cwrw da."

"You would fain be pleasant, sir," said the landlord; "but I beg leave to
inform you that I am not fond of pleasantries; and now, as my wife and
the servant are returned, I will have the pleasure of conducting you to
the parlour."

"Before I go," said I, "I should like to see my guide provided with what
I ordered." I stayed till the lad was accommodated with bread and cheese
and a foaming tankard of ale, and then bidding him farewell, I followed
the landlord into the parlour, where I found a fire kindled, which,
however, smoked exceedingly. I asked my host what I could have for
supper, and was told that he did not know, but that if I would leave the
matter to him he would send the best he could. As he was going away, I
said: "So you are a poet? Well, I am very glad to hear it, for I have
been fond of Welsh poetry from my boyhood. What kind of verse do you
employ in general? Did you ever write an awdl in the four-and-twenty
measures? What are the themes of your songs? The deeds of the ancient
heroes of South Wales, I suppose, and the hospitality of the great men of
the neighbourhood who receive you as an honoured guest at their tables.
I'll bet a guinea that however clever a fellow you may be you never sang
anything in praise of your landlord's housekeeping equal to what Dafydd
Nanmor sang in praise of that of Ryce of Twyn four hundred years ago:

'For Ryce if hundred thousands plough'd
The lands around his fair abode;
Did vines of thousand vineyards bleed,
Still corn and wine great Ryce would need;
If all the earth had bread's sweet savour,
And water all had cyder's flavour,
Three roaring feasts in Ryce's hall
Would swallow earth and ocean all.'

Hey?"

"Really, sir," said the landlord, "I don't know how to reply to you, for
the greater part of your discourse is utterly unintelligible to me.
Perhaps you are a better Welshman than myself; but however that may be, I
shall take the liberty of retiring in order to give orders about your
supper."

In about half-an-hour the supper made its appearance in the shape of some
bacon and eggs. On tasting them I found them very good, and calling for
some ale I made a very tolerable supper. After the things had been
removed I drew near to the fire, but as it still smoked, I soon betook
myself to the kitchen. My guide had taken his departure, but the others
whom I had left were still there. The landlord was talking in Wels