Part 3 (1/2)
Dewi Sant
”_O holy David, our bishop, take away our sadness._”
David strode along the winding road: his feet were bare, his head was bare and tonsured, and one garment, of coa.r.s.e felt, but snowy white, was his only bodily covering. The sun beat down upon him; the sky, of a deep, throbbing blue, held few clouds, and they silvery and sweetly-curved as the breast-feathers of a dove; on his left, the sea dazzled; before and about him, small columns of dust twirled mischievously. David's eyes, dark and bright, feasted untiringly upon the life and growth around him, and he sang as he went.
”Dancing is the sea, the winds are dancing also: Breath of angels hath the sun-warmed hay, the poppies are out in scarlet.
Good thing it is for a man to strive in his lifetime.
”A mighty chorus echoeth from the bed of ocean: There is also the poem of the flight of birds.
Who would conquer sin, must learn praise and grat.i.tude.
”Who hath set the thrift in the rocks that are smooth and barren?
Who nourisheth the little sweet rose that maketh a garden of the sand-dunes?
How can a man wander, when for him the Love of G.o.d is nailed on high?
”The corn-ears are purple-ripe: Generous gifts bring the apple-boughs against the season of All Saints.
Very good is song, that giveth cheerfulness.”
He turned him about, and looked back upon the whitewashed walls of Mynyw, his darling among his many foundations. To the little company of religious who followed his steps, he cried:
”I do think that of all the lands in all the world the fairest is our land of Cymru. And of all the parts of Cymru, look you, the fairest and the sweetest is this Dyfed.”
Aidan, Teilo, Ismail, and some few more cl.u.s.tered round him. Said they all together:
”Indeed, indeed, blessed, holy father, blessed is our Dyfed!” and many were the looks of affection they cast upon their little abbot.
”I have been in the Holy Country,” said David. ”That is the very marvel of the world--a jewel set in the desert; but hard and bright, dear me!
there is unplayful it is! I can never give thanks enough, children, that I am permitted to dwell here where I was born.”
So saying, he resumed his journey. They had left the monks' cultivated domain behind them, and were now in the shade of a broad lane between willows and hazels, where the mallows and the bellflowers grew rankly.
Of a sudden, the lane came to an end, and they emerged upon the little promontory below Porth Mawr. Carn Llidi loomed above them, on their right hand, and at its foot rose Ty Gwyn, the deserted college of Patrick, with its grave-stones round about it. In the western distance, far away, appeared a green fairy land, with the hazy forms of mountains melting into the skyline.
”Let us pray for our brethren of Ireland,” said David, ”of the Second Order of Saints.”
About an hour later, David was still some few paces at the head of his people, and repeating to himself, hands folded, the prayers for the third hour after noon, when he felt his shoulder seized in a brawny grip, and he was forcibly twisted round until he faced a st.u.r.dy individual, with a broad, smiling red face, sandy hair, and twinkling green-grey eyes, and fully equipped with the war-sword, flowing robe, and shoes of dressed leather which only a n.o.bleman might wear. Near him were his retinue of hors.e.m.e.n, one of whom held the steed from which his lord had just dismounted.
”David, little cousin,” was his greeting, ”whither so fast, I pray thee, with thy chin to the ground? Have you mission to punish wrong-doers, O very powerful saint?”
”Why, kinsman Cadfan,” David replied, ”sweet is the sight of you to the eyes. It is seldom we meet now. But I am not abroad to deal with evildoers, look you. Dyfed, thanks be to G.o.d! is a very peaceful place; the religion of Christ reigns even in the farthest nooks. I have enough to do, kinsman, to order mine own house and the brethren and disciples over whom I rule. The bishops hold synod at Brefi, and I must be there with the rest; though little doing, say I, follows much talking.”
”Hast indeed won all this land by thy words and wonders?” cried Cadfan, who, though he had great affection for David, could never, in his presence, master an uncontrollable desire to tease him. ”Look that they deceive thee not, the pigs of Dyfed! and pay not double t.i.thes to their Druids, and turn to them first at birth and at death! What did I hear of thee and of a monstrous old stone? Some tale spread by women....”
”Dost thou doubt the power of G.o.d?” exclaimed David, with flas.h.i.+ng eyes. Then, as he caught sight of his interlocutor's face, he could not help smiling. ”Cadfan, they would not give up the old stone of Cetti--slew beast and fowl upon it, to obtain prosperity, or for blessing or cursing, and slept beneath its shade that dreams might visit them! Then, on a day, when a great crowd was there a.s.sembled, I prayed, and took a sword in my hand, and climbed upon the old abomination, to the very top; and I smote with my sword in the face of all the people, and lo! the stone split in twain with a hideous scream.
Oh, joyful was my heart for that G.o.d had deigned to heed my supplication! And so was the unbelieving remnant drawn into the Church's fold.”