204 
There came a man from the house hard by 
At the well to fill his pail ; 
On the well-side he rested it, 
And he bade the stranger hail. 
“Now, art thou a bachelor stranger?” quoth he, 
‘For an if thou hast a wife, 
The happiest draught thou hast drank this day 
That ever thou didst in thy life. 
“Or has thy good woman, if one thou hast, 
Ever here in Cornwall been? 
For an if she have, I’ll venture my life 
She has drank of the well of St. Keyne.” 
«J have left a good woman who never was here,” 
The stranger he made reply ; 
‘But that my draught should be the better for that, 
I pray you answer me why?” 
“St, Keyne,” quoth the Cornishman, ‘‘ many a time 
“ Drank of this crystal well, 
And before the angel summon’d her 
She laid on the water a spell. 
“© Tf the husband of this gifted well 
Shall drink before his wife, 
A happy man thenceforth is he, 
For he shall be master for life. 
“ But if the wife should drink of it first 
God help the husband then! 4 
The stranger stoop’t to the well of St. Keyne, 
And drank of the water again. 
“ You drank of the Well I warrant betimes ?” 
He to the Cornishman said : 
But the Cornishman smiled as the stranger spake 
And sheepishly shook his head. 
‘J hastened as soon as the wedding was done, 
And left my wife in the porch ; 
But i’faith she had been wiser than me, 
For she took a bottle to church.” 
Tradition has not handed down any such disturbing spell as attached to the 
wellat Keynsham, or to the Ffynnon Genau at Llangenny ; at least it has not been 
publicly proclaimed ; but there are those who, knowing something of the domestic 
concerns in these districts, observe in certain households, here and there, “a 
mastery ” SO decided and overbearing, that it could not well be greater, however 
freely the waters of St. Keyne might have been drunk. 
