The Shepherd of Myddvai
by Joseph Jacobs
The Shepherd and the Lake Maiden
Once, a shepherd saw three magical women come out of a lake. They were beautiful. He loved one woman very much. He wanted to give her a gift. He gave her hard bread. She did not like the hard bread. She went back into the water. The next day, he came back. He gave her soft bread. She did not like the soft bread. She went back into the water again.
Then, he found bread floating on the water. It was special bread. He gave it to her. She liked this bread very much. She said, "Find me tomorrow." The next day, he found her. He knew her by her shoe strap. She said, "I will marry you." "But do not make me sad three times." He said yes.
She called magic cows from the lake. The cows came out. They got married. They had three children. They were a happy family.
One day, they went to a party. She did not do a small job. He touched her gently. He said, "Go." "That is the first time you make me sad," she said.
The next day, they went to another party. She cried. He touched her. He asked, "Why are you crying?" "That is the second time," she said. "Please be safe."
One day, they went to a sad event. She laughed. He touched her harder. He asked, "Why are you laughing?" "That is the third time," she said. "I must go back to my lake."
She called her magic cows. "Follow me," she said. The cows followed her. They all went into the water. They left a mark on the ground.
Many years later, their sons were grown up. She came back from the lake. She gave them healing gifts. The sons used the gifts. They helped many people.
Remember, it is important to keep your promises. If you break them, you might make someone very sad. But love can still bring good things, like healing.
Original Story
THE SHEPHERD OF MYDDVAI p in the Black Mountains in Caermarthenshire lies the lake known as Lyn y Van Vach. To the margin of this lake the shepherd of Myddvai once led his lambs, and lay there whilst they sought pasture. Suddenly, from the dark waters of the lake, he saw three maidens rise. Shaking the bright drops from their hair and gliding to the shore they wandered about amongst his flock. They had more than mortal beauty, and he was filled with love for her that came nearest to him. He offered her the bread he had with him, and she took it and tried it, but then sang to him: [65] "Hard-baked is thy bread, 'Tis not easy to catch me," and then ran off laughing to the lake. Next day he took with him bread not so well done, and watched for the maidens. When they came ashore he offered his bread as before, and the maiden tasted it and sang: "Unbaked is thy bread, I will not have thee," and again disappeared in the waves. A third time did the shepherd of Myddvai try to attract the maiden, and this time he offered bread that he had found floating about near the shore. This pleased her, and she promised to become his wife if he were able to pick her out from among her sisters on the following day. When the time came the shepherd knew his love by the strap of her sandal. Then she told him she would be as good a wife to him as any earthly maiden could be unless he should strike her three times without cause. Of course he deemed that this could never be; and she summoning from the lake three cows, two oxen, and a bull, as her marriage portion, was led homeward by him as his bride. The years passed happily, and three children were born to the shepherd and the lake-maiden. But one day they were going to a christening, and she said to her husband it was far to walk, so he told her to go for the horses. "I will," said she, "If you bring me my gloves which I've left in the house." [66] But when he came back with the gloves he found she had not gone for the horses; so he tapped her lightly on the shoulder with the gloves, and said, "Go, go." "That's one," said she. Another time they were at a wedding, when suddenly the lake-maiden fell a-sobbing and a-weeping, amid the joy and mirth of all around her. Her husband tapped her on the shoulder, and asked her, "Why do you weep?" "Because they are entering into trouble; and trouble is upon you; for that is the second causeless blow you have given me. Be careful; the third is the last." The husband was very careful never to strike her. But one day at a funeral she suddenly burst out into fits of laughter. Her husband forgot, and touched her rather roughly on the shoulder, saying, "Is this a time for laughter?" "I laugh," she said, "because those that die go out of trouble, but your trouble has come. The last blow has been struck; our marriage is at an end, and so farewell." And with that she rose up and left the house and went to their home. Then she, looking round upon her home, called to the cattle she had brought with her: "Brindle cow, white speckled, Spotted cow, bold freckled, Old white face, and grey Geringer, And the white bull from the king's coast Grey ox, and black calf, All, all, follow me home." [67] Now the black calf had just been slaughtered, and was hanging on the hook; but it got off the hook alive and well and followed her; and the oxen, though they were ploughing, trailed the plough with them and did her bidding. So she fled to the lake again, they following her, and with them plunged into the dark waters. And to this day is the furrow seen which the plough left as it was dragged across the mountains to the tarn. Only once did she come again, when her sons were grown to manhood, and then she gave them gifts of healing by which they won the name of Meddygon Myddvai, the physicians of Myddvai. [68]
Moral of the Story
Breaking a sacred promise, even unintentionally, can lead to irreversible loss and sorrow.
