In the days before the railway, farms in the hills around Bryneglwys fetched their coal by waggon from the pits and works on the far side of the mountain, towards Minera above Wrexham, a round trip of many miles. One day two waggoners set off together on this errand.
On the way, in a field beside the road, they saw a company of the Tylwyth Teg dancing in a ring. The music was lovely and the dancers beckoned. One of the men had the sense to keep his eyes on the road and drive on. The other could not resist, left his waggon, and stepped into the ring.
The sensible one went all the way to Minera alone, loaded the coal and came back. When he reached the field there was nothing there: no dancers, no ring, no friend. He went home and had to explain what had happened, and the missing man's family did not know whether to believe him.
Months went by. Then one day, up on the hills, he met one of the fairies. The fairy told him that his companion was quite safe and still dancing, and had no idea that any time had passed at all. The fairy agreed to let him go and to bring him back to the very field where the two had separated.
Owen's informant Richard Jones of Ty'n-y-wern, who told him many of the stories of this district, is the source. As Curious Clwyd sums it up, it was always folly to dance with the Tylwyth Teg.
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