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The
Legend of Llyn y Forwyn (The Maiden's Lake)
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Nestling
in Darran Park woods in the village of Ferndale in the Rhondda
Fach, there is a beautiful lake called Llyn y Forwyn, which
in English means The Maidens Lake.
Here
is the legend of the lake.
It
was a lovely morning in the springtime when Gwyn, the son
of Rhondda Fechan Farm, went for a walk beside the lake.
He was a handsome young lad but he had never been in love
nor had he ever had a sweetheart.
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A
frozen Darran Park Lake 1905
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As
he walked among his sheep that were grazing near the lake, he saw
a beautiful maiden rising from the waters of the lake. As
she glided towards him he could see her beautiful skin was as white
as snow and her hair was as black as night.
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The
maiden told Gwyn her name was Nelferch and that she lived
with her father and her sisters beneath the lake. Gwyn
fell madly in love with her and he begged her to marry him.
Nelferch
said that she didn't think it was wise for a lake maiden to
marry a lad who lived on the land but Gwyn was so persuasive
that at last she agreed. The maiden said, however that
there were three conditions.
Firstly,
she would be allowed to bring her own cattle up from the lake;
secondly that she would leave him if they quarreled three
times and thirdly, that if he broke his promises, she and
her cattle would return to the lake.
Gwyn
readily agreed to her conditions so they were married and
went to live in Rhondda Fechan Farm.
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The
Lady of the lake
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The
pair were very happy for a while but, unfortunately they quarreled
- not once, not twice but three times. After the third time,
Gwyn heard his wife, Nelfech, calling her cattle:-
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"Trw
fach, Trw fach,
Moelen and Mali,
Bolwg and Neli,
Bwtfach and Bertfach,
Gwenno and Seren,
Modlen and Brithen,
Cochen and Sali,
Bronwen and Shani,
Blodwen and Beti".
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The
Lady of the lake
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In
spite of his pleas, back to the lake they went, Nelferch and her
cattle were never seen again.
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Llyn
y Forwyn - The Maidens Lake
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Next
- the legend of Guto Nyth Bran
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Legends
