Note 22 — Chapter III · Fairy Ways and Words

Mr. Craigfryn Hughes has sent me another tale about the fairies: it has to do with the parish of Ỻanfabon, near the eastern border of Glamorganshire. Many traditions cluster round the church of Ỻanfabon, beginning with its supposed building by Saint Mabon, but which of the Mabons of Welsh legend he was, is not very certain. Not very far is a place called Pant y Dawns, or the Dance Hollow, in allusion to the visits paid to the spot by Bendith y Mamau, as the fairies are there called. In the same neighbourhood stand also the ruins of Casteỻ y Nos, or the Castle of the Night22, which tradition represents as uninhabitable because it had been built of stones from Ỻanfabon Church, and on account of the ghosts that used to haunt it. However, one small portion of it was usually tenanted formerly by a ‘wise man’ or by a witch. In fact, the whole country round Ỻanfabon Church teemed with fairies, ghosts, and all kinds of uncanny creatures:—