with an iron bit, which, as bad luck would have it, struck her.
The wife at once flew through the air, and plunged headlong into
Corwrion Lake. The husband returned sighing and weeping towards Bryn
Twrw (Noise Hill), and when he reached it, the _twrw_ (noise) there was
greater than had ever been heard before, namely, that of weeping after
'Belene'; and it was then, after he had struck her with iron, that he
first learnt what his wife's name was."[217]

The perusal of this saga will raise a suspicion that the original form
of the taboo in Wastin's case was a prohibition against striking with
iron, and that the prohibition was eventually infringed by means of a
bridle. Whether the alteration was due to a blunder on Map's part in
relating the story is of no importance; but the suspicion will be raised
to a certainty by turning to some other sagas in Professor Rhys'
admirable collection. It is related at Waenfawr, near Carnarvon, that a
youth broke, like Wild Edric, into a dance of the fairies on the banks
of the Gwyrfai, near Cwellyn Lake, one moonlit night, and carried off a
maiden. She at first refused to wed him, but consented to remain his
servant. One evening, however, he overheard two of her kindred speaking
of her, and caught her name--Penelope. When she found that he had learnt
her name she gave way to grief: evidently she now knew that her fate was
sealed. On his importunity being renewed, she at length consented to
marry him, but on the condition that he should not strike her with iron.
Here again the taboo was broken by the flinging of a bridle while
chasing a horse. A similar tale was related in the vale of Beddgelert,
wherein the stolen lady would only consent to be the servant of her
ravisher if he could find out her name. When he had discovered it, she
asked in astonishment; "O mortal, who has betrayed my name to thee?"
Then, lifting up her tiny folded hands, she exclaimed: "Alas! my fate,
my fate!" Even then she would only marry him on condition that if ever
he should touch her with iron she would be free to leave him and return
to her family. Catastrophe, as before. In a variant the maiden, pressed
by her human lover, promises to marry, provided he can find out her
name. When he succeeds in doing this she faints away, but has to submit
to her doom. In doing so, she imposes one more proviso: he is not to
touch her with iron, nor is there to be a bolt of iron, or a lock, on
their door. The servant-girl, in an