OF A GORSEDD AT THE GREAT STONES 189 



their hats. But these things, in comparison with 

 that which followed, were the mere commonplaces 

 of ordinary life. We were no more out of the 

 way in Clere valley than, say, a circus. But as 

 I was mopping up sugar with my last strawberry 

 (and I sat just outside the Stones), I perceived 

 that the mother of the two children who were 

 with us was draping her progeny in ample veils of 

 gauze the lad in green, the girl in white, and close 

 beside them stood a tall and lovely lady who 

 wrapped blue muslin about her head and shoulders. 

 And it was suddenly borne in upon my under- 

 standing that I was to be the witness of amazing 

 occurrences. Hardly had I arrived at this con- 

 clusion when a respected member of His Majesty's 

 Government sprang upon a recumbent stone and 

 emitted several piercing cries which, I have since 

 been told, gave those present (or such of them as 

 understood him) to know that the Gorsedd was 

 opened. 



Now a Gorsedd is a competition for Bardic 

 honours. 



At this there arose, swathed in green muslin 

 and crowned with oak, the Druid Derwen, aged 

 ten, who stood stoutly on a Stone and gave forth 

 a Welsh Ode, composed by himself in honour of 

 the Great Circle. And we all stood by and 

 shouted "Clywch ! Clywch! " in the manner of the 



