Note 30 — Chapter X · Difficulties of the Folklorist

There is, it is true, a pool at a place called Maes y Ỻyn in the neighbourhood of Tregaron, as to which there is a tradition that a village once occupied the place of its waters: otherwise it shows no similarity to the lake of Howells’ story. Then there is a group of lakes in which the river Aeron takes its rise: they are called Ỻyn Eiđwen, Ỻyn Fanod, and Ỻyn Farch. As to Ỻyn Eiđwen, I had it years ago that at one time there was a story current concerning ‘wild cattle,’ which used to come out of its waters and rush back into them when disturbed. In the middle of this piece of water, which has a rock on one side of it, is a small island with a modern building on it; and one would like to know whether it shows any traces of early occupation. Then as to Ỻyn Farch, there is a story going that there came out of it once on a time a wonderful animal, which was shot by a neighbouring farmer. Lastly, at Ỻyn Fanod there are boundary walls which go right out into the lake; and my informant thinks the same is the case with Ỻyn Eiđwen30. One of these walls is probably what in Howells’ youthful hands developed itself into a causeway. The other part of his story, referring to the lowing of the Bannog Oxen, comes from a well known doggerel which runs thus:—