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We turned to the west。 He inquired if I had ever heard before of
Offa's Dyke。
〃Oh yes；〃 said I； 〃it was built by an old Saxon king called Offa；
against the incursions of the Welsh。〃
〃There was a time；〃 said my companion； 〃when it was customary for
the English to cut off the ears of every Welshman who was found to
the east of the dyke； and for the Welsh to hang every Englishman
whom they found to the west of it。 Let us be thankful that we are
now more humane to each other。 We are now on the north side of Pen
y Coed。 Do you know the meaning of Pen y Coed； sir？〃
〃Pen y Coed；〃 said I； 〃means the head of the wood。 I suppose that
in the old time the mountain looked over some extensive forest；
even as the nunnery of Pengwern looked originally over an alder…
swamp； for Pengwern means the head of the alder…swamp。〃
〃So it does； sir； I shouldn't wonder if you could tell me the real
meaning of a word； about which I have thought a good deal； and
about which I was puzzling my head last night as I lay in bed。〃
〃What may it be？〃 said I。
〃Carn…lleidyr；〃 he replied： 〃now； sir； do you know the meaning of
that word？〃
〃I think I do；〃 said I。
〃What may it be； sir？〃
〃First let me hear what you conceive its meaning to be；〃 said I。
〃Why； sir； I should say that Carn…lleidyr is an out…and…out thief …
one worse than a thief of the common sort。 Now； if I steal a
matrass I am a lleidyr； that is a thief of the common sort； but if
I carry it to a person； and he buys it； knowing it to be stolen； I
conceive he is a far worse thief than I； in fact； a carn…lleidyr。〃
〃The word is a double word；〃 said I； 〃compounded of carn and
lleidyr。 The original meaning of carn is a heap of stones； and
carn…lleidyr means properly a thief without house or home； and with
no place on which to rest his head； save the carn or heap of stones
on the bleak top of the mountain。 For a long time the word was
only applied to a thief of that description； who； being without
house and home； was more desperate than other thieves； and as
savage and brutish as the wolves and foxes with whom he
occasionally shared his pillow； the carn。 In course of time；
however； the original meaning was lost or disregarded； and the term
carn…lleidyr was applied to any particularly dishonest person。 At
present there can be no impropriety in calling a person who
receives a matrass； knowing it to be stolen； a carn…lleidyr； seeing
that he is worse than the thief who stole it； or in calling a
knavish attorney a carn…lleidyr； seeing that he does far more harm
than a common pick…pocket； or in calling the Pope so； seeing that
he gets huge sums of money out of people by pretending to be able
to admit their souls to heaven； or to hurl them to the other place；
knowing all the time that he has no such power； perhaps； indeed； at
the present day the term carn…lleidyr is more applicable to the
Pope than to any one else； for he is certainly the arch thief of
the world。 So much for Carn…lleidyr。 But I must here tell you
that the term carn may be applied to any who is particularly bad or
disagreeable in any respect； and now I remember； has been applied
for centuries both in prose and poetry。 One Lewis Glyn Cothi； a
poet； who lived more than three hundred years ago； uses the word
carn in the sense of arrant or exceedingly bad； for in his abusive
ode to the town of Chester； he says that the women of London itself
were never more carn strumpets than those of Chester； by which he
means that there were never more arrant harlots in the world than
those of the cheese capital。 And the last of your great poets；
Gronwy Owen； who flourished about the middle of the last century；
complains in a letter to a friend； whilst living in a village of
Lancashire； that he was amongst Carn Saeson。 He found all English
disagreeable enough； but those of Lancashire particularly so …
savage； brutish louts； out…and…out John Bulls； and therefore he
called them Carn Saeson。〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said my companion； 〃I now thoroughly understand
the meaning of carn。 Whenever I go to Chester； and a dressed…up
madam jostles against me； I shall call her carn…butein。 The Pope
of Rome I shall in future term carn…lleidyr y byd； or the arch
thief of the world。 And whenever I see a stupid； brutal Englishman
swaggering about Llangollen； and looking down upon us poor Welsh； I
shall say to myself Get home； you carn Sais！ Well； sir； we are now
near Llangollen； I must turn to the left。 You go straight forward。
I never had such an agreeable walk in my life。 May I ask your
name？〃
I told him my name； and asked him for his。
〃Edward Jones；〃 he replied。
CHAPTER X
The Berwyn … Mountain Cottage … The Barber's Pole。
ON the following morning I strolled up the Berwyn on the south…west
of the town； by a broad winding path； which was at first very
steep； but by degrees became less so。 When I had accomplished
about three parts of the ascent I came to a place where the road；
or path； divided into two。 I took the one to the left； which
seemingly led to the top of the mountain； and presently came to a
cottage from which a dog rushed barking towards me； an old woman；
however； coming to the door called him back。 I said a few words to
her in Welsh； whereupon in broken English she asked me to enter the
cottage and take a glass of milk。 I went in and sat down on a
chair which a sickly…looking young woman handed to me。 I asked her
in English who she was； but she made no answer； whereupon the old
woman told me that she was her daughter and had no English。 I then
asked her in Welsh what was the matter with her； she replied that
she had the cryd or ague。 The old woman now brought me a glass of
milk； and said in the Welsh language that she hoped I should like
it。 What further conversation we had was in the Cambrian tongue。
I asked the name of the dog； who was now fondling upon me； and was
told that his name was Pharaoh。 I inquired if they had any books；
and was shown two； one a common Bible printed by the Bible Society；
and the other a volume in which the book of prayer of the Church of
England was bound up with the Bible； both printed at Oxford； about
the middle of the last century。 I found that both mother and
daughter were Calvinistic…Methodists。 After a little further
discourse I got up and gave the old woman twopence for the milk；
she accepted it； but with great reluctance。 I inquired whether by
following the road I could get to the Pen y bryn or the top of the
hill。 They shook their heads； and the young woman said that I
could not； as the road presently took a turn and went down。 I
asked her how I could get to the top of the hill。 〃Which part of
the top？〃 said she。 〃I'r goruchaf；〃 I replied。 〃That must be
where the barber's pole stands；〃 said she。 〃Why does the barber's
pole stand there？〃 said I。 〃A barber was hanged there a long time
ago；〃 said she； 〃and the pole was placed to show the spot。〃 〃Why
was he hanged？〃 said I。 〃For murdering his wife；〃 said she。 I
asked her some questions about the murder； but