In fact, Cornwall was
the old land, in which the Cymry had first landed when coming from
over the sea.
The meeting was to be held on a moonlight night, and far away from any
houses, lest the merry making, dancing and singing of the fairies
should keep the farmers awake. This was something of which the yokels,
or men of the plow, often complained. They could not sleep while the
fairies were having their parties.
Now among the Welsh fairies of every sort, size, dress, and behavior,
some were good, others were bad, but most of them were only full of
fun and mischief. Chief of these was the lively little fellow, Puck,
who lived in Cwm Pwcca, that is, Puck Valley, in Breconshire.
Now it had been an old custom, which had come down, from the days of
the cave men, that when anyone died, the people, friends and relatives
sat up all night with the corpse. The custom arose, at first, with the
idea of protection against wild beasts and later from insult by
enemies. This was called a wake. The watchers wept and wailed at
first, and then fell to eating and drinking. Sometimes, they got to be
very lively. The young folks even looked on a wake, after the first
hour or two, as fine fun.
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