The Parish of Llanwynno (extracts)

winning back all the (first) gentleman's money, and a lot more. But when he returned to the Rhondda Valley he was greeted by nothing but the strong winds from Mount Gwyngul singing, "See the conquering hero comes." [in English in Glanffrwd's text] I can remember some of the old residents - some over 80 years old - who have been in their graves for many long years, telling with great enthusiasm, stories about Guto's long journeys which he completed in an incredibly short time, but they didn't have even the slightest doubt about them. They remembered how he prepared for his races, by lying in a pile of manure whose natural heat made his muscles warm like candles, and his limbs as flexible as whalebones. Although many fast runners could be found in the Welsh mountains and in the countryside, nobody could get close to him over twelve miles. He was like Azahel, but perhaps even more courageous. He was more like one of the the roe deer that Solomon talked about them on the hills of Judea. It has been recorded, as I mentioned previously, that when he went out with the hounds in Cardiganshire [now Ceredigion] he kept up with the hounds all the time, running side-by-side with them over hills and valleys, through briars and over the isolated moors, and would often catch the fox by the tail. Sian of the shop was Guto's best female friend. She risked a lot of money on his feet, and it is said that in the country there are many of her descendants who are now rich because of her, and many others owe their wealth to her. There were two small house near Troed-rhiw-y- Cymer9 some may be alive now who remember the two old houses and straw roofs, which were the shop, and which was the home of Sian of the shop, whose name will always be associated with Guto. These buildings near Troedrhiw, or near the colliery at Troed-rhiw-y- Cymer is where Sian presided. She made a considerable fortune when she arranged a race between Guto and a English Captain from the army barracks at Carmarthen. Four-Miles for 500. lo The race was mu at Hirwaun, and Guto won with the greatest ease. Shortly afterwards a challenge was received from an Englishman by the name of Prince, to run twelve miles for a large sum of money. He and his supporters from Llanwynno received the challenge with joy, and they went to Caerphilly to arrange the terms and conditions of the race. It was arranged that on the appointed day [Friday 6 September 1737 (Gregorian)], they would start together from Newport,II and finish at Bedwas Church,12 beyond Caerphilly.13 Many hundreds of pounds were wagered on the race,14 and all the wealthy men of the parish came along to place their money on Guto's feet, and especially Sian of the Shop, who was already a rich woman. She is said to staked an apron full of gold on his feet. She was always a great supporter of Guto, but this time she bet everything she had on him. The runners started, and as they left Newport with Prince in the lead and going away from Guto who stopped to speak to someone on the road, by which time Prince had gone out of sight, on seeing this, Guto said, "I must remember, Sian of the Shop," and sped like a deer over the dale, and as he was seen to be gaining ground it infuriated those who were against him and they scattered glass on the road to cut his feet and make him slip, but he leapt over it and ran like a deer. He overtook Prince on the hill leading up to Bedwas Church, and as Guto passed him he asked him if he couldn't go faster, but said that he would run alongside him for a while, and then, thinking of Sian of the Shop, he ran away from him like the mountain