Characters
The Shepherd of Myddvai ★ protagonist
Implied to be a sturdy, rural man, accustomed to outdoor life.
Attire: Simple shepherd's attire, likely homespun tunic, breeches, and possibly a cloak or sheepskin vest.
Persistent, loving, somewhat forgetful, initially naive.
The Lake-Maiden ◆ supporting
More than mortal beauty, rises from dark waters, shakes bright drops from her hair.
Attire: Implied to be ethereal or simple, perhaps a flowing gown, with a distinctive sandal strap.
Mysterious, conditional, sensitive, loyal to her own kind.
The Sisters of the Lake-Maiden ○ minor
Possessing more than mortal beauty, similar to the Lake-Maiden.
Attire: Implied to be ethereal or simple, similar to the Lake-Maiden.
Playful, mysterious.
The Sons of the Shepherd and Lake-Maiden ○ minor
Grow to be men, become known as physicians.
Attire: Unknown, later likely professional attire of physicians.
Recipients of healing gifts.
The Black Calf ○ minor
A black calf, initially slaughtered and hanging on a hook.
Attire: None.
Loyal, magically revived.
Locations
Lyn y Van Vach (Lake)
A dark lake located in the Black Mountains in Caermarthenshire, with a margin where the shepherd's lambs graze. The water is dark, and maidens rise from it, shaking bright drops from their hair.
Mood: mysterious, magical, alluring, sorrowful at the end
The shepherd first encounters the lake-maidens; the lake-maiden and her cattle return to the lake, ending the marriage.
Shepherd's Home/House
The home shared by the shepherd and the lake-maiden, where their children are born and where she leaves her gloves.
Mood: domestic, initially happy, then tense, ultimately sorrowful
The lake-maiden's first warning occurs here; she calls her cattle to follow her from this house.
Christening Gathering
A social gathering for a christening, implying a community setting.
Mood: social, celebratory, but with underlying tension for the couple
The lake-maiden receives her first 'causeless blow' from her husband.
Wedding Celebration
A joyous and mirthful wedding celebration.
Mood: joyful, mirthful, but suddenly interrupted by the lake-maiden's sorrow
The lake-maiden weeps amidst the joy and receives her second 'causeless blow'.
Funeral Gathering
A somber gathering for a funeral.
Mood: somber, mournful, but shockingly disrupted by the lake-maiden's laughter
The lake-maiden laughs and receives the third 'causeless blow', ending her marriage.
Story DNA
Moral
Breaking a sacred promise, even unintentionally, can lead to irreversible loss and sorrow.
Plot Summary
A shepherd falls in love with a lake maiden who agrees to marry him on the condition he never strikes her three times without cause. They marry, have children, and live happily until the shepherd inadvertently 'strikes' her twice, receiving warnings. At a funeral, he 'strikes' her a third time, causing her to leave him and return to the lake with all her magical cattle. Years later, she reappears to her adult sons, bestowing upon them the gifts of healing, establishing the lineage of the Physicians of Myddvai.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to sorrow
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story is a foundational myth for the Meddygon Myddvai, a real lineage of herbalists and physicians in Wales, suggesting a supernatural origin for their healing knowledge.
Plot Beats (11)
- A shepherd sees three beautiful maidens emerge from Lyn y Van Vach.
- He tries to woo one with bread, but she rejects his 'hard-baked' and 'unbaked' offerings.
- He offers her floating bread, which she accepts, and she agrees to marry him if he can identify her.
- He identifies her by her sandal strap, and she agrees to marry him on the condition he never strikes her three times without cause.
- She summons magical cattle from the lake as her dowry, and they marry and have three children.
- At a christening, the shepherd lightly taps her with gloves for not fetching horses; she warns him it's the first 'strike'.
- At a wedding, she weeps, and he taps her shoulder asking why; she warns him it's the second 'strike' and trouble is coming.
- At a funeral, she laughs, and he roughly taps her shoulder, asking why; she declares it the third 'strike' and their marriage over.
- She calls all her magical cattle, including a freshly slaughtered calf, to follow her back to the lake.
- The cattle, including oxen still ploughing, follow her into the lake, leaving a furrow in the land.
- Years later, she reappears to her adult sons, bestowing upon them the gifts of healing, making them the Physicians of Myddvai.
