liked　the　Welsh　very　much；　and　was　particularly　fond　of　their
  language。　　He　asked　me　whether　I　could　read　Welsh；　and　on　my
  telling　him　I　could；　he　said　that　if　I　would　walk　in　he　would　show
  me　a　Welsh　book。　　I　went　with　him　and　his　wife　into　a　neat　kind　of
  kitchen；　flagged　with　stone；　where　were　several　young　people；　their
  children。　　I　spoke　some　Welsh　to　them　which　appeared　to　give　them
  great　satisfaction。　　The　man　went　to　a　shelf　and　taking　down　a　book
  put　it　into　my　hand。　　It　was　a　Welsh　book；　and　the　title　of　it　in
  English　was　〃Evening　Work　of　the　Welsh。〃　　It　contained　the　lives　of
  illustrious　Welshmen；　commencing　with　that　of　Cadwalader。　　I　read　a
  page　of　it　aloud；　while　the　family　stood　round　and　wondered　to　hear
  a　Saxon　read　their　language。　　I　entered　into　discourse　with　the　man
  about　Welsh　poetry　and　repeated　the　famous　prophecy　of　Taliesin
  about　the　Coiling　Serpent。　　I　asked　him　if　the　Welsh　had　any　poets
  at　the　present　day。　　〃Plenty；〃　said　he；　〃and　good　ones　…　Wales　can
  never　be　without　a　poet。〃　　Then　after　a　pause　he　said；　that　he　was
  the　grandson　of　a　great　poet。
  〃Do　you　bear　his　name？〃　said　I。
  〃I　do；〃　he　replied。
  〃What　may　it　be？〃
  〃Hughes；〃　he　answered。
  〃Two　of　the　name　of　Hughes　have　been　poets；〃　said　I　…　〃one　was　Huw
  Hughes；　generally　termed　the　Bardd　Coch；　or　red　bard；　he　was　an
  Anglesea　man；　and　the　friend　of　Lewis　Morris　and　Gronwy　Owen　…　the
  other　was　Jonathan　Hughes；　where　he　lived　I　know　not。〃
  〃He　lived　here；　in　this　very　house；〃　said　the　man。　　〃Jonathan
  Hughes　was　my　grandfather！〃　and　as　he　spoke　his　eyes　flashed　fire。
  〃Dear　me！〃　said　I；　〃I　read　some　of　his　pieces　thirty…two　years　ago
  when　I　was　a　lad　in　England。　　I　think　I　can　repeat　some　of　the
  lines。〃　　I　then　repeated　a　quartet　which　I　chanced　to　remember。
  〃Ah！〃　said　the　man；　〃I　see　you　know　his　poetry。　　Come　into　the　next
  room　and　I　will　show　you　his　chair。〃　　He　led　me　into　a　sleeping…
  room　on　the　right　hand；　where　in　a　corner　he　showed　me　an　antique
  three…cornered　arm…chair。　　〃That　chair；〃　said　he；　〃my　grandsire　won
  at　Llangollen；　at　an　Eisteddfod　of　Bards。　　Various　bards　recited
  their　poetry；　but　my　grandfather　won　the　prize。　　Ah；　he　was　a　good
  poet。　　He　also　won　a　prize　of　fifteen　guineas　at　a　meeting　of　bards
  in　London。〃
  We　returned　to　the　kitchen；　where　I　found　the　good　woman　of　the
  house　waiting　with　a　plate　of　bread…and…butter　in　one　hand；　and　a
  glass　of　buttermilk　in　the　other　…　she　pressed　me　to　partake　of
  both　…　I　drank　some　of　the　buttermilk；　which　was　excellent；　and
  after　a　little　more　discourse　shook　the　kind　people　by　the　hand　and
  thanked　them　for　their　hospitality。　　As　I　was　about　to　depart　the
  man　said　that　I　should　find　the　lane　farther　up　very　wet；　and　that
  I　had　better　mount　through　a　field　at　the　back　of　the　house。　　He
  took　me　to　a　gate；　which　he　opened；　and　then　pointed　out　the　way
  which　I　must　pursue。　　As　I　went　away　he　said　that　both　he　and　his
  family　should　be　always　happy　to　see　me　at　Ty　yn　y　Pistyll；　which
  words；　interpreted；　are　the　house　by　the　spout　of　water。
