Folk-Lore and Folk-Stories of Wales

Marie Trevelyan’s collection brings together Welsh traditions concerning landscape, seasonal customs, supernatural beings and everyday belief. Its opening chapters consider lakes, rivers, wells, fires and fire festivals, followed by lore surrounding the heavens, weather, stones, caverns, plants, animals and hidden treasure.

The darker material includes the Cŵn Annwn, water-horses, spirits of the mists, corpse-candles, phantom funerals, witches and the Devil’s reported activities in Wales. Dragons, serpents, charms, pentacles, spells, omens and accounts of transformation sit alongside customs connected with births, weddings and funerals. The final sections turn to colour lore, traditional remedies and the Welsh Leasing, preserving a broad record of beliefs and practices gathered in the early 20th century.