the Sassiwn. Jini 'bakkare' has two sacks of flour to bake, and
there's seven other women in Abersethin will bake the same quantity."

"At Morfa," said Shanw, "they have killed a cow and a sheep; and the
tongues, and fowls, and hams will fill every oven in the parish."

Betto sniffed and tossed her head scornfully. "They may well give them
bread and meat," she said, "for I don't see what else they have to give
them."

"What else, indeed," said Shanw, ready for the frequent fray. "They
won't have your hum-drum old church fregot[3], perhaps, but you come
and see, and hear Hughes Bangor, Price Merthyr, Jones Welshpool.
Nothing to give them, indeed! Why, Price Merthyr would send your old
red velvet cushion at church flying into smithireens in five minutes.
Haven't I heard him. He begins soft and low, like a cat purring on the
hearth, and then he gets louder and louder, till he ends like a roaring
lion. And our own preacher, Essec Powell, to begin and finish the
meeting. There's busy Valmai must be. Marged Hughes is there to help,
and she says--"

"Oh, be quiet," said Betto, "and go along with your Valmai, and your
Price Merthyr, and your hams, and lions, and things. Ach y fi! I
don't want to hear about such things in a clergyman's house."

"Valmai is a beauty, whatever," said Dye, the ploughboy. "I kiwked[4]
at her over the hedge this morning when she was going to Caer Madoc;
she's as pretty as an angel. Have you ever seen her, Ser?"

"Valmai," said Cardo, prevaricating, "surely that is a new name in this