More E-texts

More E-texts The Welsh Fairy Book • Preface - The Welsh Fairy Book • Notes on Welsh Prounciation • The Lady of the Lake • Arthur in the Cave • The Curse of Pantannas • The Drowning of the Bottom Hundred • Elidyr's Sojurn in Fairy-Land • Lowri Dafydd Earns a Purse of Gold • The Llanfabon Changeling • Why the Red Dragon is the Emblem of Wales • Llyn Cwm Llwch • The Adventures of Three Farmers • Cadwaladr and His Goat • The Fairy Wife • Einion and the Lady of the Greenwood • The Green Isles of the Ocean • March's Ears • The Fairy Harp • Guto Bach and the Fairies • Ianto's Chase • The Stray Cow • Bala Lake • The Forbidden Fountain • Tudor Ap Einion • Fairy Walking Stick • Dick the Fiddler's Money • A Strange Otter • Fairy Ointment • Pergrin and the Mermaiden • The Cave of the Young Men of Snowdonia • Einion and the Fair Family • St Collen and the King of the Fairy • Helig's Hollow • Owen Goes A-Wooing • The Fairy Reward • Why Deunant has the Front Door in the Back • Getting Rid of the Fairies • The Mantle of Kings' Beards • Pedws Ffowk and St Elian's Well • Magic Music • Sili go Dwt • Another Changeling • A Fairy Borrowing • Treasure Seeking • The Richest Man • St Beuno and the Curlew • The Cat Witches • The Swallowed Court • What Marged Rolant Saw • Ned Puw's Farewell • Pennard Castle • The Man with the Green Weeds • Goronwy Tudor and the Witches of Llanddona • Robin's Return • The Harper's Gratuity • Six and Four are Ten • Envy Burns Itself • The Bride from the Red Lake • A Fairy Dog • Grace's Well • The Fairy Password • St Winifred's Well • Ancients of the World • Nansi Llywd and the Dog of Darkness • An Adventure in the Big Bog • The Pwca of the Trwyn • John Gethin and the Candle • Fetching a Halter • Dai Sion's Homecoming • Melangell's Lambs • Syfaddon Lake • The Power of St Tegla's Well • The Men of Ardudwy • The Parti-Coloured Cow • Striking a Corpse Candle • Hu Gadarn • The Devil's Bridge • The Martyred Hound • Twm of the Fair Lies • Black Robin • Llyn Llech Owen • A Ghostly Rehersal • A Phantom Funeral • Why the Robin's Breast is Red   Join the Discussion "What is your favorite scary tale?" Join the Forum Discussion...     Related Resources • Edgar Allan Poe • Book Reviews

The Cave of the Young Men of Snowdonia

COUNTLESS as were the warriors of Arthur in the cave of Craig y Dinas, there is yet another army of them sleeping in Snowdonia.

Their resting-place is in the steep cliff which is on the left-hand side near the top of Llyn Llydaw. This is how it was discovered. A sheep fell down to a shelf in this precipice, and the Cwm Dyli shepherd, who was a famous climber, with infinite trouble made his way to the spot to rescue the animal. To his astonishment he found there an opening into the rock, only partially hidden by loose stones and turf. He cleared these away, and saw a vast cave stretching into the bowels of the mountain. There was a bright light within; he looked in and saw a host of warriors without number, all asleep, with white hazel wands in their hands. He watched for a long time to see if they would show any signs of waking, but none stirred. Seeing that they were so fast asleep, he felt a great desire to enter the cave and explore it. But as he was squeezing in he struck his head against a bell suspended just above the entrance inside. It rang so that every corner of the immense cavern rang again. All the warriors woke up, and, springing to their feet, gave forth a terrific shout. This so frightened the shepherd that he made off as quickly as he could, and nearly broke his neck on his way down the face of the precipice. From that time he never enjoyed a day’s health, and he died before his time. Nobody has since dared as much as to approach the mouth of the Cave of the Young Men of Snowdonia.