An Old Tale in
Wales
In Carmarthenshire Wale it tells of the
origins of the healing arts of the physicians of Myddfai. It concerns the lady
who dwelled in Lyn-y-fan-Fach, the lake nestling below the peak of the Black
Mountain in carmarthenshire Wales. This beautiful lady rose out of the lake and
appeared three times to a young shepherd lad, who wooed her with loaves of
bread baked by his mother. The first loaf was too hard, the second too soft,
but the third was just right. The lady agreed to marry him on condition that he
promised never to give her "three causeless blows." He had no trouble
accepting this, and so they were wed, the lady bringing much wealth in the form
of cattle, sheep and horses all of which arose from the waters. Years passed
and the couple had three fine sons. Then , one day, the lady found herself too
tired to attend a christening, whereupon her husband struck her with a pair of
gloves. This, she told him, was the first causeless blow. The second was for
weeping at a wedding and the third for laughing at a funeral. Sadly, she left
her family and returned to the lake, and her husband never saw her again. She
did, however, show herself to her sons and taught them the healing properties
of herbs. Through her instruction, the tree sons of the Lady of the Lake grew
up to become the famous physicians of Myddfai.
The physicians of Myddfai were, in fact,
historical characters who passed their knowledge down the generations, to their
children and they too became the physicians of Rhys Gryg, Lord of Llandovery.
The last of the physicians of Myddfai died in 1842. They left their books of
their herbal remedies that had been handed down from medieval times.
