One of the most charming legends to come down in the Welsh tradition is the Shepherd of Mydaffi. This is how the story goes:
High
in the hills of wales, where there live more sheep than men, there exists
an enchanting place called Mydaffi. Not much has changed in Mydaffi from the
days of the bards until now. I can say this with some authority and confidence
because I spent a day there in the Autumn of l996. The day I was there was
probably a similar day to when our story opens, the sky was clear, there was
a slight breeze in the air, you could walk for miles and not see a soul. A
human soul that is. What you do see are hundreds and thousands of sheep all
contently grazing on the graggy hills. No cars are allowed for the last two
miles towards Lake Llyn-y-fan-fach so one can really experience a timelessness
of the place.
One night in this timeless place, David was playing his flute sitting on the banks of Lake Lly-y-fan-fach and gacing into its clear blue waters when before his very eyes the most beautiful woman appeared as if coming right out of the lake itself. She was clothed in a shining blue gown and smiled at the Shepard. After a while she started to dance to the tune he was playing on his pipes. It was the most exotic and at the same time most pure dance the Shepard had ever seen. The Faery Maiden becken him to put down his pipes and join her in the dance. David did not hestitate and put down his pipes and ran to the banks of the lake and danced without fear with the underworldly creature. He could have danced forever and didn't want to let her go. Every night at dusk after this the Faery Maiden returned and the wild, wonderful dancing continued unblated. Finally David said to the Faery Maiden, "Be my wife. Stay with me." The Faery Maiden smiled and said " you must first bake me some bread. Bake some bread and bring it tomorrow night". David had never baked before but knew he was under the spell of the faery maiden and would do anything to keep her. At the usual time of meeting, David offered the Faery Maiden the bread he had made the day before. The Faery Maiden looked sad and said" the bread is too soft". David said he would try again and did the following night. The second night, the Faery maiden rejected it again because it was too hard. David really concentrated and did nothing other than prepare bread for the third night. The Faery Maiden eat the bread and was delighted. But had one last reservation "How will I know I can trust you. How can I be sure I should leave my kin and come to the land of men". There is one last thing we need to do. Tomorrow night I will bring some of my kin, and you must pick me out among them. If you do, David, Shepard of Myaffi , I will gladly be your bride. There is only one stipulation said the Maiden " If husband to be, you hit me, and hit me thrice the enchantment ends and I will return whence I came. David could not think of such a behavior occurring he was so happy. And so on the following evening, with the stars shining above, 50 almost equally lovely maidens appeared to David at Lake Lyn- fan ..... David successfully identifed his dancing partner by the energy field he saw around her and the love they had connected with. The Faery Maiden came to the land of men and married the Shepard of Myaffi and they lead a charmed life for awhile and had three children.
The couple belong to the local church and one morning going to Church David became irrated that his wife was not wearing gloves and covering her hair and the other women did. He laments Oh wife of mine, will you not cover your hair and wear your gloves" My hands are clean and my hair is brushed is all she replied . At this, David hit his wife in exasparation. The faery maiden instantly reminded him of the bargain they are stuck "Hit me once, two more times and I will be gone." Some time later another occurrence happened where the maiden finds herself weeping at a wedding and laughing at a funeral. The church congregation is insulted by this outsider and David's loyalty to his maiden and his bargain crumbles under such peer pressure and he reprimands her and strikes her twice. The Faery Maiden sadly tells him she must return whence she came and departs. David is beside himself with remorse and grief and is never the same again.
He spends many nights by the lake playing his pipes hoping the faery maiden will return and forgive him. She does not. Many years later, She does make one finally appearance to her three children and gives them her blessings for their upcoming adulthood. hose of the readers familiar with Celtic legends will have noticed the female powers were waning, but the three remaining and clearly come across in many legends are: The right of the mother to name the child. The right of the mother to determine adulthood and bear arms and the right to give blessing at a union. The faery maiden was remaining faithful to her heritage.