  I　went　up　the　field　with　the　lane　on　my　right；　down　which　ran　a
  runnel　of　water；　from　which　doubtless　the　house　derived　its　name。
  I　soon　came　to　an　unenclosed　part　of　the　mountain　covered　with
  gorse　and　whin；　and　still　proceeding　upward　reached　a　road；　which　I
  subsequently　learned　was　the　main　road　from　Llangollen　over　the
  hill。　　I　was　not　long　in　gaining　the　top　which　was　nearly　level。
  Here　I　stood　for　some　time　looking　about　me；　having　the　vale　of
  Llangollen　to　the　north　of　me；　and　a　deep　valley　abounding　with
  woods　and　rocks　to　the　south。
  Following　the　road　to　the　south；　which　gradually　descended；　I　soon
  came　to　a　place　where　a　road　diverged　from　the　straight　one　to　the
  left。　　As　the　left…hand　road　appeared　to　lead　down　a　romantic
  valley　I　followed　it。　　The　scenery　was　beautiful　…　steep　hills　on
  each　side。　　On　the　right　was　a　deep　ravine；　down　which　ran　a　brook；
  the　hill　beyond　it　was　covered　towards　the　top　with　a　wood；
  apparently　of　oak；　between　which　and　the　ravine　were　small　green
  fields。　　Both　sides　of　the　ravine　were　fringed　with　trees；　chiefly
  ash。　　I　descended　the　road　which　was　zigzag　and　steep；　and　at　last
  arrived　at　the　bottom　of　the　valley；　where　there　was　a　small
  hamlet。　　On　the　further　side　of　the　valley　to　the　east　was　a　steep
  hill　on　which　were　a　few　houses　…　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　was　a
  brook　crossed　by　an　antique　bridge　of　a　single　arch。　　I　directed　my
  course　to　the　bridge；　and　after　looking　over　the　parapet　for　a
  minute　or　two　upon　the　water　below；　which　was　shallow　and　noisy；
  ascended　a　road　which　led　up　the　hill：　　a　few　scattered　houses　were
  on　each　side。　　I　soon　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　where　were　some
  more　houses；　those　which　I　had　seen　from　the　valley　below。　　I　was
  in　a　Welsh　mountain　village；　which　put　me　much　in　mind　of　the
  villages　which　I　had　strolled　through　of　old　in　Castile　and　La
  Mancha；　there　were　the　same　silence　and　desolation　here　as　yonder
  away　…　the　houses　were　built　of　the　same　material；　namely　stone。　　I
  should　perhaps　have　fancied　myself　for　a　moment　in　a　Castilian　or
  Manchegan　mountain　pueblicito；　but　for　the　abundance　of　trees　which
  met　my　eye　on　every　side。
  In　walking　up　this　mountain　village　I　saw　no　one；　and　heard　no
  sound　but　the　echo　of　my　steps　amongst　the　houses。　　As　I　returned；
  however；　I　saw　a　man　standing　at　a　door　…　he　was　a　short　figure；
  about　fifty。　　He　had　an　old　hat　on　his　head；　a　stick　in　his　hand；
  and　was　dressed　in　a　duffel　greatcoat。
  〃Good…day；　friend；〃　said　I；　〃what　be　the　name　of　this　place？〃
  〃Pont　Fadog；　sir；　is　its　name；　for　want　of　a　better。〃
  〃That's　a　fine　name；〃　said　I；　〃it　signifies　in　English　the　bridge
  of　Madoc。〃
  〃Just　so；　sir；　I　see　you　know　Welsh。〃
  〃And　I　see　you　know　English；〃　said　I。
  〃Very　little；　sir；　I　can　read　English　much　better　than　I　can　speak
  it。〃
  〃So　can　I　Welsh；〃　said　I。　　〃I　suppose　the　village　is　named　after
  the　bridge。〃
  〃No　doubt　it　is；　sir。〃
  〃And　why　was　the　bridge　called　the　bridge　of　Madoc？〃　said　I。
  〃Because　one　Madoc　built　it；　sir。〃
