I　returned；　and　when　I　was　about　halfway　down　the　hill；　at　a　place
  which　is　called　Allt　Paddy；　because　the　Gwyddelod　are　in　the　habit
  of　taking　up　their　quarters　there；　I　came　upon　a　gang　of　them；　who
  had　come　there　and　camped　and　lighted　their　fire；　whilst　I　was　on
  the　other　side　of　the　hill。　　There　were　nearly　twenty　of　them；　men
  and　women；　and　amongst　the　rest　was　a　man　standing　naked　in　a　tub
  of　water　with　two　women　stroking　him　down　with　clouts。　　He　was　a
  large　fierce…looking　fellow　and　his　body；　on　which　the　flame　of　the
  fire　glittered；　was　nearly　covered　with　red　hair。　　I　never　saw　such
  a　sight。　　As　I　passed　they　glared　at　me　and　talked　violently　in
  their　Paddy　Gwyddel；　but　did　not　offer　to　molest　me。　　I　hastened
  down　the　hill；　and　right　glad　I　was　when　I　found　myself　safe　and
  sound　at　my　house　in　Llangollen；　with　my　money　in　my　pocket；　for　I
  had　several　shillings　there；　which　the　man　across　the　hill　had　paid
  me　for　the　work　which　I　had　done。〃
  CHAPTER　XV
  The　Turf　Tavern　…　Don't　Understand　…　The　Best　Welsh　…　The　Maids　of
  Merion　…　Old　and　New　…　Ruthyn　…　The　Ash　Yggdrasill。
  WE　now　emerged　from　the　rough　and　narrow　way　which　we　had　followed
  for　some　miles；　upon　one　much　wider；　and　more　commodious；　which　my
  guide　told　me　was　the　coach　road　from　Wrexham　to　Ruthyn；　and　going
  on　a　little　farther　we　came　to　an　avenue　of　trees　which　shaded　the
  road。　　It　was　chiefly　composed　of　ash；　sycamore　and　birch；　and
  looked　delightfully　cool　and　shady。　　I　asked　my　guide　if　it
  belonged　to　any　gentleman's　house。　　He　told　me　that　it　did　not；　but
  to　a　public…house；　called　Tafarn　Tywarch；　which　stood　near　the　end；
  a　little　way　off　the　road。　　　〃Why　is　it　called　Tafarn　Tywarch？〃
  said　I；　struck　by　the　name　which　signifies　〃the　tavern　of　turf。〃
  〃It　was　called　so；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃because　it　was　originally
  merely　a　turf　hovel；　though　at　present　it　consists　of　good　brick
  and　mortar。〃
  〃Can　we　breakfast　there；〃　said　I；　〃for　I　feel　both　hungry　and
  thirsty？〃
  〃Oh　yes；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃I　have　heard　there　is　good　cheese　and
  cwrw　there。〃
  We　turned　off　to　the　〃tafarn；〃　which　was　a　decent　public…house　of
  rather　an　antiquated　appearance。　　We　entered　a　sanded　kitchen；　and
  sat　down　by　a　large　oaken　table。　　〃Please　to　bring　us　some　bread；
  cheese　and　ale；〃　said　I　in　Welsh　to　an　elderly　woman；　who　was
  moving　about。
  〃Sar？〃　said　she。
  〃Bring　us　some　bread；　cheese　and　ale；〃　I　repeated　in　Welsh。
  〃I　do　not　understand　you；　sar；〃　said　she　in　English。
  〃Are　you　Welsh？〃　said　I　in　English。
  〃Yes；　I　am　Welsh！〃
  〃And　can　you　speak　Welsh？〃
  〃Oh　yes；　and　the　best。〃
  〃Then　why　did　you　not　bring　what　I　asked　for？〃
  〃Because　I　did　not　understand　you。〃
  〃Tell　her；〃　said　I　to　John　Jones；　〃to　bring　us　some　bread；　cheese
  and　ale。〃
  〃Come；　aunt；〃　said　John；　〃bring　us　bread　and　cheese　and　a　quart　of
  the　best　ale。〃
  The　woman　looked　as　if　she　was　going　to　reply　in　the　tongue　in
  which　he　addressed　her；　then　faltered；　and　at　last　said　in　English
  that　she　did　not　understand。
