'. We may giggle today, but centuries ago it was considered perfectly plausible that a pile of rocks could appear upon a mountainside because a giantess had taken apprehension and dropped the contents of her apron!
In the authenticated tradition of the ancient bards and storytellers, many outdated tales survive to this day, having been passed the length of orally from one generation to the next throughout history. Myth, legend, superstition or fairy story - anything you pick to call the folklore of Snowdonia, there are plenty of long-lasting tales to pick from, each one as colourful as the next. Here are a few of our favourites.
St Twrog's Stone
In the village of Maentwrog, just external Blaenau Ffestiniog, an uncommon boulder stands next-door to the porch in the churchyard. Legend has it that a local giant, Twrog, disgusted by the pagan rituals being carried out in the village, threw a large stone beside from a easy to get to hill which destroyed the unholy altar. His followers progressive erected the church where the boulder had landed.
The Mermaid's Curse
Many hundreds of years ago a action of fishermen caught a mermaid in their nets even though fishing in the Conwy estuary. Ignoring her pleas for freedom, they paraded her through the town until, once a fish, the mermaid started to suffocate on air. As she died, the mermaid cursed the men of Conwy, their wives, their children, and superior generations. She cursed the buildings, well ahead buildings, and vowed that Conwy would worry many drownings, wars, diseases and disasters until the stop of time.
In 1966 Conwy Town Hall, which stood on the spot where the mermaid was said to have died, burned down. Several locals said they heard the mermaid's ghostly laughter as the building burned. The land on which it had stood was higher developed as a library, but within two months of feat it had burned down once again - and in the manner of again, the mermaid's laughter was heard through the flames.
The Sunken Town
In the basin of the valley where Lake Bala (Llyn Tegid in Welsh) lies, there was subsequently a town. This town was inhabited by dishonorable and greedy people, and ruled by a no question cruel and wicked man, who one night held a big party in his palace to celebrate the birth of his first child.
A local harpist was ordered to meet the expense of entertainment at the party. Despite hating the ruler, who ruled the town harshly, the harpist knew it would be definitely dangerous to refuse, consequently reluctantly attended and played for the guests.
As the party progressed the harpist heard a unusual whispering in back him. He turned and maxim a little bluebird which kept repeating the same word higher than and higher than again: "Vengeance! Vengeance!" - at the same get older beckoning the harpist to follow it.
The harpist left the palace and followed the bird going on a hillside, where he slept every night. later he awoke the next morning, he looked the length of at the town and saw that it had disappeared, and in its area was an enormous lake. And there, floating on the surface of the lake, was the pubescent man's harp.
King Arthur in Snowdonia
There are many folk tales placing Arthur, legendary King of the Britons, in Snowdonia. Perhaps the most dramatic of these claims that Arthur fought his last battle in the region, at a pass near Cwm Dyli. taking into consideration Arthur was mortally injured by a compliments of enemy arrows, his men raised a cairn over his body, which yet stands today and is called Carnedd Arthur - Arthur's Cairn - though the mountain pass where the ambush happened is called Bwlch Y Saethau, or Pass of the Arrows.
After Arthur died, his surviving knights entered a cave under the top of Lliwedd and the admittance was unassailable at the back them. This cave is known as Ogof Llanciau Eryri, or Cave of the young Men of Snowdonia. It is said that the knights slumber there still, abundantly armoured and armed, waiting for their king to awaken and fulfil the ancient prophesy that Arthur merely sleeps until Wales is in mortal danger, whereupon he will arise and save his country.
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