The Widow's Gold
In the remote hamlet of Vaynor, embedded in the heart of Wales, a thick, grey fog perpetually clung to the earth, giving the place an ethereal, other-wordly aura. The rustic town was the dwelling place of an old widow named Mair, the protagonist of our tale titled, 'The Widow's Gold'.
Mair was a kind-hearted old woman, well-loved amongst the townsfolk and known far and wide for her good deeds. But, as is often the case, a heart shrouded in sorrow beat beneath her cheerful demeanour. Many years ago, Mair’s heart had been stolen by a young man named Geraint. Their love was as strong as the mighty Welsh mountains and as vast as the overreaching skies. But fate did not allow their love story to flourish. Geraint was a sailor who tragically lost his life in a shipwreck, leaving Mair heartbroken and widowed.
Vaynor was a haven for folklore and myths, one of which was the tale of the 'Golden Fish', a mystical creature said to make one wish come true. Mair, being bereft of her true love, was motivated by a deep longing to see Geraint one last time, deciding to capture the Golden Fish. The townsfolk, touched by her narrative but skeptical about the myth, watched as Mair journeyed time and again to the banks of the Tal-y-bont Reservoir, casting her net in desperation.
Days turned into months, and months into years. Slowly, Mair turned from a young beguiling widow to a grizzled old woman. The hamlet watched her growing frailty with melancholic eyes, but her determination did not wane. Everyone believed her quest was futile, everyone but her.
One foggy morning, with her strength waning and spirit dwindling, she cast her net for the final time. She pulled with all her might and fell backward onto the ground as her net dislodged from the water. Inside it gleamed the Golden Fish, its scales shimmering beneath the weak sun. There was mourning in the fish’s eyes, a comprehension of its impending doom. Mair, holding it gently, whispering soft condolences, proclaimed her wish.
'One last time,' she said, 'I wish to see him one last time.'
A golden glow radiated from the fish, engulfing Mair and lighting up the hushed hamlet. Her wrinkled eyes blinked open, and there he was, the love of her life. Geraint stood in front of her, just as she remembered him, with his sunlit smile and eyes as blue as the ocean.
They embraced, laughed, cried, and shared stories of lives lived parallel yet apart. As the day drew to a close, so did their time. Underneath the evanescent twilight sky, Geraint disappeared, leaving a kiss on Mair's forehead and the lingering taste of goodbye on her lips.
The following morning the hamlet found Mair, her hands gently clasping the net, her spirit having moved on to join Geraint. Many cried for the kind-hearted woman, while others comforted themselves knowing that she had finally been united with her love.
And so, the tale of 'The Widow's Gold' seeped into the folklore of Vaynor, a heart-rending narrative of love, longing, and the undying human spirit that transcends the boundaries between life and death, infusing hope into the melancholic streets. Miraculously, the fog that had been a constant blanket over the town finally lifted, leaving the beautiful hamlet awash in glorious sunshine. Vaynor, now basking in a golden glow, carried on with her legacy, remembering her love and her courage.
And there, somewhere, encompassed in a never-ending love saga, Mair and Geraint found their forever-after in the depth of the Welsh mountains, their echoes reverberating in the wind and the waves.