The Wish

Donkeys’ years ago, an old man called Hywel lived alone near Gelligaer Church. His wife was dead, as were most of his friends and he himself had one foot in the grave.

Every evening, Hywel trudged over the mountain to a farmhouse in order to buy a pitcher of milk which was the only mollycoddle of his fading years. The distance was not great, but the journey was long because of the stiffness of his joints.

One night, as Hywel was hobbling along like a hearse, a soothing sound of singing and laughter was borne on the breeze. Whereupon, the old gent saw a flock of fairies dressed in a green garb bordered with gold. They were dancing inside their magic circle and welcomed Hywel into their midst.

Good fairies have the gift of reading people’s hearts, so they know that Hywel was sad and lonely. Moved by his misery the fair-folk offered to grant him anything he desired.

“I wish that I were young again,” sighed Hywel.

He remained with the fairies, carouselling in their circle, for a year and a day, and when Hywel stepped out he was filled with the sap of youth. He strode back to Gelligaer where all the maidens were pop-eyed at the prospect of being courted by the tall stranger who seems to be moving into poor old Hywel’s cottage.

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