Aviva Trivia

Gwyllions are mountain fairies that inhabit the Welsh mountains.  Typically, they are quite ugly and repugnant in appearance and might resemble an old ugly woman.  These hideous female spirits sit on the wayside of a mountain road or trail waiting for unsuspecting travelers to pass.  Gwyllions like to confuse travelers so that they become lost and unable to find their way.

Perched atop a rock, the Gwyllion will watch silently as the traveler approaches.  As the traveler passes by, the Gwyllion will follow the traveler’s path with her eyes.  Travelers might become frightened or simply annoyed with this behavior.  In many cases, the traveler becomes disoriented and lost.  If the traveler speaks to the Gwyllion, she simply ignores him or her.  Eventually, the traveler stops talking to the Gwyllion and wanders aimlessly away.

The Gwyllion’s presence can cause the traveler to become lost, even if he or she is quite familiar with the road.  The sight of this apparition is sudden and unexpected on lonely mountain roads, especially in the dead of night.  When travelers come upon the Gwyllion, they suddenly realize that they do not know where they are.  They believe they have lost their way, even though they have not done so at all.

In some cases, the Gwyllion may call out and make shrieking noises that the traveler can hear as he approaches her resting place.  The traveler becomes disoriented and does not recognize where he is even if he has traveled this way many times in the past.

The traveler usually calls out to the Gwyllion, thinking her to be n old woman.  He pleads for directions and assistance with finding his way again to no avail.  However, he is forced to wander aimlessly as the Gwyllion continues to ignore him and hastens on the path in front of him until she disappears into the dark and gloomy night.

  If she does so and you see her, it is in your best interest to be kind to her. In fact, you might be able to avoid the mischief a Gwyllion can create if you invite her into your home cheerfully and willingly.

No matter where you are when you come upon a Gwyllion, it is not a fortuitous event.  Perhaps it is best if you simply avoid traveling down dark and lonely mountain paths in the middle of the night.