Post by branynos on Aug 8, 2005 17:47:46 GMT -1
I was going to put this in the Shamanism thread but decided it might be worth its own.
I've been trying to find out more about the dyn hysbys (one who knows) of Welsh village life right up to the early years of the 20thC.
Unsurprisingly there's not much on the web (in English) but I did find this interesting article (written in 1923)
called "Witchcraft & Wizardry in Wales"
gaslight.mtroyal.ab.ca/gaslight/wizwales.htm
this bit jumped out at me. It's the author reporting on a practice being denounced in the 16thC
"Wise men" seem to have flourished from time immemorial in Wales, every village having its "dyn hysbys" in old days. It is said that their numbers were kept up by the superstitious practice amongst
the very ignorant country-folk of "sacrificing children to the Devil," in order to make "wise men" of them. The Rev. Rees Prichard, of Llaydovery, in a hymn against "conjurors," alludes to this
dreadful custom:—
Tynnu'r plentyn trwy ben crwcca.
Neu trwy'r fflam ar nos f'lamgaua,
A'u rhoi ymhinny felyn uchel,
Yw offrumm plant i Gythraul.
Meaning that "to drag children through a hoop or flame of fire, on All Hallows Eve, and taking them to the mill bin to be shaken, is the way of sacrificing them to the Evil One."
I'm pretty sure the translation is off slightly but haven't sat down and worked it out yet.
So any ideas what was going on? An initiation into the secrets of wizardry as Rev Prichard seems to think, a misunderstanding of a general healing process as the author seems to think?
A complete fabrication?
etc.
I've been trying to find out more about the dyn hysbys (one who knows) of Welsh village life right up to the early years of the 20thC.
Unsurprisingly there's not much on the web (in English) but I did find this interesting article (written in 1923)
called "Witchcraft & Wizardry in Wales"
gaslight.mtroyal.ab.ca/gaslight/wizwales.htm
this bit jumped out at me. It's the author reporting on a practice being denounced in the 16thC
"Wise men" seem to have flourished from time immemorial in Wales, every village having its "dyn hysbys" in old days. It is said that their numbers were kept up by the superstitious practice amongst
the very ignorant country-folk of "sacrificing children to the Devil," in order to make "wise men" of them. The Rev. Rees Prichard, of Llaydovery, in a hymn against "conjurors," alludes to this
dreadful custom:—
Tynnu'r plentyn trwy ben crwcca.
Neu trwy'r fflam ar nos f'lamgaua,
A'u rhoi ymhinny felyn uchel,
Yw offrumm plant i Gythraul.
Meaning that "to drag children through a hoop or flame of fire, on All Hallows Eve, and taking them to the mill bin to be shaken, is the way of sacrificing them to the Evil One."
I'm pretty sure the translation is off slightly but haven't sat down and worked it out yet.
So any ideas what was going on? An initiation into the secrets of wizardry as Rev Prichard seems to think, a misunderstanding of a general healing process as the author seems to think?
A complete fabrication?
etc.