  〃Now；〃　said　I；　〃you　are　fairly　caught：　　this　man　is　a　Welshman；　and
  moreover　understands　no　language　but　Welsh。〃
  〃Then　how　can　he　understand　you？〃　said　she。
  〃Because　I　speak　Welsh；〃　said　I。
  〃Then　you　are　a　Welshman？〃　said　she。
  〃No　I　am　not；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　English。〃
  〃So　I　thought；〃　said　she；　〃and　on　that　account　I　could　not
  understand　you。〃
  〃You　mean　that　you　would　not；〃　said　I。　　〃Now　do　you　choose　to　bring
  what　you　are　bidden？〃
  〃Come；　aunt；〃　said　John；　〃don't　be　silly　and　cenfigenus；　but　bring
  the　breakfast。〃
  The　woman　stood　still　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then　biting　her　lips
  went　away。
  〃What　made　the　woman　behave　in　this　manner？〃　said　I　to　my
  companion。
  〃Oh；　she　was　cenfigenus；　sir；〃　he　replied；　〃she　did　not　like　that
  an　English　gentleman　should　understand　Welsh；　she　was　envious；　you
  will　find　a　dozen　or　two　like　her　in　Wales；　but　let　us　hope　not
  more。〃
  Presently　the　woman　returned　with　the　bread；　cheese　and　ale；　which
  she　placed　on　the　table。
  〃Oh；〃　said　I；　〃you　have　brought　what　was　bidden；　though　it　was
  never　mentioned　to　you　in　English；　which　shows　that　your　pretending
  not　to　understand　was　all　a　sham。　　What　made　you　behave　so？〃
  〃Why　I　thought；〃　said　the　woman；　〃that　no　Englishman　could　speak
  Welsh；　that　his　tongue　was　too　short。〃
  〃Your　having　thought　so；〃　said　I；　〃should　not　have　made　you　tell　a
  falsehood；　saying　that　you　did　not　understand；　when　you　knew　that
  you　understood　very　well。　　See　what　a　disgraceful　figure　you　cut。〃
  〃I　cut　no　disgraced　figure；〃　said　the　woman：　　〃after　all；　what
  right　have　the　English　to　come　here　speaking　Welsh；　which　belongs
  to　the　Welsh　alone；　who　in　fact　are　the　only　people　that　understand
  it。〃
  〃Are　you　sure　that　you　understand　Welsh？〃　said　I。
  〃I　should　think　so；〃　said　the　woman；　〃for　I　come　from　the　Vale　of
  Clwyd；　where　they　speak　the　best　Welsh　in　the　world；　the　Welsh　of
  the　Bible。〃
  〃What　do　they　call　a　salmon　in　the　Vale　of　Clwyd？〃　said　I。
  〃What　do　they　call　a　salmon？〃　said　the　woman。　　〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃when
  they　speak　Welsh。〃
  〃They　call　it　…　they　call　it　…　why　a　salmon。〃
  〃Pretty　Welsh！〃　said　I。　　〃I　thought　you　did　not　understand　Welsh。〃
  〃Well；　what　do　you　call　it？〃　said　the　woman。
  〃Eawg；〃　said　I；　〃that　is　the　word　for　a　salmon　in　general　…　but
  there　are　words　also　to　show　the　sex　…　when　you　speak　of　a　male
  salmon　you　should　say　cemyw；　when　of　a　female　hwyfell。〃
  〃I　never　heard　the　words　before；〃　said　the　woman；　〃nor　do　I　believe
  them　to　be　Welsh。〃
  〃You　say　so；〃　said　I；　〃because　you　do　not　understand　Welsh。〃
  〃I　not　understand　Welsh！〃　said　she。　　〃I'll　soon　show　you　that　I　do。
  Come；　you　have　asked　me　the　word　for　salmon　in　Welsh；　I　will　now
  ask　you　the　word　for　salmon…trout。　　Now　tell　me　that；　and　I　will
  say　you　know　something　of　the　matter。〃
  〃A　tinker　of　my　country　can　tell　you　that；〃　said　I。　　〃The　word　for
  salmon…trout　is　gleisiad。〃
  The　countenance　of　the　woman　fell。
  〃I　see　you　know　something　about　the　matter；〃　said　she；　〃there　are
  very　few　hereabouts；　though　so　near　to　the　Vale　of　Clwyd；　who　know
