Llanw takes Holiday
Llanw takes Holiday
September 17, 2017
“ Molly set the table. The Tide in. Here comes Llanw with his baskets, bags and holdall full of all sorts of treasures a wee - un would carry back from Cardigan Bay. I'll get the small wood table out for him to place them on.” called Mike.
“Tad grand! Mam mawr! Look at all the pebbles and shells I found today. Here is something for Mam mawr.” said an excited Llanw.
Llanw presented his Grandmother with a crudely strung string of exquisite pearls.
“My goodness where did you find these?” asked Mam mawr.
“I didn't find them Shanaya gave them to me to give to you Mam mawr.” said Llanw.
“Shanaya? Who is she one of your little play friends on the beach?” asked a surprised Tad grand.
“No she can not walk on the beach because she has no legs. Shanaya lives in the sea out by the cliff with the dolphins and seals. If I get too close to the water she scolds me by singing:
Tidy Little House
I have a little tidy house, tidy house, tidy house,
I have a little tidy house,
With the wind blowing to its door each morning.
Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho
With the wind blowing to its door each morning.
Open the door a little bit, a little bit, a little bit,
Open the door a little bit
So that I can see the sea and the waves.
Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho
So that I can see the sea and the waves.
And here I'll be, happy and content,
Happy and content, happy and content,
And here I'll be, happy and content,
With the wind blowing to its door each morning.
Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho
With the wind blowing to its door each morning.
“Go wash your hands and face Llanw then we can eat lunch. I made us seaweed soup with vegetables and currant cakes for dessert” Grandmother said softly.
After lunch the dishes washed by Grandfather and dried by Grandmother who put them away the two f them sat down to have a pipe while Llanw sorted his treasures at his little table.
Grandmother said: ” Shanaya is back and protecting our grandson. He is only five but I do worry about him out there on the beach all alone. There are not many families out there during the weekdays.”
“ Shanaya looks like a beautiful and kind girl on the outside but don't be fooled. She can turn on you if she doesn't care for you especially if you eat the animals from the sea.” said Grandfather.
“We do not take from the sea any living animals. We just have the vegetables from the sea that Shanaya said we could take. Arame, Nori, Kombu, Wakame, Dulse, Agar, Kelp, Sea Lettuce,Ogonori and many more fine plants. When she saved our son many years ago we promised her we would never eat her sea friends and we have kept our word.: said Grandmother.
Llanw continued to play on the beach every summer holiday he spent with his Tad grand and Mam mawr. His parents were visiting other countries r in the islands but they never cam to see the grandparents for very long. GARTH, Llanw's father was the only son of the grandparents and as a child he also played on the beach but not as much as Llanw as Garth preferred to ride pony on the beach or immerse himself in books.
When the three months came to an end Llanw would carefully pick a few of his pebbles and shells then place them in a labeled and dated box to put on the shelf in Tad grand's garage.
The remaining he asked Tad grand and Mam mawr if there was a favorite for each of them and they each would pick one to remember him until next summer. The remaining he took back to the sea saying:
Good bye shells
So long pebbles
I must return you
back to the sea
to tumble and roll
to another child
that will enjoy
the beauty you
gave to Llanw
Shanaya came as close as she could t her little friend saying “ Your father liked to ride pony on the beach. I saw him riding often but he was afraid of me so chose to ignore the fact I was here to protect him from drowning in the sea. I am so happy to have spent this summer with you Llanw. You are not afraid, you are quite logical for a wee – un.”
“Thank you Shanaya I will be back next Holiday. Mam mawr wears her necklace and says to tell you that we still honor not eating your friends. I will draw pictures of my time here to remind me f the fun we had and I will share with Tad grand and Mam mawr.” spoke Llanw.
©Julia A Knaake