wild wales-第7章

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Llangollen；　would　be　much　more　complete　were　it　not　for　a　bulky　
excrescence；　towards　its　base；　which　prevents　the　gazer　from　
obtaining　a　complete　view。　　The　name　of　Llangollen　signifies　the　
church　of　Collen；　and　the　vale　and　village　take　their　name　from　the　
church；　which　was　originally　dedicated　to　Saint　Collen；　though　
some；　especially　the　neighbouring　peasantry；　suppose　that　
Llangollen　is　a　compound　of　Llan；　a　church；　and　Collen；　a　hazel…
wood；　and　that　the　church　was　called　the　church　of　the　hazel…wood　
from　the　number　of　hazels　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Collen；　according　
to　a　legendary　life；　which　exists　of　him　in　Welsh；　was　a　Briton　by　
birth；　and　of　illustrious　ancestry。　　He　served　for　some　time　abroad　
as　a　soldier　against　Julian　the　Apostate；　and　slew　a　Pagan　champion　
who　challenged　the　best　man　amongst　the　Christians。　　Returning　to　
his　own　country　he　devoted　himself　to　religion；　and　became　Abbot　of　
Glastonbury；　but　subsequently　retired　to　a　cave　on　the　side　of　a　
mountain；　where　he　lived　a　life　of　great　austerity。　　Once　as　he　was　
lying　in　his　cell　he　heard　two　men　out　abroad　discoursing　about　Wyn　
Ab　Nudd；　and　saying　that　he　was　king　of　the　Tylwyth　or　Teg　Fairies；　
and　lord　of　Unknown；　whereupon　Collen　thrusting　his　head　out　of　his　
cave　told　them　to　hold　their　tongues；　for　that　Wyn　Ab　Nudd　and　his　
host　were　merely　devils。　　At　dead　of　night　he　heard　a　knocking　at　
the　door；　and　on　his　asking　who　was　there；　a　voice　said：　　〃I　am　a　
messenger　from　Wyn　Ab　Nudd；　king　of　Unknown；　and　I　am　come　to　
summon　thee　to　appear　before　my　master　to…morrow；　at　mid…day；　on　
the　top　of　the　hill。〃

Collen　did　not　go　…　the　next　night　there　was　the　same　knocking　and　
the　same　message。　　Still　Collen　did　not　go。　　The　third　night　the　
messenger　came　again　and　repeated　his　summons；　adding　that　if　he　
did　not　go　it　would　be　the　worse　for　him。　　The　next　day　Collen　made　
some　holy　water；　put　it　into　a　pitcher　and　repaired　to　the　top　of　
the　hill；　where　he　saw　a　wonderfully　fine　castle；　attendants　in　
magnificent　liveries；　youths　and　damsels　dancing　with　nimble　feet；　
and　a　man　of　honourable　presence　before　the　gate；　who　told　him　that　
the　king　was　expecting　him　to　dinner。　　Collen　followed　the　man　into　
the　castle；　and　beheld　the　king　on　a　throne　of　gold；　and　a　table　
magnificently　spread　before　him。　　The　king　welcomed　Collen；　and　
begged　him　to　taste　of　the　dainties　on　the　table；　adding　that　he　
hoped　that　in　future　he　would　reside　with　him。　　〃I　will　not　eat　of　
the　leaves　of　the　forest；〃　said　Collen。

〃Did　you　ever　see　men　better　dressed？〃　said　the　king；　〃than　my　
attendants　here　in　red　and　blue？〃

〃Their　dress　is　good　enough；〃　said　Collen；　〃considering　what　kind　
of　dress　it　is。〃

〃What　kind　of　dress　is　it？〃　said　the　king。

Collen　replied：　　〃The　red　on　the　one　side　denotes　burning；　and　the　
blue　on　the　other　side　denotes　freezing。〃　　Then　drawing　forth　his　
sprinkler；　he　flung　the　holy　water　in　the　faces　of　the　king　and　his　
people；　whereupon　the　whole　vision　disappeared；　so　that　there　was　
neither　castle　nor　attendants；　nor　youth　nor　damsel；　nor　musician　
with　his　music；　nor　banquet；　nor　anything　to　be　seen　save　the　green　
bushes。

The　valley　of　the　Dee；　of　which　the　Llangollen　district　forms　part；　
is　called　in　the　British　tongue　Glyndyfrdwy　…　that　is；　the　valley　
of　the　Dwy　or　Dee。　　The　celebrated　Welsh　chieftain；　generally　known　
as　Owen　Glendower；　was　surnamed　after　this　valley；　the　whole　of　
which　belonged　to　him；　and　in　which　he　had　two　or　three　places　of　
strength；　though　his　general　abode　was　a　castle　in　Sycharth；　a　
valley　to　the　south…east　of　the　Berwyn；　and　distant　about　twelve　
miles　from　Llangollen。