  the　word　for　salmon…trout　in　Welsh；　I　shouldn't　have　known　the　word
  myself；　but　for　the　song　which　says：
  Glan　yw'r　gleisiad　yn　y　llyn。〃
  〃And　who　wrote　that　song？〃　said　I。
  〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　woman。
  〃But　I　do；〃　said　I；　〃one　Lewis　Morris　wrote　it。'
  〃Oh；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　heard　all　about　Huw　Morris。〃
  〃I　was　not　talking　of　Huw　Morris；〃　said　I；　〃but　Lewis　Morris；　who
  lived　long　after　Huw　Morris。　　He　was　a　native　of　Anglesea；　but
  resided　for　some　time　in　Merionethshire；　and　whilst　there　composed
  a　song　about　the　Morwynion　bro　Meirionydd　or　the　lasses　of　County
  Merion　of　a　great　many　stanzas；　in　one　of　which　the　gleisiad　is
  mentioned。　　Here　it　is　in　English：
  〃'Full　fair　the　gleisiad　in　the　flood；
  Which　sparkles　'neath　the　summer's　sun；
  And　fair　the　thrush　in　green　abode
  Spreading　his　wings　in　sportive　fun；
  But　fairer　look　if　truth　be　spoke；
  The　maids　of　County　Merion。'〃
  The　woman　was　about　to　reply；　but　I　interrupted　her。
  〃There；〃　said　I；　〃pray　leave　us　to　our　breakfast；　and　the　next　time
  you　feel　inclined　to　talk　nonsense　about　no　Englishman's
  understanding　Welsh；　or　knowing　anything　of　Welsh　matters；　remember
  that　it　was　an　Englishman　who　told　you　the　Welsh　word　for　salmon；
  and　likewise　the　name　of　the　Welshman　who　wrote　the　song　in　which
  the　gleisiad　is　mentioned。〃
  The　ale　was　very　good　and　so　were　the　bread　and　cheese。　　The　ale
  indeed　was　so　good　that　I　ordered　a　second　jug。　　Observing　a　large
  antique　portrait　over　the　mantel…piece　I　got　up　to　examine　it。　　It
  was　that　of　a　gentleman　in　a　long　wig；　and　underneath　it　was
  painted　in　red　letters　〃Sir　Watkin　Wynn：　　1742。〃　　It　was　doubtless
  the　portrait　of　the　Sir　Watkin　who；　in　1745　was　committed　to　the
  tower　under　suspicion　of　being　suspected　of　holding　Jacobite
  opinions；　and　favouring　the　Pretender。　　The　portrait　was　a　very
  poor　daub；　but　I　looked　at　it　long　and　attentively　as　a　memorial　of
  Wales　at　a　critical　and　long　past　time。
  When　we　had　dispatched　the　second　jug　of　ale；　and　I　had　paid　the
  reckoning；　we　departed　and　soon　came　to　where　stood　a　turnpike
  house　at　a　junction　of　two　roads；　to　each　of　which　was　a　gate。
  〃Now；　sir；〃　said　John　Jones；　〃the　way　straight　forward　is　the
  ffordd　newydd；　and　the　one　on　our　right　hand　is　the　hen　ffordd。
  Which　shall　we　follow；　the　new　or　the　old？〃
  〃There　is　a　proverb　in　the　Gerniweg；〃　said　I；　〃which　was　the
  language　of　my　forefathers；　saying；　'ne'er　leave　the　old　way　for
  the　new；'　we　will　therefore　go　by　the　hen　ffordd。〃
  〃Very　good；　sir；〃　said　my　guide；　〃that　is　the　path　I　always　go；　for
  it　is　the　shortest。〃　　So　we　turned　to　the　right　and　followed　the
  old　road。　　Perhaps；　however；　it　would　have　been　well　had　we　gone　by
  the　new；　for　the　hen　ffordd　was　a　very　dull　and　uninteresting　road；
  whereas　the　ffordd　newydd；　as　I　long　subsequently　found；　is　one　of
  the　grandest　passes　in　Wales。　　After　we　had　walked　a　short　distance
  my　guide　said；　〃Now；　sir；　if　you　will　turn　a　little　way　to　the　left
  hand　I　will　show　you　a　house；　built　in　t