At the end of the mountain road we had taken lies a small community clinging to the sides of the gorge above the River Rheidol. Pontarfynach, though, is named for the Afon Mynach, one of its tributaries, that tumbles, roars and swirls its way down the mountainside, spanned by a bridge built, so the story goes, by the Devil himself.

Many waterfalls and streams lead into the Mynach. Megan’s cow had strayed to the far side of the river and the water had risen, flooding the deep ravine. She did not know how the cow had crossed, only that she could not get it back. The cow and her dog were all that she had in the world and Megan was devastated.

A kindly monk saw her distress and asked her what was wrong. Hearing the sorry tale, the monk offered to build a bridge across the raging waters so that Megan might recover her errant cow. The old lady, however, was suspicious. She had seen that the monk’s robes covered knees that seemed to bend the wrong way and a cloven foot.  Still, she needed the cow… and she could not cross alone. The water cut deep cauldrons in the rock as it churned and sent a great waterfall spewing beyond the crevice…

She asked what the monk would require in return for his services. He asked for the first living thing that crossed the bridge once it was built. Reluctantly, Megan agreed to his terms and went back to her cottage to wait until the bridge was completed…

Continue reading at France & Vincent