Connected　with　the　Dee　there　is　a　wonderful　Druidical　legend　to　the　
following　effect。　　The　Dee　springs　from　two　fountains；　high　up　in　
Merionethshire；　called　Dwy　Fawr　and　Dwy　Fach；　or　the　great　and　
little　Dwy；　whose　waters　pass　through　those　of　the　lake　of　Bala　
without　mingling　with　them；　and　come　out　at　its　northern　extremity。　　
These　fountains　had　their　names　from　two　individuals；　Dwy　Fawr　and　
Dwy　Fach；　who　escaped　from　the　Deluge；　when　all　the　rest　of　the　
human　race　were　drowned；　and　the　passing　of　the　waters　of　the　two　
fountains　through　the　lake；　without　being　confounded　with　its　
flood；　is　emblematic　of　the　salvation　of　the　two　individuals　from　
the　Deluge；　of　which　the　lake　is　a　type。

Dinas　Bran；　which　crowns　the　top　of　the　mighty　hill　on　the　northern　
side　of　the　valley；　is　a　ruined　stronghold　of　unknown　antiquity。　　
The　name　is　generally　supposed　to　signify　Crow　Castle；　bran　being　
the　British　word　for　crow；　and　flocks　of　crows　being　frequently　
seen　hovering　over　it。　　It　may；　however；　mean　the　castle　of　Bran　or　
Brennus；　or　the　castle　above　the　Bran；　a　brook　which　flows　at　its　
foot。

Dinas　Bran　was　a　place　quite　impregnable　in　the　old　time；　and　
served　as　a　retreat　to　Gruffydd；　son　of　Madawg　from　the　rage　of　his　
countrymen；　who　were　incensed　against　him　because；　having　married　
Emma；　the　daughter　of　James　Lord　Audley；　he　had；　at　the　instigation　
of　his　wife　and　father…in…law；　sided　with　Edward　the　First　against　
his　own　native　sovereign。　　But　though　it　could　shield　him　from　his　
foes；　it　could　not　preserve　him　from　remorse　and　the　stings　of　
conscience；　of　which　he　speedily　died。

At　present　the　place　consists　only　of　a　few　ruined　walls；　and　
probably　consisted　of　little　more　two　or　three　hundred　years　ago：　　
Roger　Cyffyn　a　Welsh　bard；　who　flourished　at　the　beginning　of　the　
seventeenth　century；　wrote　an　englyn　upon　it；　of　which　the　
following　is　a　translation：…


〃Gone；　gone　are　thy　gates；　Dinas　Bran　on　the　height！
Thy　warders　are　blood…crows　and　ravens；　I　trow；
Now　no　one　will　wend　from　the　field　of　the　fight
To　the　fortress　on　high；　save　the　raven　and　crow。〃



CHAPTER　VII



Poor　Black　Cat　…　Dissenters　…　Persecution　…　What　Impudence！


THE　house　or　cottage；　for　it　was　called　a　cottage　though　it　
consisted　of　two　stories；　in　which　my　wife　had　procured　lodgings　
for　us；　was　situated　in　the　Northern　suburb。　　Its　front　was　towards　
a　large　perllan　or　orchard；　which　sloped　down　gently　to　the　banks　
of　the　Dee；　its　back　was　towards　the　road　leading　from　Wrexham；　
behind　which　was　a　high　bank；　on　the　top　of　which　was　a　canal　
called　in　Welsh　the　Camlas；　whose　commencement　was　up　the　valley　
about　two　miles　west。　　A　little　way　up　the　road；　towards　Wrexham；　
was　the　vicarage　and　a　little　way　down　was　a　flannel　factory；　
beyond　which　was　a　small　inn；　with　pleasure　grounds；　kept　by　an　
individual　who　had　once　been　a　gentleman's　servant。　　The　mistress　
of　the　house　was　a　highly　respectable　widow；　who；　with　a　servant　
maid　was　to　wait　upon　us。　　It　was　as　agreeable　a　place　in　all　
respects　as　people　like　ourselves　could　desire。

