Cardigan。〃
  〃Famed　for　anything　else？〃
  〃Oh　yes！　famed　for　great　man；　clever　thief；　Twm　Shone　Catti；　who
  was　born　there。〃
  〃Dear　me！〃　said　I；　〃when　did　he　live？〃
  〃Oh；　long　time　ago；　more　than　two　hundred　year。〃
  〃And　what　became　of　him？〃　said　I；　〃was　he　hung？〃
  〃Hung；　no！　only　stupid　thief　hung。　　Twm　Shone　clever　thief；　died
  rich　man；　justice　of　the　peace　and　mayor　of　Brecon。〃
  〃Very　singular；〃　said　I；　〃that　they　should　make　a　thief　mayor　of
  Brecon。〃
  〃Oh　Twm　Shone　Catti　very　different　from　other　thieves；　funny
  fellow；　and　so　good…natured　that　everybody　loved　him　…　so　they　made
  him　magistrate；　not；　however；　before　he　had　become　very　rich　man　by
  marrying　great　lady　who　fell　in　love　with　him。〃
  〃Ah；　ah；〃　said　I；　〃that's　the　way　of　the　world。　　He　became　rich；　so
  they　made　him　a　magistrate；　had　he　remained　poor　they　would　have
  hung　him　in　spite　of　all　his　fun　and　good…nature。　　Well；　can't　you
  tell　me　some　of　the　things　he　did？〃
  〃Oh　yes；　can　tell　you　plenty。　　One　day　in　time　of　fair　Tom　Shone
  Catti　goes　into　ironmonger's　shop　in　Llandovery。　　'Master；'　says
  he；　'I　want　to　buy　a　good　large　iron　porridge　pot；　please　to　show
  me　some。'　　So　the　man　brings　three　or　four　big　iron　porridge　pots；
  the　very　best　he　has。　　Tom　takes　up　one　and　turns　it　round。　　'This
  look　very　good　porridge　pot；'　said　he；　'I　think　it　will　suit　me。'
  Then　he　turns　it　round　and　round　again；　and　at　last　lifts　it　above
  his　head　and　peeks　into　it。　　'Ha；　ha；'　says　he；　'this　won't　do；　I
  see　one　hole　here。　　What　mean　you　by　wanting　to　sell　article　like
  this　to　stranger？'　　Says　the　man；　'There　be　no　hole　in　it。'　　'But
  there　is；'　says　Tom；　holding　it　up　and　peeking　into　it　again；　'I
  see　the　hole　quite　plain。　　Take　it　and　look　into　it　yourself。'　　So
  the　man　takes　the　pot；　and　having　held　it　up　and　peeked　in；　'as　I
  hope　to　be　saved；'　says　he；　'I　can　see　no　hole。'　　Says　Tom；　'Good
  man；　if　you　put　your　head　in；　you　will　find　that　there　is　a　hole。'
  So　the　man　tries　to　put　in　his　head；　but　having　some　difficulty；
  Tom　lends　him　a　helping　hand　by　jamming　the　pot　quite　down　over　the
  man's　face；　then　whisking　up　the　other　pots　Tom　leaves　the　shop；
  saying　as　he　goes；　'Friend；　I　suppose　you　now　see　there　is　a　hole
  in　the　pot；　otherwise　how　could　you　have　got　your　head　inside？〃'
  〃Very　good；〃　said　I；　〃can　you　tell　us　something　more　about　Twm
  Shone　Catti？〃
  〃Oh　yes；　can　tell　you　plenty　about　him。　　The　farmer　at　Newton；　just
  one　mile　beyond　the　bridge　at　Brecon；　had　one　very　fine　bull；　but
  with　a　very　short　tail。　　Says　Tom　to　himself：　　'By　God's　nails　and
  blood；　I　will　steal　the　farmer's　bull；　and　then　sell　it　to　him　for
  other　bull　in　open　market　place。'　　Then　Tom　makes　one　fine　tail；
  just　for　all　the　world　such　a　tail　as　the　bull　ought　to　have　had；
  then　goes　by　night　to　the　farmer's　stall　at　Newton；　steals　away　the
  bull；　and　then　sticks　to　the　bull's　short　stump　the　fine　bull's
  tail　which　he　himself　had　made。　　The　next　market　day　he　takes　the
  bull　to　the　market…place　at　Brecon；　and　calls　out；　'Very　fine　bull
