W. L. M. told me, — that going upon an errand by night, from the house of Jane Edmund, of Abertilery [Monmouthshire], he heard like the voice of many persons speaking one to the other, at some distance from him; he again listened attentively, then he heard like the falling of a tree, which seemed to break other trees as it fell; he then heard a weak voice — like the voice of a person in pain and misery, which frightened him much, and prevented him proceeding on his journey. Those were Fairies which spoke in his hearing, and they doubtless spoke about his death, and imitated the moan which he made, when some time after he fell from off a tree, which proved his death. This account, previous to his death, he gave me himself. He was a man much alienated from the life of God, though surrounded with the means of knowledge and grace; but there was no cause to question the veracity of his relation. Jones

If any think I am too credulous in these relations, and speak of things of which I myself have had no experience, I must let them know they are mistaken. For when a very young boy, going with my aunt, early in the morning, but after sun-rising, from Hafodafel towards my father’s house at Pen-y-Llwyn, at the end of the upper field of Cae’r Cefn, (by the wayside which we were passing) I saw the likeness of a sheepfold, with the door towards the south, and over the door, instead of a lintel, the resemblance of a dried branch of a tree (I think of a hazel tree). Within the folds there was a company of many people. Some sitting down, and some going in, and coming out, bowing their heads as they passed under the branch over the door. It seemed to me as if they had been lately dancing, and that there was a musician among them. Among the rest, over against the door, I well remember the resemblance among them of a fair woman with a high-crown hat and a red jacket, who made a better appearance than the rest, and whom I think they seemed to honour. I still have a pretty clear idea of her white face and well-formed countenance. The men wore white cravats. I always think they were the perfect resemblance of persons who lived in the world before my time(There is a resemblance of their form and countenances still remaining in my mind.) I wondered at my aunt, going before me, that she did not look towards them, and we going so near them. As for me, I was loth to speak until I passed them some way, and then told my aunt what I had seen, at which she wondered, and said I dreamed.. However, she came to believe me and told my mother of it when we came home. It was some time before I could be persuaded that there was no fold in that place. There is indeed the ruins of some small edifice in that place, most likely a fold, but so old that the stones are swallowed up, and almost wholly crusted over with earth and grass. But it is a pleasant dry part of the mountain. Jones

Edmund Daniel of the Arail (an honest man, a constant speaker of truth, and of much observation) told me that he often saw the fairies after sunset crossing the Cefn Bach from the Valley of the Church towards Hafod-y-dafol. Before any falling out in the parish, they passed on – leaping and striking in the air – making a path in the air, much of this form. [a wavy line as above] Of the truth of this observation, I saw a notable verification. For the last time he spoke to me about it, he told me beforehand that some mischevious contention would come to pass in the parish, and that it was not far off. He told me, also, where he thought it would be. The thing, indeed, unhappily came to pass – but not where he thought it would be, but in another place and among another people. This shows that he did not speak cunningly to gain applause of his foreknowledge of things to come. He was indeed above that meanness, and never apprehended to be a lying, guileful man by any who knew him. He was a discerning man and made conscience of telling the truth. Jones

A Pentrevoelas man was coming home one lovely summer’s night, and when within a stone’s throw of his house, he heard in the far distance singing of the most enchanting kind. He stopped to listen to the sweet sounds which filled him with a sensation of deep pleasure. He had not listened long ere he perceived that the singers were approaching. By and by came to the spot where he was, and he saw that they were marching in single file and consisted of a number of small people, robed in close fitting gray cloths, and they were accompanied by speckled dogs that marched along two deep like soldiers. When the procession came quite opposite the enraptured listener, it stopped, and the small people spoke to him and earnestly begged him to accompany them. But he would not. They tried many ways, and for a long time, to persuade him to join them, but when they saw they could not induce him to do so they departed, divided themselves into two companies and marching away, the dogs marching two abreast in front of each company. They sang as they went away the most entrancing music that was ever heard. The man, spell-bound, stood where he was, listening to the ravishing music of the fairies, and he did not enter the house until the last sound had died away in the far-off distance. Owen, Elias ‘Welsh Fairy Tales for Christmas’, The Cambrian 12 (1881) 372-373

A woman, in Carmarthen Town, protested  to Mr. Charles Winter, of the Parish of Bedwellty,  (who was then at the Academy, and since became  a Preacher of the Gospel) that she heard like the  sound of a company, as it were a burying coming  up from a river, and presently as it were the sound  of a cart coming another way to meet the company,  and the cart seemed to stop while the company  went by, and then went on: soon after a dead  corpse was brought from the river from one of the  vessels, and a cart met the burying, and stopped  till the company passed by; exactly as the woman  heard. Mr. W. was no man to tell an untruth, and  the woman no self-interest to serve by telling an  untruth. The wonder is, how these Spirits can so  particularly fore-show things to come? Either  their knowledge of future things near at hand,  must be very great, or they must have a great influence  to accomplish things as fore-shown. Be it either way, the thing is wonderful ! Of the very minute and particular knowledge of these Spirits in the manner of death and burials. I am now going to give you an account of another remarkable instance, which is as follows: As a certain man was in a field burning turf, he  saw the Fairies coming through the field where he  lay blowing the fire in one of the pits; they went by  him like a burial, imitating the singing of psalms as  they went; one of them leaped over his legs. He  rose up to see where they would go, and followed  them into a field which led into a wood : soon after  a real burying came through that field, and he lay  down by the pit of turf to see what they would do,  and one of the company actually leaped over his legs  in passing by, just as one of the Fairies had done  before; and they sung psalms at the burial as the  Fairies fore-shewed.