As　I　and　my　family　sat　at　tea　in　our　parlour；　an　hour　or　two　after　
we　had　taken　possession　of　our　lodgings；　the　door　of　the　room　and　
that　of　the　entrance　to　the　house　being　open；　on　account　of　the　
fineness　of　the　weather；　a　poor　black　cat　entered　hastily；　sat　down　
on　the　carpet　by　the　table；　looked　up　towards　us；　and　mewed　
piteously。　　I　never　had　seen　so　wretched　a　looking　creature。　　It　
was　dreadfully　attenuated；　being　little　more　than　skin　and　bone；　
and　was　sorely　afflicted　with　an　eruptive　malady。　　And　here　I　may　
as　well　relate　the　history　of　this　cat　previous　to　our　arrival　
which　I　subsequently　learned　by　bits　and　snatches。　　It　had　belonged　
to　a　previous　vicar　of　Llangollen；　and　had　been　left　behind　at　his　
departure。　　His　successor　brought　with　him　dogs　and　cats；　who；　
conceiving　that　the　late　vicar's　cat　had　no　business　at　the　
vicarage；　drove　it　forth　to　seek　another　home；　which；　however；　it　
could　not　find。　　Almost　all　the　people　of　the　suburb　were　
dissenters；　as　indeed　were　the　generality　of　the　people　of　
Llangollen；　and　knowing　the　cat　to　be　a　church　cat；　not　only　would　
not　harbour　it；　but　did　all　they　could　to　make　it　miserable；　whilst　
the　few　who　were　not　dissenters；　would　not　receive　it　into　their　
houses；　either　because　they　had　cats　of　their　own；　or　dogs；　or　did　
not　want　a　cat；　so　that　the　cat　had　no　home　and　was　dreadfully　
persecuted　by　nine…tenths　of　the　suburb。　　Oh；　there　never　was　a　cat　
so　persecuted　as　that　poor　Church　of　England　animal；　and　solely　on　
account　of　the　opinions　which　it　was　supposed　to　have　imbibed　in　
the　house　of　its　late　master；　for　I　never　could　learn　that　the　
dissenters　of　the　suburb；　nor　indeed　of　Llangollen　in　general；　were　
in　the　habit　of　persecuting　other　cats；　the　cat　was　a　Church　of　
England　cat；　and　that　was　enough：　　stone　it；　hang　it；　drown　it！　
were　the　cries　of　almost　everybody。　　If　the　workmen　of　the　flannel　
factory；　all　of　whom　were　Calvinistic…Methodists；　chanced　to　get　a　
glimpse　of　it　in　the　road　from　the　windows　of　the　building；　they　
would　sally　forth　in　a　body；　and　with　sticks；　stones；　or　for　want　
of　other　weapons；　with　clots　of　horse　dung；　of　which　there　was　
always　plenty　on　the　road；　would　chase　it　up　the　high　bank　or　
perhaps　over　the　Camlas；　the　inhabitants　of　a　small　street　between　
our　house　and　the　factory　leading　from　the　road　to　the　river；　all　
of　whom　were　dissenters；　if　they　saw　it　moving　about　the　perllan；　
into　which　their　back　windows　looked；　would　shriek　and　hoot　at　it；　
and　fling　anything　of　no　value；　which　came　easily　to　hand；　at　the　
head　or　body　of　the　ecclesiastical　cat。　　The　good　woman　of　the　
house；　who　though　a　very　excellent　person；　was　a　bitter　dissenter；　
whenever　she　saw　it　upon　her　ground　or　heard　it　was　there；　would　
make　after　it；　frequently　attended　by　her　maid　Margaret；　and　her　
young　son；　a　boy　about　nine　years　of　age；　both　of　whom　hated　the　
cat；　and　were　always　ready　to　attack　it；　either　alone　or　in　
company；　and　no　wonder；　the　maid　being　not　only　a　dissenter；　but　a　
class　teacher；　and　the　boy　not　only　a　dissenter；　but　intended　for　
the　dissenting　ministry。　　Where　it　got　its　food；　and　food　it　
sometimes　must　have　got；　for　even　a　cat；　an　animal　known　to　have　
nine　lives；　cannot　live　without　food；　was　only　known　to　itself；　as　
was　the　place　where　it　lay；　for　even　a　cat　must　lie　down　sometimes；　
though　a　labouring　man　who　occasionally　dug　in　the　garden　told　me　
he　believed　that　in　the　springtime　it　ate　freshets；　and　the　woman　
of　the　house　once　said　that　she　believed　it　sometimes　slept　in　the　
hedge；　which　hedge；　by…the…bye；　divided　our　perllan　from　the　
vicarage　grounds；　which　were　very　extensive。　　Well　might　the　cat　
after　having　led　this　kind　of　life　for　better　than　two　years　look　
mere　skin　and　bone　when　it　made　its　appearance　in　our　apartment；　
and　have　an　eruptive　malady；　and　also　a　bronchitic　cough；　for　I　
remember　it　had　both。　　How　it　came　to　make　its　appearance　there　is　
a　mystery；　for　it　had　never　entered　the　house　before；　even　when　
there　were　lodgers；　that　it　should　not　visit　the　woman；　who　was　its　
declared　enemy；　was　natural　enough；　but　why　if　it　did　not　visit　her　
other　lodgers；　did　it　visit　us？　　Did　instinct　keep　it　aloof　from　
them？　　Did　instinct　draw　it　towards　us？　　We　gave　it　some　bread…and…
butter；　and　a　little　tea　with　milk　and　sugar。　　It　ate　and　drank　and　
soon　began　to　purr。　　The　good　woman