  〃Was　he　the　son　of　Owain　Gwynedd？〃　said　I。
  〃Ah；　I　see　you　know　all　about　Wales；　sir。　　Yes；　sir；　he　built　it；
  or　I　daresay　he　built　it；　Madawg　ap　Owain　Gwynedd。　　I　have　read
  much　about　him　…　he　was　a　great　sailor；　sir；　and　was　the　first　to
  discover　Tir　y　Gorllewin　or　America。　　Not　many　years　ago　his　tomb
  was　discovered　there　with　an　inscription　in　old　Welsh　…　saying　who
  he　was；　and　how　he　loved　the　sea。　　I　have　seen　the　lines　which　were
  found　on　the　tomb。〃
  〃So　have　I；〃　said　I；　〃or　at　least　those　which　were　said　to　be　found
  on　a　tomb：　　they　run　thus　in　English：…
  〃'Here；　after　sailing　far　I　Madoc　lie；
  Of　Owain　Gwynedd　lawful　progeny：
  The　verdant　land　had　little　charms　for　me；
  From　earliest　youth　I　loved　the　dark…blue　sea。'〃
  〃Ah；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　〃I　see　you　know　all　about　the　son　of　Owain
  Gwynedd。　　Well；　sir；　those　lines；　or　something　like　them；　were
  found　upon　the　tomb　of　Madoc　in　America。〃
  〃That　I　doubt；〃　said　I。
  〃Do　you　doubt；　sir；　that　Madoc　discovered　America？〃
  〃Not　in　the　least；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　doubt　very　much　that　his　tomb
  was　ever　discovered　with　the　inscription　which　you　allude　to　upon
  it。〃
  〃But　it　was；　sir；　I　do　assure　you；　and　the　descendants　of　Madoc　and
  his　people　are　still　to　be　found　in　a　part　of　America　speaking　the
  pure　iaith　Cymraeg　better　Welsh　than　we　of　Wales　do。〃
  〃That　I　doubt〃　said　I。　　〃However；　the　idea　is　a　pretty　one；
  therefore　cherish　it。　　This　is　a　beautiful　country。〃
  〃A　very　beautiful　country；　sir；　there　is　none　more　beautiful　in　all
  Wales。〃
  〃What　is　the　name　of　the　river；　which　runs　beneath　the　bridge？〃
  〃The　Ceiriog；　sir。〃
  〃The　Ceiriog；〃　said　I；　〃the　Ceiriog！〃
  〃Did　you　ever　hear　the　name　before；　sir？〃
  〃I　have　heard　of　the　Eos　Ceiriog；〃　said　I；　〃the　Nightingale　of
  Ceiriog。〃
  〃That　was　Huw　Morris；　sir；　he　was　called　the　Nightingale　of
  Ceiriog。〃
  〃Did　he　live　hereabout？〃
  〃Oh　no；　sir；　he　lived　far　away　up　towards　the　head　of　the　valley；
  at　a　place　called　Pont　y　Meibion。〃
  〃Are　you　acquainted　with　his　works？〃　said　I。
  〃Oh　yes；　sir；　at　least　with　some　of　them。　　I　have　read　the　Marwnad
  on　Barbara　Middleton；　and　likewise　the　piece　on　Oliver　and　his　men。
  Ah；　it　is　a　funny　piece　that　…　he　did　not　like　Oliver　nor　his　men。〃
  〃Of　what　profession　are　you？〃　said　I；　〃are　you　a　schoolmaster　or
  apothecary？〃
  〃Neither；　sir；　neither；　I　am　merely　a　poor　shoemaker。〃
  〃You　know　a　great　deal　for　a　shoemaker；〃　said　I。
  〃Ah；　sir；　there　are　many　shoemakers　in　Wales　who　know　much　more
  than　I。〃
  〃But　not　in　England；〃　said　I。　　〃Well；　farewell。〃
  〃Farewell；　sir。　　When　you　have　any　boots　to　mend　or　shoes；　sir　…　I
  shall　be　happy　to　serve　you。〃
  〃I　do　not　live　in　these　parts；〃　said　I。
  〃No；　sir；　but　you　are　coming　to　live　here。〃
  〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　said　I。
  〃I　know　it　very　well；　sir；　you　left　these　parts　very　young；　and
  went　far　away　…　to　the　East　Indies；　sir；　where　you　made　a　large
  fortune　in　the　medical　line；　sir；　you　are　now　coming　back　to　your
  own　valley；　where　you　will　buy　a　property；　and　sett