Once upon a time, there was a fisherman called Hywel. As he sat on the rocks one day, he saw a mermaid in the distance. Hywel had never seen anyone so beautiful in his entire life.

HYWEL AND THE MERMAID

Quietly, Hywel crept up to the mermaid. She had very long hair, which she combed as she sang a pretty song. Her name was Modlen. She didn’t notice Hywel at all. "I must take her home," he thought.

Hywel tiptoed along the path and quickly picked up the mermaid in his arms and ran away with her to his boat. The mermaid cried and cried, "Let me go! Please, let me go!" But Hywel shook his head.

Hywel took the mermaid home. He looked after her with food and water but she cried day and night. Hywel’s friend Maredudd told him to let her go back with the next tide.

But Hywel just thought that Maredudd was jealous. "She’ll cast a spell on you if you don’t let her go," Maredudd warned him.

As time went by, the mermaid began to look thin and pale. "Oh Hywel, please let me go home," she pleaded. "If you let me go, then I promise I will come and help you if you are ever in danger at sea."

Remembering his friend’s warning, Hywel agreed to let her go. He carried her to the shore and kissed her goodbye. "I will call your name three times if ever you are in danger," promised Modlen.

Many years passed by, but Hywel never forgot about Modlen. Then one evening when he was out fishing, Modlen appeared. "Hywel, Hywel, Hywel! Draw your net!" she cried.

The sea was calm and there were no storm clouds to be seen in the sky. All the other fishermen laughed at Hywel as he rowed back to shore.

But, suddenly a big storm started. The rain started to pour down and great waves rose up. "I owe my life to Modlen the mermaid, said Hywel happily as he climbed the hill to safety. The End.