  this；　who　will　buy　my　fine　bull？'　　Quoth　the　farmer　who　stood　nigh
  at　hand；　'That　very　much　like　my　bull；　which　thief　stole　t'other
  night；　I　think　I　can　swear　to　him。'　　Says　Tom；　'What　do　you　mean？
  This　bull　is　not　your　bull；　but　mine。'　　Says　the　farmer；　'I　could
  swear　that　this　is　my　bull　but　for　the　tail。　　The　tail　of　my　bull
  was　short；　but　the　tail　of　this　is　long。　　I　would　fain　know　whether
  the　tail　of　this　be　real　tail　or　not。'　　'You　would？'　says　Tom；
  'well；　so　you　shall。'　　Thereupon　he　whips　out　big　knife　and　cuts
  off　the　bull's　tail；　some　little　way　above　where　the　false　tail　was
  joined　on。　　'Ha；　ha；'　said　Tom；　as　the　bull's　stump　of　tail　bled；
  and　the　bit　of　tail　bled　too　to　which　the　false　tail　was　stuck；　and
  the　bull　kicked　and　bellowed。　　'What　say　you　now？　　Is　it　a　true
  tail　or　no？'　　'By　my　faith！'　says　the　farmer；　'I　see　that　the　tail
  is　a　true　tail；　and　that　the　bull　is　not　mine。　　I　beg　pardon　for
  thinking　that　he　was。'　　'Begging　pardon；'　says　Tom；　'is　all　very
  well；　but　will　you　buy　the　bull？'　　'No；'　said　the　farmer；　'I　should
  be　loth　to　buy　a　bull　with　tail　cut　off　close　to　the　rump。'　　'Ha；'
  says　Tom；　'who　made　me　cut　off　the　tail　but　yourself？　　Did　you　not
  force　me　to　do　so　in　order　to　clear　my　character？　　Now　as　you　made
  me　cut　off　my　bull's　tail；　I　will　make　you　buy　my　bull　without　his
  tail。'　　'Yes；　yes；'　cried　the　mob；　'as　he　forced　you　to　cut　off　the
  tail；　do　you　now　force　him　to　buy　the　bull　without　the　tail。'　　Says
  the　farmer；　'What　do　you　ask　for　the　bull？'　　Says　Tom：　　'I　ask　for
  him　ten　pound。'　　Says　the　farmer；　'I　will　give　you　eight。'　　'No；'
  says　Tom；　'you　shall　give　me　ten；　or　I　will　have　you　up　before　the
  justice。'　　'That　is　right；'　cried　the　mob。　　'If　he　won't　pay　you
  ten　pound；　have　him　up　before　the　justice。'　　Thereupon　the　farmer；
  becoming　frightened；　pulled　out　the　ten　pounds　and　gave　it　for　his
  own　bull　to　Tom　Shone　Catti；　who　wished　him　joy　of　his　bargain。　　As
  the　farmer　was　driving　the　bull　away　he　said　to　Tom：　　'Won't　you
  give　me　the　tail？'　　'No；'　said　Tom；　'I　shall　keep　it　against　the
  time　I　steal　another　bull　with　a　short　tail；'　and　thereupon　he　runs
  off。〃
  〃A　clever　fellow；〃　said　I；　〃though　it　was　rather　cruel　in　him　to
  cut　off　the　poor　bull's　tail。　　Now；　perhaps；　you　will　tell　me　how
  he　came　to　marry　the　rich　lady？
  〃Oh　yes；　I　will　tell　you。　　One　day　as　he　was　wandering　about；
  dressed　quite　like　a　gentleman；　he　heard　a　cry；　and　found　one　very
  fine　lady　in　the　hands　of　one　highwayman；　who　would　have　robbed　and
  murdered　her。　　Tom　kills　the　highwayman　and　conducts　the　lady　home
  to　her　house　and　her　husband；　for　she　was　a　married　lady。　　Out　of
  gratitude　to　Tom　for　the　service　he　has　done；　the　gentleman　and
  lady　invite　him　to　stay　with　them。　　The　gentleman；　who　is　a　great
  gentleman；　fond　of　his　bottle　and　hunting；　takes　mightily　to　Tom
  for　his　funny　sayings　and　because　Tom's　a　good　hand　at　a　glass　when
  at　table；　and　a　good　hand　at　a　leap　when　in　field；　the　lady　also
  takes　very　much　to　Tom；　because　he　one　domm'd　handsome　fellow；　with
