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Wine to the feeble and the sick；
The third； till time shall be no more；
Mingled with gold shall silver pour。〃
〃Nice pennillion； sir； I daresay；〃 said my guide； 〃provided a
person could understand them。 What's meant by all this mead； wine；
gold； and silver？〃
〃Why；〃 said I； 〃the bard meant to say that Plynlimmon； by means of
its three channels； sends blessings and wealth in three different
directions to distant places； and that the person whom he came to
visit； and who lived on Plynlimmon； distributed his bounty in three
different ways； giving mead to thousands at his banquets； wine from
the vineyards of Gascony to the sick and feeble of the
neighbourhood； and gold and silver to those who were willing to be
tipped； amongst whom no doubt was himself； as poets have never been
above receiving a present。〃
〃Nor above asking for one； your honour； there's a prydydd in this
neighbourhood who will never lose a shilling for want of asking for
it。 Now； sir； have the kindness to tell me the name of the man who
made those pennillion。〃
〃Lewis Glyn Cothi；〃 said I； 〃at least； it was he who made the
pennillion from which those verses are translated。〃
〃And what was the name of the gentleman whom he came to visit？〃
〃His name；〃 said I； 〃was Dafydd ab Thomas Vychan。〃
〃And where did he live？〃
〃Why； I believe； he lived at the castle； which you told me once
stood on the spot which you pointed out as we came up。 At any
rate； he lived somewhere upon Plynlimmon。〃
〃I wish there was some rich gentleman at present living on
Plynlimmon；〃 said my guide； 〃one of that sort is much wanted。〃
〃You can't have everything at the same time；〃 said I； 〃formerly you
had a chieftain who gave away wine and mead； and occasionally a bit
of gold or silver； but then no travellers and tourists came to see
the wonders of the hills； for at that time nobody cared anything
about hills； at present you have no chieftain； but plenty of
visitors； who come to see the hills and the sources； and scatter
plenty of gold about the neighbourhood。〃
We now bent our steps homeward； bearing slightly to the north；
going over hills and dales covered with gorse and ling。 My guide
walked with a calm and deliberate gait； yet I had considerable
difficulty in keeping up with him。 There was； however； nothing
surprising in this； he was a shepherd walking on his own hill； and
having first…rate wind； and knowing every inch of the ground； made
great way without seeming to be in the slightest hurry： I would
not advise a road…walker； even if he be a first…rate one； to
attempt to compete with a shepherd on his own； or indeed any hill；
should he do so； the conceit would soon be taken out of him。
After a little time we saw a rivulet running from the west。
〃This ffrwd；〃 said my guide； 〃is called Frennig。 It here divides
shire Trefaldwyn from Cardiganshire； one in North and the other in
South Wales。〃
Shortly afterwards we came to a hillock of rather a singular shape。
〃This place； sir；〃 said he； 〃is called Eisteddfa。〃
〃Why is it called so？〃 said I。 〃Eisteddfa means the place where
people sit down。〃
〃It does so；〃 said the guide； 〃and it is called the place of
sitting because three men from different quarters of the world once
met here； and one proposed that they should sit down。〃
〃And did they？〃 said I。
〃They did； sir； and when they had sat down they told each other
their histories。〃
〃I should be glad to know what their histories were；〃 said I。
〃I can't exactly tell you what they were； but I have heard say that
there was a great deal in them about the Tylwyth Teg or fairies。〃
〃Do you believe in fairies？〃 said I。
〃I do； sir； but they are very seldom seen； and when they are they
do no harm to anybody。 I only wish there were as few corpse…
candles as there are Tylwith Teg； and that they did as little
harm。〃
〃They foreshow people's deaths； don't they？〃 said I。
〃They do； sir； but that's not all the harm they do。 They are very
dangerous for anybody to meet with。 If they come bump up against
you when you are walking carelessly it's generally all over with
you in this world。 I'll give you an example： A man returning from
market from Llan Eglos to Llan Curig； not far from Plynlimmon； was
struck down dead as a horse not long ago by a corpse…candle。 It
was a rainy； windy night； and the wind and rain were blowing in his
face； so that he could not see it； or get out of its way。 And yet
the candle was not abroad on purpose to kill the man。 The business
that it was about was to prognosticate the death of a woman who
lived near the spot； and whose husband dealt in wool … poor thing！
she was dead and buried in less than a fortnight。 Ah； master； I
wish that corpse…candles were as few and as little dangerous as the
Tylwith Teg or fairies。〃
We returned to the inn； where I settled with the honest fellow；
adding a trifle to what I had agreed to give him。 Then sitting
down； I called for a large measure of ale； and invited him to
partake of it。 He accepted my offer with many thanks and bows； and
as we sat and drank our ale we had a great deal of discourse about
the places we had visited。 The ale being finished； I got up and
said：
〃I must now be off for the Devil's Bridge！〃
Whereupon he also arose； and offering me his hand； said：
〃Farewell； master； I shall never forget you。 Were all the
gentlefolks who come here to see the sources like you； we should
indeed feel no want in these hills of such a gentleman as is spoken
of in the pennillion。〃
The sun was going down as I left the inn。 I recrossed the
streamlet by means of the pole and rail。 The water was running
with much less violence than in the morning； and was considerably
lower。 The evening was calm and beautifully cool； with a slight
tendency to frost。 I walked along with a bounding and elastic
step； and never remember to have felt more happy and cheerful。
I reached the hospice at about six o'clock； a bright moon shining
upon me； and found a capital supper awaiting me； which I enjoyed
exceedingly。
How one enjoys one's supper at one's inn after a good day's walk；
provided one has the proud and glorious consciousness of being able
to pay one's reckoning on the morrow！
CHAPTER LXXXIX
A Morning View … Hafod Ychdryd … The Monument … Fairy…looking Place
… Edward Lhuyd。
THE morning of the sixth was bright and glorious。 As I looked from
the window of the upper sitting…room of the hospice the scene which
presented itself was wild and beautiful to a degree。 The oak…
covered tops of the volcanic crater were gilded with the brightest
sunshine； whilst the eastern sides remained in dark shade and the
gap or narrow entrance to the north in shadow yet darker； in the
midst of which shone the silver of the Rheidol cataract。 Should I
live a hundred years I shall never forget the wild fantastic beauty
of that morning scene。
I left the friendly hospice at about nine o'clock to pursue my
southern journey。 By this time the morning had lost much of its
beauty； and the dull grey sky characteristic of Novembe