British Goblins. Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions.
London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1880. Second Edition. Hardcover. Large Octavo. xvi + 412 pp + 32 pp. publisher's catalog at rear. Original black and gilt decorated brown cloth; frontis and b&w illustrations by T. H. Thomas, index. The second edition - published in the same year as the first - of this work on the Faerie mythology of Wales, which also includes much on ghosts and other related esoteric phenomena. A fabulous collection, arranged into four sections or books: The Realm Of Faerie, The Spirit-World (mainly accounts of ghosts and ghost lore, but also touching on Spiritualism), Quaint Old Customs, and Bells, Wells, Stones, And Dragons. Each of these is divided into a number of chapters. SOME sample listings of the contents (there is much more): Book I. The Realm Of Faerie: Chapter I. Fairy Tales and the Ancient Mythology - The Compensations of Science - Existing Belief in Fairies in Wales - The Faith of Culture - The Credulity of Ignorance - The Old-Time Welsh Fairyland - The Fairy King - The Legend of St. Collen and Gwyn ap Nudd - The Green Meadows of the Sea - Fairies at Market - The Land of Mystery, ……. Chapter VII. Fairy Music - Birds of Enchantment - The Legend of Shon ap Shenkin - Harp Music in Welsh Fairy Tales - Legend of the Magic Harp - Songs and Tunes of the Tylwyth Teg - The Legend of Iolo ap Hugh - Mystic Origin of an old Welsh Air, ….. Chapter X1. Origins of Welsh Fairies - The Realistic Theory - Legend of the Baron's Gate - The Red Fairies - The Trwyn Fairy a Proscribed Nobleman - The Theory of hiding Druids - Colour in Welsh Fairy Attire - The Green Lady of Caerphilly - White the favourite Welsh Hue - Legend of the Prolific Woman - The Poetico-Religious Theory - The Creed of Science.
Book II. The Spirit-World. Chapter I. Modern Superstition regarding Ghosts - American 'Spiritualism' - Welsh Beliefs - Classification of Welsh Ghosts - Lady Stradling's Ghost - The Haunted Bridge - The Legend of Catrin Gwyn - Didactic Purpose in Cambrian Apparitions - An Insulted Corpse - Duty-performing Ghosts - Laws of the Spirit-World - Cadogan's Ghost. CHAPTER III. Spectral Animals - The Chained Spirit - The Gwyllgi, or Dog of Darkness - The Legend of Lisworney - Crossways - The Gwyllgi of the Devil's Nags - The Dog of Pant y Madog - Terrors of the Brute Creation at Phantoms - Apparitions of Natural Objects - Phantom Ships and Phantom Islands, …. Chapter IX. The Corpse Candle - Its Peculiarities - The Woman of Caerau - Grasping a Corpse Candle - The Crwys Candle - Lights issuing from the Mouth - Jesting with the Canwyll Corph - The Candle at Pontfaen - The Three Candles at Golden Grove - Origin of Death-Portents in Wales - Degree of Belief prevalent at the Present Day - Origin of Spirits in General - The Supernatural - The Question of a Future Life, …. Book III.Quaint Old Customs. Chapter I. Serious Significance of seemingly Trivial Customs - Their Origins - Common Superstitions - The Age we Live in - Days and Seasons - New Year's Day - The Apple Gift - Lucky Acts on New Year's Morning - The First Foot - Showmen's Superstitions - Levy Dew Song - Happy New Year Carol - Twelfth Night - The Mari Lwyd - The Penglog - The Cutty Wren - Tooling and Sowling - St. Valentine's Day - St. Dewi's Day - The Wearing of the Leek - The Traditional St. David - St. Patrick's Day - St. Patrick a Welshman - Shrove Tuesday ) … Chapter VII. Death and Burial - The Gwylnos - Beer-Drinking at Welsh Funerals - Food and Drink over the Coffin - Sponge Cakes at Modern Funerals - The Sin-Eater - Welsh Denial that this Custom ever existed - The Testimony concerning it - Superstitions regarding Salt - Plate of Salt on Corpse's Breast - The Scapegoat - The St. Tegla Cock and Hen - Welsh Funeral Processions - Praying at Cross-roads - Superstition regarding Criminals' Graves - Hanging and Welsh Prejudice - The Grassless Grave - Parson's Penny, or Offrwm - Old Shoes to the Clerk - Arian y Rhaw, or Spade Money - Burials without Coffin - The Sul Coffa - Planting and Strewing Graves with Flowers. Book IV. Bells, Wells, Stones, and Dragons. Chapter II. Mystic Wells - Their Good and Bad Dispositions - St. Winifred's Well - The Legend of St. Winifred - Miracles - St. Tecla's Well - St. Dwynwen's - Curing Love-sickness - St. Cynfran's - St. Cynhafal's - Throwing Pins in Wells - Warts - Barry Island and its Legends - Ffynon Gwynwy - Propitiatory Gifts to Wells - The Dreadful Cursing Well of St. Elian's - Wells Flowing with Milk - St. Illtyd's - Taff's Well - Sanford's Well - Origins of Superstitions of this Class, …. Chapter IV. Early Inscribed Stones - The Stone Pillar of Banwan Bryddin, near Neath - Catastrophe accompanying its Removal - The Sagranus Stone and the White Lady - The Dancing Stones of Stackpool - Human Beings changed to Stones - St. Ceyna and the Serpents - The Devil's Stone at Llanarth - Rocking Stones and their accompanying Superstitions - The Suspended Altar of Loin-Garth - Cromlechs and their Fairy Legends - The Fairies' Castle at St. Nicholas, Glamorganshire - The Stone of the Wolf Bitch - The Welsh Melusina - Pare y Bigwrn Cromlech - Connection of these Stones with Ancient Druidism, … Chapter V. Baleful Spirits of Storm - The Shower at the Magic Fountain - Obstacles in the way of Treasure-Seekers - The Red Lady of Paviland - The Fall of Coychurch Tower - Thunder and Lightning evoked by Digging - The Treasure-Chest under Mod Arthur in the Vale of Clwyd - Modern Credulity - The Cavern of the Ravens - The Eagle-guarded Coffer of Castell Coch - Sleeping Warriors as Treasure-Guarders - The Dragon which St. Samson drove out of Wales - Dragons in the Mabinogion - Whence came the Red Dragon of Wales? - The Original Dragon of Mythology - Prototypes of the Welsh Caverns and Treasure-Hills - The Goblins of Electricity. A little light shelf-wear and hint of bubbling to cloth of boards, which are a trifle bowed. Bottom point of rear board chafed, extreme tip of front free end-paper chipped, a few very light finger marks to first few pages. One of two short marginal tears. Despite it's superficial flaws this is an unusually bright, clean, VG+ copy of a book that is seldom seen in nice condition. Item #62811
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