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A NEW YEAR'S WISH FOR THE…

LITERARY NOTICES.

WHAT'S IN A NAME i-

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- NCDIADAU CYMREIG, -,-C

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QUERIES.

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REPLIES. ST. DYFRIG (Oct. 13, 1833;.—The assertion at this date that St. Dyfrig or Dubriiius was a native of Pembrokeshire is at variance with the generally accepted version that he was a Herefordshire man, the illegitimate son of Eurdil, who was daughter of Pebiau, tho Driveller (son of King Erb), who was king of the petty kingdom of Ergingfield, ia the fifth century. The legend, translated by Foe- brooke, in his Ariconensia, is as follows:- "Pepiau having gone against his enemiei upon an expedition, and returned to his owl territory, ordered his daughter, by name Eurdil, tt wash his head, on account ot the fatigue in the battle. When she attempted to execute his com. mand, her father perceived by her size that six was pregnant. On this account the King, exces- sively angry, ordered her to be enclosed in a bid< and thrown into tho river [Wye], in order that whersoever fortune might take her she might be sunk in the deep of the liver. Which thing, because it by no means pleaged Gotl, he was unable to effect. For before the offspring which she had in her womb could be born, tho Lord thought worthy, by showitig her mercy and protection, to exhibit of what merit it was about to be: sinca the mother could by no means be sunk in the water. Fur, as often as she was placed in the river, so many times she was carried again uninjured to the bank. Hence the indignant father, because he was unabla to immerse her in the waves, ordered her to be burned with fire, at whose order a pile is imme- iliately prepared for her destruction and the terror of other girls, into which Eurdil, the daughter of the aforesaid king, is put in burning flames. But on the morrow morning, whilst she was thought to have been completely burnt in the fire-wesson- gers having bef)d sent by her father to inquire if any of her bones remained unburnt—they foun4 her safe and holding the son whom sh(t had brought forth in the midst of the Art in ber bosom, her clothee and hair being uninjured by the fire. For a very great stone was placed near the spot where she brought forth her son. in token of the birth of the boy. But the place in which the bey was born was called in the British tongue Maismail Lochon by some, Matle by others, because the blessed little rogue was born there: which place, by the cor- ruption of the English idioms, is named Medeley. [Madley, a few miles west of Hereford.J But the boy, as soon as he obtained the laver of regenera- tion, is called Dubriiius, and is immediately filled with the Holy Ghost; but who was bis fathei remains unknown to the man of this time, and, therefore, some mistaken people fabulously pre tend that he had no father." Newport. W. H. G-REKNS. CANU COCH SIR FON (Nov. 16, 1889). never heard this phrase before July last, when 1 resided at Merthyr. My friend Nathan Dyfed, it passing remarks on some rhyme or other for- warded him by a correspondent for publication in the Welsh column of the Merthyr Express, said 01 it "Rhyw ganu coch Sir Fon yw peth fel hyn (" This is a kind of canu coch Sir Fon.") Sinct my arrival hero I find that the expression is frequently used in Anglesea, but it is not exclu- sively applied to singers it is simply a contemp- tuous name for any poetical effusions of a low order of merit. J. MYFENYDD MORGAN, Llanvaelog, Anglesea. A musical friend of mine, a native of Sir FaD, sends me his version of the term, Canu Coch Sir Fon:— By the above I always understood (and believe I am right) the untutored, uneducated style of singing by the peasants or country natives, who produce their own harmony according to their own primitive ideas, i.e., a wan sings his own baar to any given air, another his own tenor, and aU perhaps yelling out screw-driving harmonies an-t lock-jaw expressions, only appreciated by th. aborigines of Llanfair pwllgwyngyllgogcrjchwyrn drolwch. I Canu Coch' of any country means the primitive uncultivated shout of the country folks who are ignorant of every rule or musical law." Newcastle-on-Tyne. A. CKIRIOG Hughes. Editorial Notices. Received with thanks and will appear shortly: Mr. W. D. PINJI, Leigh, Lancashire (Pulestou M.r.'i and Progeres of Gwaindee); &" (Pembrokeshire Sayings); Mr. S. PAnntXD, Cardiff (Pembrokelåir. Sayings); THISM-HBOON," Canada (" LlADjuke") j GWTNFARDD DYFMD," Haverfordwest (** Eat and drink and be Nott," Ivy Bush Inns and Magpfv Superstition).

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