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〃These houses； sir；〃 said she； 〃are called Tai Hirion Mignaint。
Look over that door and you will see T。 H。 which letters stand for
Tai Hirion。 Mignaint is the name of the place where they stand。〃
I looked； and upon a stone which formed the lintel of the
middlemost door I read 〃T。 H 1630。〃
The words Tai Hirion it will be as well to say signify the long
houses。
I looked long and steadfastly at the inscription； my mind full of
thoughts of the past。
〃Many a year has rolled by since these houses were built；〃 said I；
as I sat down on a stepping…stone。
〃Many indeed； sir；〃 said the woman； 〃and many a strange thing has
happened。〃
〃Did you ever hear of one Oliver Cromwell？〃 said I。
〃Oh； yes； sir； and of King Charles too。 The men of both have been
in this yard and have baited their horses； aye； and have mounted
their horses from the stone on which you sit。〃
〃I suppose they were hardly here together？〃 said I。
〃No； no； sir；〃 said the woman； 〃they were bloody enemies； and could
never set their horses together。〃
〃Are these long houses；〃 said I； 〃inhabited by different families？〃
〃Only by one； sir； they make now one farm…house。〃
〃Are you the mistress of it；〃 said I。
〃I am； sir； and my husband is the master。 Can I bring you
anything； sir？〃
〃Some water；〃 said I； 〃for I am thirsty； though I drank under the
old bridge。〃
The good woman brought me a basin of delicious milk and water。
〃What are the names of the two bridges；〃 said I； 〃a little way from
here？〃
〃They are called； sir； the old and new bridge of Tai Hirion； at
least we call them so。〃
〃And what do you call the ffrwd that runs beneath them？〃
〃I believe； sir； it is called the river Twerin。〃
〃Do you know a lake far up there amidst the moors？〃
〃I have seen it； sir； they call it Llyn Twerin。〃
〃Does the river Twerin flow from it？〃
〃I believe it does； sir； but I do not know。〃
〃Is the lake deep？〃
〃I have heard that it is very deep； sir； so much so that nobody
knows it's depth。〃
〃Are there fish in it？〃
〃Digon； sir； digon iawn； and some very large。 I once saw a Pen…
hwyad from that lake which weighed fifty pounds。〃
After a little farther conversation I got up； and thanking the kind
woman departed。 I soon left the moors behind me and continued
walking till I came to a few houses on the margin of a meadow or
fen in a valley through which the way trended to the east。 They
were almost overshadowed by an enormous mountain which rose beyond
the fen on the south。 Seeing a house which bore a sign； and at the
door of which a horse stood tied； I went in； and a woman coming to
meet me in a kind of passage； I asked her if I could have some ale。
〃Of the best； sir；〃 she replied； and conducted me down the passage
into a neat room； partly kitchen； partly parlour； the window of
which looked out upon the fen。 A rustic…looking man sat smoking at
a table with a jug of ale before him。 I sat down near him； and the
good woman brought me a similar jug of ale； which on tasting I
found excellent。 My spirits which had been for some time very
flagging presently revived； and I entered into conversation with my
companion at the table。 From him I learned that he was a farmer of
the neighbourhood； that the horse tied before the door belonged to
him； that the present times were very bad for the producers of
grain； with very slight likelihood of improvement； that the place
at which we were was called Rhyd y fen； or the ford across the fen；
that it was just half way between Festiniog and Bala； that the
clergyman of the parish was called Mr Pughe； a good kind of man；
but very purblind in a spiritual sense； and finally that there was
no safe religion in the world； save that of the Calvinistic…
Methodists； to which my companion belonged。
Having finished my ale I paid for it； and leaving the Calvinistic
farmer still smoking； I departed from Rhyd y fen。 On I went along
the valley； the enormous hill on my right； a moel of about half its
height on my left； and a tall hill bounding the prospect in the
east； the direction in which I was going。 After a little time；
meeting two women； I asked them the name of the mountain to the
south。
〃Arenig Vawr；〃 they replied； or something like it。
Presently meeting four men I put the same question to the foremost；
a stout； burly； intelligent…looking fellow； of about fifty。 He
gave me the same name as the women。 I asked if anybody lived upon
it。
〃No；〃 said he； 〃too cold for man。〃
〃Fox？〃 said I。
〃No！ too cold for fox。〃
〃Crow？〃 said I。
〃No； too cold for crow； crow would be starved upon it。〃 He then
looked me in the face； expecting probably that I should smile。
I； however； looked at him with all the gravity of a judge；
whereupon he also observed the gravity of a judge； and we continued
looking at each other with all the gravity of judges till we both
simultaneously turned away； he followed by his companions going his
path； and I going mine。
I subsequently remembered that Arenig is mentioned in a Welsh poem；
though in anything but a flattering and advantageous manner。 The
writer calls it Arenig ddiffaith or barren Arenig； and says that it
intercepts from him the view of his native land。 Arenig is
certainly barren enough； for there is neither tree nor shrub upon
it； but there is something majestic in its huge bulk。 Of all the
hills which I saw in Wales none made a greater impression upon me。
Towards evening I arrived at a very small and pretty village in the
middle of which was a tollgate。 Seeing an old woman seated at the
door of the gate…house I asked her the name of the village。 〃I
have no Saesneg！〃 she screamed out。
〃I have plenty of Cumraeg；〃 said I； and repeated my question。
Whereupon she told me that it was called Tref y Talcot … the
village of the tollgate。 That it was a very nice village； and that
she was born there。 She then pointed to two young women who were
walking towards the gate at a very slow pace and told me they were
English。 〃I do not know them；〃 said I。 The old lady； who was
somewhat deaf； thinking that I said I did not know English； leered
at me complacently； and said that in that case； I was like herself；
for she did not speak a word of English； adding that a body should
not be considered a fool for not speaking English。 She then said
that the young women had been taking a walk together； and that they
were much in each other's company for the sake of conversation； and
no wonder； as the poor simpletons could not speak a word of Welsh。
I thought of the beam and mote mentioned in Scripture； and then
cast a glance of compassion on the two poor young women。 For a
moment I fancied myself in the times of Owen Glendower； and that I
saw two females； whom his marauders had carried off from Cheshire
or Shropshire to toil and slave in the Welshery； walking together
after the labours of the day were done； and bemoaning their
misfortunes in their own homely English。
Shortly after leaving the village of the tollgate I came to a
beautiful valley。 On my right hand was a river the farther bank of