Page:My people stories of the peasantry of West Wales.djvu/254



When she got out from the cave, Hws Morris came up to her.

“Hungry you are,” he said to her. “Return you into the cave and eat a little of this cake.” He led her far inside, so far that they could not see anything that was outside. Hws Morris placed his arm over Esther’s shoulders, and his white fingers moved lightly over her breast to her thigh. He stole her heart.

Esther heard a voice crying her name.

“Wench fach,” said Hws Morris to her, “let none know of our business.” Sam shouted her name against the rocks and over the sea; he cried it in the ears of strange people and at the doors of strange houses. Towards dusk he said to the women who were waiting for Shemmi’s hay waggon to start home: “Little females, why is Esther not here?” Catrin jeered at him: “Filling her belly is Esther.”