Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Jonathan Ceredig Davies' 1911 collection preserves the fading folk customs, fairy lore, and ghost stories of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire. Compiled from oral traditions before they vanished, this volume offers a vivid window into Welsh superstitions, wedding rites, and local legends.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1911 under the sponsorship of Alice, Countess Amherst, Jonathan Ceredig Davies' *Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales* serves as a critical抢救 effort to preserve the unwritten traditions of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire before they vanished. Davies, a man of extensive travel experience in Patagonia and Australia who returned to his native land in 1901, dedicated himself to walking remote districts and interviewing elderly locals to record their memories verbatim. His primary objective was not to validate theories regarding the Celtic race but to commit these dying stories to writing before oblivion claimed them. The work is structured into twelve chapters that explore a vast spectrum of cultural life. It begins with love customs and omen-seeking, noting the decline of the 'bundling' practice while detailing the nocturnal courting expeditions common in rural Wales. The text moves through wedding and funeral customs, highlighting the 'Bidder's Song' by Daniel Ddu. A significant portion is dedicated to the supernatural, featuring chapters on the *Tylwyth Teg* (fairies), ghost stories, death portents, and witches. Davies includes specific tales of spirits of living men and women appearing in daylight, such as the spirit of a rejected lover or a man appearing to a servant while his master was away. The book also explores local traditions regarding specific sites, such as Arthur's Stone near the Bone Caves and the palace of King Pryderi at Highmead. It delves into divination methods like shoulder blade and cup reading, as well as weather signs and bird lore. The author explicitly states his intent is not to prove theories about the Celtic race but to commit these dying stories to writing. The book serves as both a historical record of Celtic religion and tradition and a collection of entertaining ghost stories and local legends that defined the cultural landscape of the region at the turn of the century.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks-2/jonathan-ceredig-davies_folk-lore-of-west-and-mid-wales.epub

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Categories

• Folklore