From Folklore to Real Life: The Devil's Bridge
A fo ben, bid bont. (If you want to be a leader, be a bridge) - Welsh proverb.
A fo ben, bid bont is a Welsh proverb that comes straight from the heart of the Mabinogion. The Mabinogion is a collection of Welsh tales that is traditionally told through four branches or four sections. This quote comes from the second branch and was spoken by the great King of Britain, Bendigeidfran on his journey to rescue his sister Branwen.
Now, Bendigeidfran was a huge man of giant proportions: there was no house big enough to house him and he was a loyal and fair leader. On his way to rescue his sister with his soldiers, they came across a river without a bridge. Bendigeidfran knew that his men would not be able to cross this mighty river, so he lay across the river with his giant stature and became the bridge; his men were able to cross and his sister rescued. Thus, the phrase became synonymous in Wales for becoming or behaving as a true leader. However, not all bridges built in Wales have such a wonderful and wholesome story and I would like to introduce you to a more sinister, yet celebrated bridge in Wales.
Location – The Bridge over the deep gorge of The River Mynach - Pontarfynach
Folklore – Devil’s Bridge
Wales is full of deep gorges and gorgeous waterfalls from which you could easily fall to your death if you lose your footing. Thankfully, most of the gorges and waterfalls in Wales are now accessible by footpaths and have had bridges constructed over them to ensure public safety, and many of the old walkways are now closed due to structural damage but you can find walking information here.
Now, I’m sure the concept of ‘Devil’s Bridge’ will be familiar to you in some shape or form. The tale of Billy Goats Gruff and The Troll Under the Bridge are staples within British folklore, and similar tales are shared within other world folklore such as Spain and Germany: there are even trails of this folklore to be found with Norse mythology too. However- within Wales, the monster under the bridge is not actually a monster, but Satan himself. Located within Pontarfynach, Devil’s Bridge is something truly special. When visiting you will see that Devil’s Bridge is made up of three bridges, the first was thought to be built in 1075 and then the second bridge made of stone was added in the 18th century. The third and final bridge was constructed in the 20th century and was added to secure the foundations of the previous two.
Many years ago, an old woman by the name of Megan Llandunach had lost her cow. It was a beautiful and faithful creature and provided Megan with much needed nourishment but also provided a source of income for the old woman to sell milk and make a little cheese to sell at market. She loved her cow greatly and cared for it with the utmost care as if it was her own child. Now, one day Megan was out walking with her cow and leading to pasture when something spooked it and the much beloved cow ran away in the woodlands and was lost. Megan Llandunach was devastated, she searched high and low and it began to become dark and dreary. Just as Megan was about to give up and return home to rest, she heard a deep lowing from across the way. Megan pushed the bracken and immediately found herself on the edge of a steep cliff edge with a deep gorge to tumble down only a few steps away. She looked across the gorge and low and behold, there was her beautiful cow – on the other side of the gorge. Megan was heartbroken and broke down where she was, crying and bewailing her cruel fate. She would starve without the cow and the cow without Megan to milk her would become heavy and surely die from neglect. Her sobs rang loud and true into the wilderness. After some time, Megan heard a rustling in the darkness and as she took her head out of her hands, she looked up into the face of an old monk. His robes were drawn tightly around him and if it was daylight, she would have been sure to have spied his cloven feet and recognised him as the devil himself.
“Why do you cry at the edge of the gorge my dear woman?” Said the Devil to Megan in a kind voice. “It is my cow that lows on the other side of the river, without each other we shall surely perish.” Tears still rolled her cheeks as she stared up at the monk.
“I will help you -” said the devil to Megan, “I will build a bridge in the night and you can return in the morning to cross the bridge and retrieve your cow – on one condition.” The devil smiled a wry smile as Megan shouted “Anything!”
“The first soul to cross the bridge in the morning you shall give to me, you shall return in the morning to inspect the bridge.” Said the devil to Megan. Now as Megan walked home and recalled the meeting with the old monk, she thought carefully about the request the monk had given her in exchange for the bridge. Megan realised that the monk had not blessed her as she left and suddenly it became clear; the monk was the devil himself and he was trying to trick her. Megan thought carefully when she got home about how she was going to keep her soul and the cow.
The next morning Megan returned to the bridge and there was the devil, waiting for her – this time he was not disguised and was rubbing his hands with glee. “You may cross the bridge now Megan.” Said the devil, but Megan had already decided what to do. “If you don’t mind sir, I’m just going to throw this piece across to the other end of the bridge, an old superstition if you will.” The devil smiled because in his mind he could not be beaten. Now as Megan threw the loaf of bread, Megan’s dog ran from behind her and across the bridge after the loaf of bread! Megan chuckled as she turned to the devil –
“There’s your soul my love, I’ll be getting my cow now and I’ll be on my way. Many thanks for the bridge.”
The devil was enraged! He had been outsmarted by a woman, an old woman no less! The devil was so angry, that he disappeared in puff of smoke, leaving behind the dog and the stolen monks cape. It had been said that the devil hasn’t been seen in Wales ever since and we have Megan to thank for that.
Now, this tale is soothing to the soul - who doesn’t love a story of the devil getting a comeuppance and a taste of his own medicine. The Devil is said to have built all bridges that were seen to scrape great heights; it was thought that the craftsmanship could only be performed by those who had been touched by the devil’s hands. Bridges are often associated with the supernatural and are avoided by superstitious folk, perhaps because of the liminality associated with bridges. Humans as a species, it seems, have never gotten over needing an exchange to cross bridges; we still have toll bridges and Wales only stopped charging a fee to enter in 2018! If you ever have the chance to visit Devil’s Bridge, make sure you visit in the daylight – oh and of course, take plenty of bread and the dog!
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This is Part 2 in a series - you can read Part 1 here.
Written by Melanie Smith
Melanie Smith is a writer from Ebbw Vale, South Wales. She is currently writing a novel inspired by Welsh folklore and studies at the University of South Wales.