Denbighshire Version Of A Fairy Mother And Human Midwife
:
FAIRY MOTHERS AND HUMAN MIDWIVES.
:
Welsh Folk-lore
The following story I received from the lips of David Roberts, whom I
have previously mentioned, a native of Denbighshire, and he related the
tale as one commonly known. As might be expected, he locates the event
in Denbighshire, but I have no recollection that he gave names. His
narrative was as follows:--
A well-known midwife, whose services were much sought after in
consequence of her great skill, ha
one night retired to rest, when she
was disturbed by a loud knocking at her door. She immediately got up and
went to the door, and there saw a beautiful carriage, which she was
urgently requested to enter at once to be conveyed to a house where her
help was required. She did so, and after a long drive the carriage drew
up before the entrance to a large mansion, which she had never seen
before. She successfully performed her work, and stayed on in the place
until her services were no longer required. Then she was conveyed home
in the same manner as she had come, but with her went many valuable
presents in grateful recognition of the services she had rendered.
The midwife somehow or other found out that she had been attending a
Fairy mother. Some time after her return from Fairy land she went to a
fair, and there she saw the lady whom she had put to bed nimbly going
from stall to stall, and making many purchases. For awhile she watched
the movements of the lady, and then presuming on her limited
acquaintance, addressed her, and asked how she was. The lady seemed
surprised and annoyed at the woman's speech, and instead of answering
her, said, And do you see me? Yes, I do, said the midwife. With
which eye? enquired the Fairy. With this, said the woman, placing her
hand on the eye. No sooner had she spoken than the Fairy lady touched
that eye, and the midwife could no longer see the Fairy.
Mrs. Lowri Wynn, Clocaenog, near Ruthin, who has reached her eightieth
year, and is herself a midwife, gave me a version of the preceding which
differed therefrom in one or two particulars. The Fairy gentleman who
had driven the woman to and from the Hall was the one that was seen in
the fair, said Mrs. Wynn, and he it was that put out the eye or blinded
it, she was not sure which, of the inquisitive midwife, and Lowri thought
it was the left eye.