  plenty　of　wit　and　what　they　call　boetry　…　for　Tom；　amongst　other
  things；　was　no　bad　boet；　and　could　treat　a　lady　to　pennillion　about
  her　face　and　her　ancle；　and　the　tip　of　her　ear。　　At　last　Tom　goes
  away　upon　his　wanderings；　not；　however；　before　he　has　got　one
  promise　from　the　lady；　that　if　ever　she　becomes　disengaged　she　will
  become　his　wife。　　Well；　after　some　time；　the　lady's　husband　dies
  and　leaves　her　all　his　property；　so　that　all　of　a　sudden　she　finds
  herself　one　great　independent　lady；　mistress　of　the　whole　of　Strath
  Feen；　one　fair　and　pleasant　valley　far　away　there　over　the　Eastern
  hills；　by　the　Towey；　on　the　borders　of　Shire　Car。　　Tom；　as　soon　as
  he　hears　the　news　of　all　this；　sets　off　for　Strath　Feen　and　asks
  the　lady　to　perform　her　word；　but　the　lady；　who　finds　herself　one
  great　and　independent　lady；　and　moreover　does　not　quite　like　the
  idea　of　marrying　one　thief；　for　she　had　learnt　who　Tom　was；　does
  hum　and　hah；　and　at　length　begs　to　be　excused；　because　she　has
  changed　her　mind。　　Tom　begs　and　entreats；　but　quite　in　vain；　till
  at　last　she　tells　him　to　go　away　and　not　trouble　her　any　more。　　Tom
  goes　away；　but　does　not　yet　lose　hope。　　He　takes　up　his　quarters　in
  one　strange　little　cave；　nearly　at　the　top　of　one　wild　hill；　very
  much　like　sugar　loaf；　which　does　rise　above　the　Towey；　just　within
  Shire　Car。　　I　have　seen　the　cave　myself；　which　is　still　called
  Ystafell　Twm　Shone　Catty。　　Very　queer　cave　it　is；　in　strange
  situation；　steep　rock　just　above　it；　Towey　River　roaring　below。
  There　Tom　takes　up　his　quarters；　and　from　there　he　often　sallies
  forth；　in　hope　of　having　interview　with　fair　lady　and　making　her
  alter　her　mind；　but　she　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　him；　and　at
  last　shuts　herself　up　in　her　house　and　will　not　go　out。　　Well；　Tom
  nearly　loses　all　hope；　he；　however；　determines　to　make　one　last
  effort；　so　one　morning　he　goes　to　the　house　and　stands　before　the
  door；　entreating　with　one　loud　and　lamentable　voice　that　the　lady
  will　see　him　once　more；　because　he　is　come　to　bid　her　one　eternal
  farewell；　being　about　to　set　off　for　the　wars　in　the　kingdom　of
  France。　　Well；　the　lady　who　hears　all　he　says　relents　one　little；
  and　showing　herself　at　the　window；　before　which　are　very　strong
  iron　bars；　she　says：　　'Here　I　am！　whatever　you　have　to　say；　say　it
  quickly　and　go　your　way。'　　Says　Tom：　　'I　am　come　to　bid　you　one
  eternal　farewell；　and　have　but　one　last　slight　request　to　make；
  which　is　that　you　vouchsafe　to　stretch　out　of　the　window　your　lily…
  white　hand；　that　I　may　impress　one　last　burning　kiss　of　love　on　the
  same。'　　Well；　the　lady　hesitates　one　little　time；　at　last；　having
  one　woman's　heart；　she　thinks　she　may　grant　him　this　last　little
  request；　and　stretching　her　hand　through　the　bars；　she　says：
  'Well；　there's　my　hand；　kiss　it　once　and　begone。'　　Forthwith　Tom；
  seizing　her　wrist　with　his　left　hand；　says：　　'I　have　got　you　now；
  and　will　never　let　you　go　till　you　swear　to　become　my　wife。'
  'Never；'　said　the　lady；　'will　I　become　the　wife　of　one