Editor’s Note: the Corpse Candle is a white light that is associated with death.

A Clergyman’s son, in this County, but now a  clergyman himself in England, who, in his younger  days, was somewhat vicious; having been at a  debauch one night, and coming home late when the  doors were locked, and the people in bed, feared to  disturb them; fearing also their chiding an expostulations about his staying so late, went to the  servant who slept in an out room, as is often the  manner in this Country; he could not awake the  servant, but while he stood over him, he saw a  small light come out of the servant’s nostrils, which  soon became a Corpse Candle: he followed it out  and it came to a foot bridge, which lay over a  rivulet of water. It came into the gentleman’s head  to raise up the end of the foot bridge from off the  bank whereon it lay, to see what it would do.  When it came, it seemed to offer to go over, but  did not go, as if loath to go because the bridge was  displaced: when he saw that, he put the bridge in  its place, and stayed to see what the Candle would do. It came on the bridge when it was replaced;  but when it came near him, it struck, as it were  with an handkerchief; but the effect was strong, for  he became dead upon the place, not knowing of  himself a long time before he revived: such is the  power of the Spirits of the other world, and it is ill  jesting with them. A sadducee and a proud ridiculer of Apparitions in this gentleman’s place now,  would have a pure seasoning for his pastime. ‘Tis  true these men have not seen the Corpse Candles of  Wales, but they should believe the numerous and  ever continuing witnesses of it, and not foolishly  discredit abundant matters of fact, attested by many  honest wise men. We have heard of others, who,  from an excess of natural courage, or being in liquor,  have endeavoured to stop the Corpse Candles, and  have been struck down upon the place: but now  none offer it, being deterred by a few former examples related, remembered, and justly believed.  Jones

Before the light of the Gospel prevailed, there were  in Carmarthenshire and elsewhere often heard before  burials what by some were called Cwn Annum, — (Dogs  of Hell) : by others Cwn bendith eu Mammau, — (Dogs  of the Fairies) : and by some Cwn wybir, — (Sky Dogs).  The nearer they were to a man, the less their voice  was,— like that of small beagles; and the farther the  louder : and sometimes like the voice of a great hound  sounding among them, like that of a blood-hound, —  a deep hollow voice.  One Thomas Phillips, of Trelech Parish, heard  those Spiritual Dogs, and the great Dog sounding  among them; and they went in a way which no corpse  used to go; at which he wondered, as he knew they  used to go only in the way in which the corpse was to  go. Not long after a woman who came from another  Parish, that died at Trelech, was carried that way to  her own Parish church to be buried, in the way in  which those Spiritual Dogs seemed to hunt.

Editor’s Note: the Corpse Candle is a white light that is associated with death.

Joshua Coslet, a man of sense and  knowledge, told me of several Corpse Candles he  had seen, but of one in particular which he saw in  a lane, called Heol bwlch y gwynt,— (Wind gap  lane) — in Landeilo Fawr Parish; where he sud-  denly met a Corpse Candle, of a small light when  near him, but increasing as it went farther from  him. He could easily perceive that there was some  dark shadow passing along with the Candle; but he  was afraid to look earnestly upon it. Not long  after a burying passed that way. He told me that  it is the common opinion, doubtless from some  experience of it, that if a man should wantonly  strike it, he should be struck down by it; but if one  touches it unawares, he shall pass on unhurt. He  also said that some dark shadow of a man carried  the Candle, holding it between his three fore fingers  over against his face. This is what some have seen,  who had the courage to look earnestly. Others  have seen the likeness of a Candle carried in a  skull. There is nothing unreasonable or unlikely  in either of these representations.

Editor’s Note: the Corpse Candle is a white light that is associated with death.Here the corpse candle is associated with a ghost, though a ghost who is not yet dead…

One William John, of the Parish of Lanboydi, a smith, on going home one night, being somewhat  drunk and bold, (it seems too bold) saw one of the  Corpse Candles; he went out of his way to meet  with it, and when he came near it, he saw it was a  burying, and the corpse upon the bier, the perfect  resemblance of a woman in the neighbourhood  whom he knew, holding the Candle between her  fore fingers, who dreadfully grinned at him; and  presently he was struck down from his horse, where  he remained a while, and was ill a long time after  before he recovered. This was before the realburying of the woman. His fault, and therefore  his danger, was his coming presumptuously against  the Candle. — This is another sensible proof of the  Apparition and being of Spirits.

Walter Watkins, of Neuath, in the  Parish of Landdetty, in the County of Brecon,  being at school at Carmarthen, and as he and some  other scholars who lodged in the same house with  him were playing ball by the house, late in the  evening, heard the dismal mournful noise of the  Kyhyrraeth [fairy dogs], very near them; but could see nothing,  which was very shocking to hear: though these sort  of men are incredulous enough, yet they were soon  persuaded that it was the voice of neither man nor beast, but of some Spirit, which made them leave  their play and run into the house, Not long after,  a man who lived near the house died. This kind of  noise is always heard before some person’s death.