Welsh Fairies
Fetching a Halter
The following folk tale entitled 'Fetching a Halter' appeared in 'The Welsh Fairy Book' (1908) by W. Jenkyn Thomas 'A VERY large company came together to hold a merry evening at Bwlch Mwrchan, a farmhouse close by Lake Gwynan, in Snowdonia. It was a stormy night. The wind whistled and howled in the woods, tearing the trees like matchsticks. Read More »
A Man Carried Through The Air By The Fairies
The following folk tale by Edward Hamer appeared in a publication entitled 'Parochial Account of Llanidloes' (1877) and repeated in Elias Owen's 'Welsh Folklore' (1973). Read More »
A Visit to Fairyland
The following fairy folk tale takes place around Llyn Cwellyn, a 215 acre, 120 feet deep glacial lake which has now been dammed to create a reservoir. The tale is taken 'Bedd Gelert: Its Facts, Fairies, and Folk-Lore (1899) by D E Jenkins. Read More »
Bendith y Mamau
Bendith Y Mamau means 'the mothers blessing' and is a generic name for the fairies, especially in Southern Wales.
In appearance the fairies are described as small and ugly, and are most readily identified with the Brownies, or the West Country Pixies, although they have the characterisations of most fairies. Read More »
Ellylldan
A Welsh spirit similar to the English Will o' the Wisp, it appears as a light and misleads travellers from their path.
Along with black dogs, tales of fairy lights are common throughout Britain, with a different name given to a similar phenomena. In general they are seen as malevolent, guiding lone travellers into treacherous bogs. Read More »
Ellyllon
According to 'British Goblins' (1881) by Wirt Sykes; 'The Ellyllon are the pigmy elves who haunt the groves and valleys, and correspond pretty closely with the English elves. Read More »
Fairies of Llyn Dwythwch
Children were often warned in the past about the dangers of fairies and John Rhys in his 'Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx' (1901) vouched for an account from a lady who grew up in Cwm Brwynog thirty to forty years earlier. Read More »
Fairy Gold Of Cwmglas Hollow
According to John Rhys in his 'Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx' [1901] 'The following is a later tale, which Mr. Thomas Davies heard from his mother, who died in 1832:--'When she was a girl, living at Yr Hafod, Llanberis, there was a girl of her age being brought up at Cwmglas in the same parish. Read More »
Fairy Midwife Of Beddgelert
In 1891 the following folk tale appeared in 'The Science of Fairy Tales; An Enquiry Into Fairy Mythology' by Edwin Sidney Hartland. It is one of a number of stories in which human midwives are needed at fairy births. Read More »
Freni-Fawr
This mountain has long been associated with the fairies and is traditionally an entrance to the other world.
Directions: To the West of Crymych
Gwrach-y-rhybin
A hideous hag who haunts Welsh families, and is also associated with specific places. Read More »
Henry Edmund And The Fairies In Llanhilleth
There are many folk tales from Wales concerning fairies carrying people away. One such story is said to have taken place in Llanhilleth (Lanhiddel) and involved Charles Hugh, a person thought to have dealings with them. The following version appeared in British Goblins: Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions (1881) by Wirt Sykes.
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Llyn Barfog (The Bearded Lake)
Llyn Barfog is situated in high countryside above the northern banks of the River Dyfi. The lake is isolated, small, and covered with yellow water lilies in the summer. Sir John Rhys in Celtic Folklore suggests that it was originally called Llyn-y-Barfog (The Bearded One’s Lake) referring to some ancient mythical being who would have lived there. Read More »
Llyn Coch (Red Lake)
If you ascend Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) on the Snowdon Ranger path you will encounter Llyn Coch. Legend has it that this lake is a favourite abode of the Tylwth Teg (Fairy Folk). There is a ‘Fairy Bride’ legend associated with the lake, one version of which goes something like this: Read More »
Llyn Du'r Arddu
In 'Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx' (1901) John Rhys describes the following tale he was told concerning a fairy bride in the summer of 1881. ‘An old woman, called Siân Dafydd, lived at Helfa Fawr, in the dingle called Cwm. Brwynog, along the left side of which you ascend as you go to the top of Snowdon, from the village of lower Llanberis, or Coed y Ddol, as it is there called. Read More »
Llyn Irddyn
There is an old local tradition about Llyn Irddyn, that it is unwise to walk too close the shore or the water’s edge because it is inhabited by mischievous fairies. However, they cannot harm you if you walk on the grass.
Llyn Y Fan Fach
Traditionally the lake is thought to have been bottomless, and it has long been associated with fairies. Read More »
Llyn y Forwyn
The following tale of Llyn y Forwyn (Damsel’s Pool) appeared in ‘Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx’ (1901) by John Rhys and was in turn a translation of a Welsh language version featured in Elfed and Cadrawd’s ‘Cyfaill yr Aelwyd a'r Frythones’ (1892). Read More »
Mermaids
Tales of mermaids have been around for centuries, and form a large part of seafaring lore, especially round the coastal areas of Britain such as Cornwall, and the Northern Isles of Scotland. Their sighting was thought to be a bad omen, foretelling storms and rough seas. There are numerous folk tales describing their interaction with humans. Read More »
Mynydd y Fedw
In 'Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx' (1901), John Rhys recounted the following folktale originally passed down Siân Dafydd of Helfa Fawr, and Mari Domos Siôn of Tyn Gadlas, Llanberis who would probably have been born around 1770. Read More »
Pentre Ifan
This is one of the most recognisable chambered cairns in Wales, with a huge capstone supported by the points of 3 upright stones. Read More »
River Honddu Water Horse
The River Honddu (Afon Honddu) runs through the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons starting at the Vale of Ewyas and said, according to folklore, to be the home of a small grey Ceffyl-dwr (a welsh water horse similar to a Kelpie). Read More »
Rowli Pugh and the Ellyll
Wirt Sykes gave the following Glamorganshire folktale in his 'British Goblins' (1881). 'On a certain farm in Glamorganshire lived Rowli Pugh, who was known far and wide for his evil luck. Read More »
Strange Lands By Andrew L Paciorek
Andy Paciorek is one of Mysterious Britain & Irelands favourite contributors and his amazing artwork can be found illustrating articles throughout this site. Read More »
The Aberystwyth Mermaid
The story of the Aberystwyth Mermaid was published after 1826, written in Welsh. The general abbreviated story is outlined below. Read More »
