Page:My people stories of the peasantry of West Wales.djvu/122



The tempter having eaten his meal, pulled off his shoes and lit his pipe.

“Do you ever pray, one’s brother bach?” asked Ianto.

“Brother, indeed!” said Dinah.

“Hold thy chin, little Dinah,” Ianto reproved her. “Brother I mean in the spirit rather than in the letter. Brother bach, do you pray steadfast?”

“What a question, dear me!” answered the tempter. “Indeed, do I not live by faith?” Ianto placed a bunch of tobacco inside his right cheek, and the black mole thereon moved up and down and in and out in progress with it.

“Come you now,” said Dinah, “speak you your name.”

“Michael,” said the tempter.

Ianto opened his Bible and read. Afterwards he removed the tobacco from his mouth and laid it on the table, and he reported to God with a clean mouth.